Sgt. Bales' money woes included $1M judgment

(CBS News) Staff Sergeant Robert Bales talked for the first time on Monday to the lawyer who will defend him in the massacre of civilians in Afghanistan.

Bales, now being held at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, said he has no memory of what happened the night 16 Afghans - including nine children - were shot dead in their homes.

Bales' wife expressed her sorrow in a statement Monday. Karilyn Bales called the killings "a terrible and heart breaking tragedy."

"What has been reported is completely out of character of the man I know and admire," she said.

Charges expected this week in Afghan killings
Lawyer: Bales wasn't drunk and can't remember
Sgt. Bales' wife: Shooting is "out of character"

Her statement ends with this: "The victims and their families are all in my prayers, as is my husband, who I love very much."

There have been a lot of troubles in Bales' life.

Movers pulled up to the house where Bales lived with his wife and two young children recently. The family has now been moved to nearby Joint Base Lewis-McChord, for safety reasons, according to the military. Neighbor Kassie Holland paints a picture very much at odds with the image of a man who allegedly shot, stabbed, and burned 16 Afghan civilians.

"He was always happy, a happy guy, full of life. I never would have expected it," Holland said.

Bales grew up in Norwood, Ohio, outside of Cincinnati, where he's remembered as a good football player and friend by Michael Blevins. They were in touch last month on Facebook.

"I've known him since the time I was two years old and nothing in his character shows that he's going to go out and massacre innocent people," Blevins said.

But there was another side to Bales. In 2002, he was accused of assaulting a girlfriend and was required to undergo anger management. In 2008, he was cited for a hit and run accident.

But his financial problems were much bigger than his legal issues. Before he enlisted in the Army, Bales worked as a financial adviser. He was accused of stealing money from clients.

Arbitrators found he'd engaged in fraud, unauthorized trading and unsuitable investments. He was ordered repay more than $1 million, but he never did.

Fellow soldiers describe him as gung-ho, a leader. Over 11 years he was deployed to war zones four times. He reportedly suffered a traumatic brain injury when his Humvee rolled over and a foot injury that required rehab back in the states. Bales was home from his third deployment in 2010, a happy time for the family, as neighbor Paul Wohlberg recalls.

"We did a couple of barbecues and we went to a pizza place down the road here. I went once or twice with his family. Just a regular guy," Wohlberg said.

Then he was passed over for a promotion to Sergeant 1st class. His wife wrote on her blog that he was left "sad and disappointed" by the news.

Bales had hoped to be sent to Europe or Hawaii, but he was deployed to Afghanistan instead, just as the family was facing more financial problems. Just this month they put their family home on the market for $50,000 less than they paid, shortly before the massacre took place.

[Kardia10]

I am so sick of this publicity stunt by the media to gain sympathy for Robert Bales and his family. Showing these old photos of him and telling these old stories about him as a youth are nothing more than attempts to make him appear as relatable and likeable to the American public. I don't want to see photos of him when he played little league baseball. I don't care what his favorite color was when he was nine years old or what he wanted to be when he grew up. What sports did those nine Afgan children he killed enjoy playing? What were the hobbies of the women that he killed? What were their hopes and dreams? Where are their pictures? Where are the interviews of their neighbors and relatives? There are no photos of them, we are not even told their names or ages!! Since when should you show more interest and sympathy for a MURDERER than you do a victim? Stop trying to paint a pretty picture of a MASS MURDERER!!!!!

[juandeveras]

I had a feeling in my gut that Liebschner ( the elderly 'victim' here ) might be blowing a certain amount of smoke. So I looked up the file on FINRA ( where you go to check your stock broker's record )and found the claims made against Sgt. Bales were also made against seven other co-respondents ( ie co-defendants ) in the same claim, including the firm which Bales worked for at the time, known as Michael Patterson, Inc. Normally in such a matter, the lawyer for the employer would also be defending the employee ( Bales ) but not only did they not provide Sgt. Bales a defense, but he was not even present at even one hearing on the matter and may not have even known about the matter. The media, CBS included, is reporting the story as if Bales is a very bad man, a lone wold preying on helpless elderly victims, and have placed he and his family in danger and have, to date, failed to report the whole story. This is possibly defamation.

[goldenaguila]

The US military is partly responsible for sending soldiers who have already done several tours in war zones. It is clear that this man suffered from PTSD and he was upset that he was being sent to Afghanistan. I think the DOD is going to spin this the way they see fit. Bales is being scapegoated. The truth is there were 20 other soldiers involved in the killings but they want us to believe that he was just one bad apple. There is an independent group of Afghan lawyers who have interviewed many people in that village and from what has come out the killings could not have been committed by one person.

