Staff Sgt. Robert Bales Sentencing Hearing Began This Week

Fort Lewis soldier Staff Sgt. Robert Bales is charged with 16 counts of premeditated murder and six counts of attempted murder for the attack on two villages in the province of Kandahar in March 2012. Among the victims there were nine children. 

On Tuesday reports surfaced that during a phone conversation Bales and his wife laughed at the charges brought against him. Prosecutors say they have a recording of the exchange which they will use to demonstrate Bales’ lack of remorse, while Defense lawyers said those discussions and others that prosecutors want to use were taken out of context according to a Reuters news report.

After pleading guilty to murder to avoid the death penalty back in May, Bales' sentencing hearing began this week. A jury panel of six servicemembers ranking from master sergeant to colonel, according to Army spokeswoman Major Allison Aguilar in a Reuters news report.