US soldier's lawyer slams Afghan killings 'blackout'

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The lawyer representing a US soldier accused of killing 17 Afghan villagers condemned what he called an "information blackout" that prevents him from preparing his defense case.

Attorney John Henry Browne on Friday said his team had been blocked from interviewing witnesses and injured civilians in southern Afghanistan following the alleged massacre earlier this month.

"We were expecting a lot more cooperation. The prosecutors in this case promised us a lot of cooperation which we're just not getting," he told reporters in Seattle.

"We are facing an almost complete information blackout from the government, which is having a devastating effect on our ability to investigate the charges preferred against our client," he added in a statement.

His client Sergeant Robert Bales, 38, is said to have walked out of his base in the southern province of Kandahar in the early hours of March 11 and mounted a massacre in two nearby villages, with many of his victims women and children.

Browne met his client earlier this month at the Fort Leavenworth military base in Kansas, where Bales is detained charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder, as well as six counts of assault and attempted murder.

But his team has made little progress on the ground in Afghanistan. "When we tried to interview the injured civilians being treated at Kandahar Hospital, we were denied access and told to coordinate with the prosecution team," it said.

The next day, prosecutors interviewed the injured civilians, but Browne's office found out shortly afterward that "the civilians were all released from the hospital and there was no contact information for them.

"In addition, we are being denied access to the injured civilians medical records that are in the possession of the government which makes it even more impossible for us to try to locate and interview these crucial witnesses," it said.

"The prosecution is withholding the entire investigative file from the defense team while the potential witnesses scatter into unknown and potentially inaccessible areas in Afghanistan."

Browne, who said his team had also not been shown an alleged video of Bales, conceded that under military trial rules, they do not have the right to shared "discovery" information until 30 days before a so-called Article 32 preliminary hearing.

"In this case, they actually promised us that if we sent people to Afghanistan... they would cooperate, and make witnesses available for us. And they've obviously violated that promise," he said.

He also warned that the defense -- which will have access to the results of a "sanity review" of Bales expected in the next two months and not made officially available to prosecutors -- could withhold cooperation.

"If they want cooperation from us they better start cooperating more," he told reporters.

Browne said earlier this week that post-traumatic stress disorder will almost certainly be part of his defense, adding that prosecutors will have trouble proving their case against Bales.

The killings have further strained the already difficult relationship between Kabul and Washington, at an all-time low after the burning of Korans by Americans, a spate of deadly anti-US protests and an earlier video showing US Marines urinating on the corpses of Taliban militants.

US military officials declined to respond directly to Browne's allegations. But army spokesman George Wright told AFP: "The US Army will continue to work with the Bales legal defense team in the months to come."

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The US military lawyer slams Afghan killings ' blackout '

Represents the United States military's mind killing 17 Afghan Villagers by condemned what he called a "blackout" which prevents him from his defence of the Convention.

Attorney John Henry Browne on Friday said he was prevented from interviewing witnesses and injured civilians, southern Afghanistan, following the alleged massacre earlier this month.

"The expected much more cooperation. The Prosecutor in this case, the promised us a lot of cooperation, of which the root is not high, "he told journalists in Seattle.

"We are facing almost the complete information blackout by the Government that a devastating effect on our ability to investigate the charges against our priorities," he added.

His client Sergeant Robert bales, 38, is known as the southern province Kandahar, he walked to the base on March 11 hours and is installed in the massacre nearby villages, many of his victims, women and children.

Browne met with his client in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas earlier this month in which Bales is charged with premeditated murder in the military area, and six counts of 17 counts and attempted murder.

But his team has made progress in only a little In the field. "When we tried to interview shall be dealt with in the Kandahar hospital, injured civilians, we were blocked and told to coordinate the prosecution," it said.

The next day, prosecutors interviewed injured civilians, but soon afterwards, Browne's Office is found to be "civilians, was released from the hospital had their contact information.

"In addition, we have blocked injured civilians for medical records to the Government, which makes even more impossible to locate and interview these crucial witnesses in their possession," it said.

"The prosecution is not the size of the file at the same time, investigations of possible witnesses, scattering the defense team Unknown and potentially available to the regions in Afghanistan."

Browne, who said his team also has not been alleged in the video, the Bales that the trial version for the military rules, it has not been "finding" the right before the 30 days prior to the start of the so-called article 32 preliminary hearing.

"In this case, they promised us if we can send people ... Afghanistan, cooperate with the available witnesses to us. And you appear to be in breach of that promise, "he said.

He also warned the defense, which has access to the "sanity" Bales over the next two months does not officially provide and prosecutors and results--may seize the cooperation.

"If they want to launch, in cooperation with the cooperation from us the better," he told reporters.

Browne said the post-traumatic stress disorder earlier this week, are almost certainly part of his defence is that the prosecutors are proving their case against the Bales.

Killings are still strained already difficult relationship between Kabul and Washington, all time low, the spate of deadly Korans Americans of anti-US protests earlier in the video, in which US Marines, on the Taliban militants corpses, urinating after saving.

US military officials declined to respond to the Browne's claims. But the army spokesman George Wright, told AFP: "the armed forces of the United States, the legal defence team to continue the Bales with in the coming months."

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Ray J's lawyer slams Leolah Brown's drug accusations - Seattle Post Intelligencer (blog)

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A lawyer for R&B star Ray J has slammed Bobby Brown’s sister for suggesting he is withholding information about Whitney Houston’s death.

The music icon was found submerged in the bathtub of her Los Angeles hotel suite on February 11, and on Thursday, her official cause of death was ruled as accidental drowning, in addition to the effects of heart disease and cocaine use.

The singer’s former sister-in-law, Leolah Brown, appeared on “Dr. Drew” on Thursday to discuss her version of events leading up to the superstar’s passing. In the interview, she accuses Ray J of helping Houston to indulge in her addictions, since he allegedly “knows somebody that sells drugs.”

Recounting the night of the legend’s death, Brown said, “I saw Ray J coming out of the hotel, hiding his head, being pushed into a car. Why? I looked and I said, ‘Why is he hiding his face? He’s always trying to show his face around Whitney. Why now? Why are you trying to hide Ray J?’”

However, a representative for Houston’s on/off boyfriend Ray J has lashed out at the claims, insisting her interview was “rife” with “false” allegations.

In a statement to E! News, the star’s attorney says, “Though Leolah Brown was nowhere near the Beverly Hilton hotel on the day Whitney Houston died, (TV network) CNN proceeded to broadcast an interview with Ms. Brown in which she falsely claimed that Ray J was at the hotel and contributed to Whitney Houston’s death.

“Even the most minimal inquiry with anyone actually in contact with Whitney would reveal that Leolah Brown had been out of contact with Whitney for more than a year and was nowhere near the scene on the day of her death.”

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