[lucifersshadow]

The stooge can have an exemplary record, and then can't remember all of the sudden? That sounds awfully conevienent. I have lost any respect I had for present-day military people who volunteer to fight this illegal war anyway. I am a veteran myself, and there is a certain point were you need to consider what it is your nation is doing . . . if it is right, and if it is going to yield positive results . . . . and, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, (and Iran) will be pages of failure in our history books. What exactly did we change? In Afghanistan, the only thing that will have changed is that the roads that our hard-earned tax dollars bought them will be used by the Taliban to raise more money for themselves shipping their opium out of the country. Great going, Washington clowns.

[AlabamaRon]

lucifer, after reading your statement, I believe you are lying when you call yourself a veteran.

[MonkeeRench]

"The stooge can have an exemplary record, and then can't remember all of the sudden?"

Uh, stooge or scapegoat? What drugs did the Army put him on to "handle" his traumatic brain injury? The usual dose of non-tested psychoactive that especially turns TBI's into a violent, paranoid warrior suffering blackouts?

[jwilsonte]

shoot him !! the good book says a man who murders childern and women does not deserve to be defended or treated as human!! he doesnt remember?? getting dresses loading his guns sneaking out? or just murdering innocent people what a coward only another coward could understand this Joke and defend him!!

[bileven]

The Old Testement says he is to be put to death, but a Christian is not under the law...

Not defending him, but he does deserve his day in court. Also, he deserves a fair trial. If he was mentally incompetent, and the Army knew it, then his CO's should be held accountable.

The Terroists who have helped to kill thousands, by planning and carrying out bombings of public squares are given no less.

[jwilsonte]

shoot him !! the good book says a man who murders childern and women does not deserve to be defended or treated as human!! he doesnt remember?? getting dresses loading his guns sneaking out? or just murdering innocent people what a coward only another coward could understand this Joke and defend him!!

[jwilsonte]

shoot him !! the good book says a man who murders childern and women does not deserve to be defended or treated as human!! he doesnt remember?? getting dresses loading his guns sneaking out? or just murdering innocent people what a coward only another coward could understand this Joke and defend him!!

[augustus66]

What the hell does his financial woes at home have to do w/ what allegedly happened in Afg..??!! I mean really?! This sounds like Govt./meia muck racking here.
You started off by having a BUNCH of people (and not just immediate relatives) saying that this guy was just "salt of the earth",...etc. "can't even imagine" & absolutely "out of character"...etc, etc. Now all of a sudden its being reported that "he had financial trouble", his house is "underwater", and 10 yrs ago he was accused (not found guilty) of assaulting (which could mean anything from a slap to a severe beating) a girlfriend,...what kind of conclusion does the media or govt. want all of us "sheep" to conclude??? What that he must be guilty if he could do those heinous things at home??

I mean really, do they think were that dumb. I'll bet 30% of the military deployed have financial hardships & homes that are underwater!!!! I just don't get the/this correlation. I'm not saying this guy is innocent of what he's being accused of (in Afg.). But don't treat us like idiots by throwing this stuff out there like it is evidence of his ability to murder innocent people. Believe it or not many of us are smarter than that.

[ReckonedTruth]

A bad credit score..denies you being hired to a financial instituion(bankers, stock brokers etc.,)..and speak to your character.. to handle money properly and to be trustworthy of one's character.. the correlation is simple.. for some its called your personal moral turpitude.

[bileven]

Stress, along with the already documented fact he failed a mental exam (but it then disappeared), helped lead to the outcome.

It's actually quite normal. You never find many people just "snapping".

As for the financial hardship of soldiers, one can be discharged for such things. So he would have had to provide some insight, before enlistment.

If you're smarter, how come you seem to focus on this one man? Don't believe the witness' accounts that there was more than one gunman?

My question, Afganistan is well known for it's armed citizens, and this area is well known for it's armed insurgence against the very base he was at, yet 16 non-military personnel were killed AND then burned? What did he carry a blow torch?

Simple question, who servers to benefit from this activity? USA Govt? Nope, then now getting rushed to pull out of the country. The Army? Nope, they now have to worry about retaliation....

Who really is the sheep and who is the shepard?

[hamiltongrad]

I am amazed how quickly peope judge other people, were you there ?

Let's all calm down, and see where the facts lead us. Punishment and blame will not bring these people back. Perhaps it is time for understanding and reflection.

[blueblueiis]

That man has a cruel mouth. You can read his character in his face.

[wlhoppers]

I wonder what people see in yours.