Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of hashish, and Afghan Army troops smoke it on the outposts they share with American forces. So it is unclear whether commanders assumed that any odor was from the Afghans, did not notice it or looked the other way when soldiers used the drug, which, they told investigators, helped them to relax.

In an interview, Private Stoner was described by Specialist Winfield’s lawyer, Eric Montalvo, as the platoon’s effective drug dealer. Private Stoner told investigators that he had never used illegal substances himself, a claim investigators discarded. Private Stoner also told investigators that when he reported the hashish smoking to a superior on the base outside the platoon in May, the superior “assured me that he already had an idea about it.”

At that point, in early May, Army investigators say that members of the platoon, urged on by a ringleader, Staff Sgt. Calvin R. Gibbs, had already killed three Afghans for thrills in the surrounding farming villages, where insurgents were said to be active. The platoon traveled to the areas in troop carriers but also went on foot patrols.

Sergeant Gibbs, Specialist Morlock and Pfc. Andrew Holmes are accused of detonating a grenade near an Afghan civilian in January so that the man appeared to be a threat, then shooting him to death. Sergeant Gibbs, Specialist Morlock and Specialist Michael S. Wagnon II are accused of shooting an unarmed Afghan man in February without cause, then placing a Kalashnikov rifle next to the body to justify their action. Sergeant Gibbs is accused of detonating a grenade near an Afghan man in early May before ordering Specialist Morlock and Specialist Winfield to shoot him.

Even before the last death in May, in an indication of some concern among commanders, Lieutenant Ligsay was removed as the platoon’s leader because, an officer told investigators, the platoon had been regularly killing dogs and had discharged a weapon without reason. Although officers at Ramrod criticized Lieutenant Ligsay for allowing the episodes to happen, he was not relieved of duties “for cause,” which would be a damaging step in an officer’s career.

In sworn testimony, Specialist Morlock told investigators that Lieutenant Ligsay had also allowed his soldiers to plant a loaded Kalashnikov magazine near an unarmed Afghan whom the platoon had shot to death  this was a separate episode from the three other killings, and no charges have been filed  to make it appear as if the man had been a threat. Lieutenant Ligsay disputed the accusation in his own testimony.

But in an indication that another senior commander might have been worried about the platoon’s behavior, Lieutenant Ligsay also said in his statement that Captain Quiggle, the Troop A commander, was unhappy about that particular killing and told him the Afghan man “didn’t seem like a threat.”