War Hero to War Criminal: Roberts-Smith's Fall from Grace

0:00It's April 17th. This is Sydney News today, powered by AI. Ben Robert Smith went from war hero to accused war criminal real quick. Back in 2011, he got Australia's highest honor, the Victoria Cross, for his bravery in Afghanistan as a special air service soldier. His parents, Lenin Su, celebrated by giving him an ornate sword that belonged to his dad from his days as a major general. It's for 15 years, and Ben spacing five counts of murder as war crimes from his time in Afghanistan. He just spent 10 days in Silverwater, jail, before getting bail granted Friday in Sydney's Downing Center court under exceptional circumstances. His parents sat front row, stone faced, but supportive as always. They've been in court non-stop through his long defamation battles, and now this. Su told reporters outside, she loves her son, no matter what. Len, a former Supreme Court judge and Army Reserve major general, stepped up big with

1:01a $250,000 surety to get Ben out. The family's been private, but fire back at critics, like when they defended him publicly before his big trial against nine newspapers. Through the highs of medals and lows of charges, the Robert Smith's whole tight, proud of the man they raised, even as the legal fights drag on.