A military court has ruled U.S. Staff Sergeant Robert Bales will face a court-martial for allegedly slaughtering 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children, in March. Military prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, while defense attorneys have argued that alcohol abuse, drug use and post-traumatic stress disorder all may have played a key role in fueling Bales’ actions. On Wednesday, Bales’ attorney, John Henry Browne, accused military leadership of responsibility for sending Bales to war.

John Henry Browne: “They should take responsibility for sending somebody to a high combat area who they knew had PTSD and post-traumatic — and, excuse me, a concussive head injury. He is disappointed, but he’s — he understands the gravity of the situation, and he’s working with all of us to try to avoid the first military execution in 50 years.”

Bales’ pretrial hearing included video testimony from Afghans who survived the massacre, including several children who recalled watching their loved ones murdered. No date has been set for Bales’ trial.