Bales Sentenced to Life in Prison for Afghan Massacre

Democracy Now! U.S. and World News Headlines for Monday, August 26 2013

U.S. Army Sergeant Robert Bales has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering 16 Afghan civilians during rampages on two villages last March. Bales was sentenced on Friday after pleading guilty in June. He was spared the death penalty in return for his plea. A number of Afghan victims were flown to the United States to testify during his trial. An Afghan man who lost relatives in Bales’ attack spoke out after the sentence was reached.

Haji Mullah Baran: "We’ve heard the U.S. government say they’re sending soldiers to bring democracy, freedom and justice, but there are certain soldiers, such as this gentleman, who have actually committed crimes and murdered people. If I had a chance to talk to Sgt. Bales, I would ask him directly: Right to your face, you’re a murderer. Why did you do this? Did you ever think of being a human being? Because a human being wouldn’t do this."

Many Afghan victims and family members had called for Bales to receive the death penalty. During closing arguments last week, Bales apologized for the massacre, calling it an "act of cowardice." Defense attorneys had argued Bales suffered a breakdown from post-traumatic stress disorder and a brain injury developed in multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. The massacre marked the worst killings of civilians blamed on a single U.S. soldier since the Vietnam War.

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