Soldier convicted of massacring 16 Afghans seeks new civilian trial, citing a psychosis inducing anti-malarial drug

by | Jun 26, 2019

Soldier convicted of massacring 16 Afghans seeks new civilian trial, citing a psychosis inducing anti-malarial drug

by | Jun 26, 2019

I have no idea if this drug caused him to do this, but whatever happened to him the people of Afghanistan suffered the consequences.

Now, Bales’ lawyers are using a federal statute that allows convicted service members to challenge their court martial findings in civilian court, according to John N. Maher, one of Bales’ attorneys and a former Army judge advocate general.

During Bales’ military career — which included four combat tours between 2003 and 2012 — he was given the anti-malarial drug mefloquine, which is known to have caused mental health problems in some patients, his attorneys wrote in a petition filed earlier this week in U.S. federal court.

In the case of Bales, the drug had “long-lasting adverse psychiatric effects,” including “symptoms of psychosis and tendencies to engage in violence,” the petition reads.

Bales pleaded guilty in 2013 to avoid the death penalty for the slayings of 16 Afghan civilians during nighttime raids in Panjwai district, Kandahar province, on March 11, 2012.

The atrocity was one of the worst in the war.

Steven Woskow

Steven Woskow

Steve Woskow is an entrepreneur and was President of Agtech Products, Inc., a research and development company specializing in animal agriculture. He has a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Food Science from Iowa State University. He is retired and lives with his family in Northern Nevada.

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