A US soldier accused of killing 16 Afghan villagers was ‘lucid’ and admitted to the crimes, prosecutors said as he appeared in court for the first time.
Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, 39, had been drinking whisky and watching a violent action movie with comrades before leaving his base twice to massacre civilians, mostly women and children, in two nearby villages, they said.
‘He was lucid, he was coherent, he was responsive,’ said prosecutor Joseph Morse at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, adding that Bales had admitted to the crimes, reportedly saying: ‘It's bad, really bad.’ Sporting a shaved head and wearing fatigues, Bales answered the judge's questions in a clear voice, responding: ‘Sir, yes sir.’ He alternated between sitting forward and slumping against the back of his chair.
Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, 39, had been drinking whisky and watching a violent action movie with comrades before leaving his base twice to massacre civilians, mostly women and children, in two nearby villages, they said.
‘He was lucid, he was coherent, he was responsive,’ said prosecutor Joseph Morse at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, adding that Bales had admitted to the crimes, reportedly saying: ‘It's bad, really bad.’ Sporting a shaved head and wearing fatigues, Bales answered the judge's questions in a clear voice, responding: ‘Sir, yes sir.’ He alternated between sitting forward and slumping against the back of his chair.