Victims Confront Murderous U.S. Soldier at Sentencing Hearing

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales pleaded guilty to slaughtering 16 Afghan civilians

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. — A brother of the U.S. soldier who slaughtered 16 Afghan civilians last year began making the case Wednesday for why he should one day be eligible for release from prison, portraying him as a patriotic American and indulgent father who let his son put ranch dressing on chocolate chip pancakes. …

On Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, a series of Afghan villagers who traveled about 7,000 miles to testify at the hearing in traditional garb spoke of their lives since the attacks.

Haji Mohammad Wazir lost 11 family members, including his mother, wife and six of his seven children. He told the six-member jury that the attacks destroyed what had been a happy life. He was in another village with his youngest son, now 5-year-old Habib Shah, during the attack.