US solider receives life sentence.

[Higgins86]

BBC News - Afghan massacre soldier Robert Bales gets life sentence


The US soldier who murdered 16 Afghan villagers last year has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Staff Sgt Robert Bales, 40, opened fire on men, children and women during the attack in Kandahar on 11 March 2012.

The father of two pleaded guilty in June to avoid the death penalty.




Justice for the victims or should he have got the death penalty?

 

[Medusa]

fortunately!

 

[cpwill]

Apparently he cooperated to avoid the death penalty.

I'll admit, I'm of two minds about it. I can completely understand the case for the death penalty here, and completely understand the argument of someone placed under pressures he could no longer handle. It's a tragedy all around.

 

[Higgins86]

Apparently he cooperated to avoid the death penalty.

I'll admit, I'm of two minds about it. I can completely understand the case for the death penalty here, and completely understand the argument of someone placed under pressures he could no longer handle. It's a tragedy all around.

Yes it is! Heartbreaking as well considering he has two kids who will grow up without a father. You have to wonder was he always a bad egg or did soemthing actually set him off out there?

 

[Red_Dave]

Apparently he cooperated to avoid the death penalty.

I'll admit, I'm of two minds about it. I can completely understand the case for the death penalty here, and completely understand the argument of someone placed under pressures he could no longer handle. It's a tragedy all around.

If he killed people in the U.S we wouldn't even be discussing this, why are Afghan civilians of less value? If we regard the lives of those we are supposed to be protecting so callously then what are we doing there?

 

[RDS]

Hamid Karzai reading this news will be telling himself "Holy ****, he took 16 lives and now he is enjoying free food and lodging for life"

 

[Andalublue]

If he killed people in the U.S we wouldn't even be discussing this, why are Afghan civilians of less value? If we regard the lives of those we are supposed to be protecting so callously then what are we doing there?

That's the clincher. It must feel inconvenient for military judicial system that he and the Fort Hood shooter were sentenced on the same day. The fact will not be lost on the world that the Fort Hood shooter was not permitted to enter a guilty plea and avoid the death penalty, whereas Bales was. It's unsurprising Bales victims feel they were robbed of justice, even though I think LWP is the correct verdict for both cases.

 

[ecofarm]

I'm against the death penalty.

 

[Medusa]

I'm against the death penalty.

saddam shouldnt have been executed ,eco ?

 

[ecofarm]

That's the clincher. It must feel inconvenient for military judicial system that he and the Fort Hood shooter were sentenced on the same day. The fact will not be lost on the world that the Fort Hood shooter was not permitted to enter a guilty plea and avoid the death penalty, whereas Bales was. It's unsurprising Bales victims feel they were robbed of justice, even though I think LWP is the correct verdict for both cases.

First, the Ft. Hood shooter was convicted but has not yet been sentenced. Are you sure you know what you're talking about? Second, the Ft. Hood shooter declined having an attorney and appears, by all measurements, to be attempting to get the death penalty. Nonetheless, I'm against him getting the death penalty.

Funny how some people against the death penalty suddenly become for it when the defendant is military.

 

[ChrisL]

I'm against the death penalty.

It seems like we are in the minority here. :mrgreen:

 

[ecofarm]

saddam shouldnt have been executed ,eco ?

That's correct. Of course, it was beyond our control. Saddam was tried and hanged by Iraqis.

 

[ChrisL]

saddam shouldnt have been executed ,eco ?

Take it up the Iraqis. They tried him and executed him. Their choice. We just handed him over to the proper authorities. :shrug: We cannot be held responsible for everything that happens in the world.

 

[ecofarm]

It seems like we are in the minority here. :mrgreen:

I find that it provides justification for the rationalization of murder: "if the government can kill a defenseless person for their reasons, then I can for mine". In this way it's counter-productive, it encourages (not deters) murder.

 

[ChrisL]

I find that it provides justification for the rationalization of murder: "if the government can kill a defenseless person for their reasons, then I can for mine". In this way it's counter-productive, it encourages (not deters) murder.

It's been around forever and doesn't seem to be a very good deterrent. I think that most people either don't care or don't think that they'll be caught. As for the pro DP people, it seems there are a lot of them who like to play God.

 

[Andalublue]

Funny how some people against the death penalty suddenly become for it when the defendant is military.

Are you sure you can read? Which bit of, "I think LWP is the correct verdict for both cases," do you struggle to comprehend?

 

[ecofarm]

It's been around forever and doesn't seem to be a very good deterrent. I think that most people either don't care or don't think that they'll be caught. As for the pro DP people, it seems there are a lot of them who like to play God.

There is overwhelming evidence that it does not deter. Further, the rationalization it provides (which encourages) cannot be denied.

 

[Medusa]

Take it up the Iraqis. They tried him and executed him. Their choice. We just handed him over to the proper authorities. :shrug: We cannot be held responsible for everything that happens in the world.

chris ,if we are against it we should be against it under every condition

 

[ecofarm]

Are you sure you can read? Which bit of, "I think LWP is the correct verdict for both cases," do you struggle to comprehend?

I wasn't referring to you.

 

[What if...?]

Hamid Karzai reading this news will be telling himself "Holy ****, he took 16 lives and now he is enjoying free food and lodging for life"

Life in Leavenworth prison will be no picnic.

 

[notquiteright]

First, the Ft. Hood shooter was convicted but has not yet been sentenced. Are you sure you know what you're talking about? Second, the Ft. Hood shooter declined having an attorney and appears, by all measurements, to be attempting to get the death penalty. Nonetheless, I'm against him getting the death penalty.

Funny how some people against the death penalty suddenly become for it when the defendant is military.

Before the trial Hasan tried to plead guilty and was not allowed to. It just seems a bit odd one judge allowed a plea deal that lets a dead to rights murderer avoid the death penalty by allowing him to plead guilty yet the Ft. Hood massacre judge didn't permit it. Motive for Hasan pleading guilty aside it was rejected by the judge.

Personally I see life without the possibility of parole both cheaper and meaner...

 

[Andalublue]

There is overwhelming evidence that it does not deter. Further, the rationalization it provides (which encourages) cannot be denied.

I find this the simplest issue to argue. Either you believe it is wrong to deliberately take another human life, or you don't. I happen to believe it is, under whatever circumstances.

 

[ecofarm]

Before the trial Hasan tried to plead guilty and was not allowed to. It just seems a bit odd one judge allowed a plea deal that lets a dead to rights murderer avoid the death penalty by allowing him to plead guilty yet the Ft. Hood massacre judge didn't permit it. Motive for Hasan pleading guilty aside it was rejected by the judge.

Personally I see life without the possibility of parole both cheaper and meaner...

Hasan's guilty plea was an attempt to get the death penalty. Should we really let someone dig their own grave? Of course, he continued to do so; in the end, there was no way to prevent him from trying to get it.

 

[StillBallin75]

I think it was the right decision, and I don't support the death penalty.

 

[ChrisL]

chris ,if we are against it we should be against it under every condition

What do you mean? Iraq? That's none of my business. I'm concerned with what happens in my own country. That's something I can have a little bit of control over.