U.S. soldier to plea guilty of massacring 16 Afghan villagers to avoid execution

USPA News - A United States soldier is expected to plea guilty in a southern Afghanistan massacre to avoid the death penalty, prosecutors said. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, 39, in order to avoid execution, has agreed to plea guilty of massacring at least 16 Afghan villagers on March 11, 2012 in the district of Pajwai in the southern province of Kandahar.

The victims, most of them women and children, were shot or stabbed to death. Bales` attorney told media outlets that the special operations soldier has agreed to plea guilty during his scheduled June 5 court hearing. However, lawyers have also stated that Bales had taken Valium, steroids, and alcohol, given to him by his colleagues, prior to the attack. The statement is expected to be given after his guilty plea in order to determine whether Bales will be eligible for parole. In addition, lawyers have argued that Bales might have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder or a traumatic brain injury, as he was on his fourth combat tour.