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The Temple Daily Telegram via AP/Bell County Sheriff's Dept.
Nidal Hasan, accused in the Nov. 2009 Fort Hood shootings that killed 13 people, undated.
Maj. Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist accused of carrying out the November 2009 shooting spree at Fort Hood in Texas, sought to plead guilty Wednesday to 13 counts of premeditated murder but the judge said he could not accept the plea, the Temple Daily Telegram reported.
Under military law, Hasan is not allowed to plead guilty because the premeditated murder charges carry death as the maximum sentence and the government is pursuing the death penalty in Hasan's case.
The Telegram, providing live updates from the courtroom, reported that military judge Col. Gregory Gross said Hasan wanted to plead guilty to the capital counts. (Gross) "explained he is prohibited from accepting such a plea," according to Telegram reporter Paul Romer.
"The motion apparently indicated Hasan wished to plead guilty to take responsibility for his actions."
"There is no right to plead guilty...The accused could still take responsibility for his actions — Judge Gross."
"Judge Gross said he would enter not guilty pleas in behalf of Hasan, if necessary."
"Hasan apparently claimed not being allowed to plead guilty violated his religious beliefs, which Gross disagreed with."
Military law would allow Hasan to plead guilty to lesser murder charges that do not carry the death penalty, the AP reported. But that scenario was unlikely because efforts to reach a plea deal failed over a year ago, it reported, citing John Galligan, a civilian attorney who represented Hasan before leaving the defense team in 2011.
It's been nearly three years since Hasan allegedly opened fire on personnel at a medical facility on the Texas Army post, leaving 13 dead and 32 wounded.
The trial for Hasan — scheduled to start on Monday — was put on hold because of another dispute in the military court. Hasan has appealed the court's orders to shave his face to comply with military law, saying his beard is a requirement of his Muslim faith, the Associated Press reported.
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AWOL soldier plotting Fort Hood attack sentenced to life
On Tuesday, Gross also denied a motion by the defense to exclude testimony by Evan Kohlman, a specialist on "homegrown terrorism," who was on the list of prosecution witnesses.
On Wednesday, for the fifth time, the judge started the hearing with a contempt charge against Hasan and fined him $1,000, for showing up unshaven.
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Leave a Comment:
This man commited murder, and treason,he needs a firing squad, and nothing else.
Put a noose around his neck and kick the wheel chair out from under him !
I don't get, he is willing to plead guilty to murder and we say no? As far as I see, he pleads guilty and we kill him, end of story and no trial.
As noted in the article, he cannot plead guilty if facing a death penalty. It seems like he's trying to avoid a death sentence by pleading guilty, but that has already been rejected.
Actually he was trying to plead guilty to the capital charges which the military courts do not allow. If the sentence is death there has to be a trial, the defendant can not simply plead guilty, basically choosing to be executed without any trial. Personally, I think this is nuts. If this guy wants to plead guilty to a capital offense and be executed, let him. It will save the taxpayers millions of dollars in the costs of a trial and the endless appeals. However, I guess that the military does not want to execute someone without having the show first, so we will have to sit through years more of nonsense while this drags through a trial and the mandatory appeals. He committed murder and treason and deserves to be executed with all due speed.
You can't volunteer to be put to death by pleading guilty. It would be overturned under appeal by saying you weren't in your right mind when you asked for death. Pleading guilty does away with a trial by jury, and only a judge and jury can convict someone to death.
Once again a example of Capital Punishment FAILING..... This Scum Bag should be pushing up daises already.....
What happened to his 1st ammendment right to practice his faith? If a Catholic can pray the Rosary, if a Jew can light candles, why are his rights as a muslim being trampled? He was following his faith as his religion prescribes, and for *that* he faces the death penalty???? We're no better than Egypt, where Christian Copts are also harrassed for following their faith.
What are you smoking or popping You mean to tell me that killing 13 people and wounding numerous others was following his religion? Or are you refering to the beard? Well the beard is against military dress standards and the Major believe it or not is still receiving his pay! If you mean killing and wounding other soldiers it is also against the UCMJ which all military members have to follow You are a Nut
The right to practice your faith, in this country, does not include randomly killing others. That is called murder, anywhere in the world. We are not at war with him. He locked and loaded against people on HIS side!
Shut the hell up Steve. You're an idiot! How can u possibly stick up for this piece of garbage. And who cares about his rights?! He lost his rights the moment he decided to gun down 13 innocent people whos job is protecting you and the rest of the people in this country ya freakin nut
While I agree with everyone else, he shouldn't have any rights after what he's done, that's not the reason why he is being "punished" for observing his religious views. He's still considered a US soldier until he is convicted. It is against military regulation to have a beard. It has absolutely nothing to do with religion.
Maj. Nidal Hasan wants to plead guilty. Let him. Put him to death. Case closed.
My question to the judge would be . . Do you really expect him to pay for showing up unshaven ?
Beard or no Beard your honer, he is going to die. Stop wasting time. Nuff Said !
Muslims always say that killing is against their religion. Violating that aspect of his religion didn't seem to bother him. Now he's worried about his beard? That same beard that he didn't have all the while he was voluntarily serving in the Army.
On a different note, can anybody actually be stupid enough to believe that this man faces the death penalty for his beard or that the sorry ass Major really cares about his religion? Hopefully anybody that stupid is from another country or an illegal immigrant, because it scares me that somebody that stupid has a say in who will be the next President of the U.S.
his quality plea, can not be accepted , since it is a automatic deathe sentemce he is a Muslim terrorist, they have a problem, what to do with him.
WTF??? Let him be put to death so he can go straight to hell and find out what a FOOL he was!
Wow you're in prison @sswipe. You don't shave you don't eat. Not surprising the prison officials can't figure that one out either. Get 10 MPs hold him down and dry shave him.
Interesting how he's suddenly so religious and how his 'religion' is now so important to his defense. He is an Islamic jihadist, he killed for his 'faith' and Obama has stated that Nidal's mass murdering spree wasn't domestic terrorism, it was 'workplace violence.' Politically Correct to the end. The murders at the Sikh temple were domestic terrorism but a Muslim in the military killing soldies is 'workplace violence.' This is a pathetic joke, a sham and a travesty.
Time to get rid of Hasan and time to replace Obama with someone who will call mass murder for religious reasons domestic terrorism. There is no difference between the a$$hole who murdered all those people at the temple and Hasan.
Why the hell are we playing this game? He is guilty. He admits it. And he is still alive 3 years afterwards? The U.S. is wasting money on this???? What for? Take him out to the post and line up the firing squad and end this charade.
I tried very hard to follow the article and it made no sense. I believe there was one man shot in WWII for treason or desertion and it was quick. What the @!$%# is all this @!$%# about? Trial should take a day. The deliberations an hour, then take him out to the post 15 minutes later and stuff him in a coffin. End of story.
President Obama never said it wasn't domestic terrorism. I'd like a source, please, of the President saying it was 'workplace violence'.
He is being watched too closely in prison. What needs to happen is this nut job be put in general population so he can be raped and then shanked. No trial and he is done with. If not, I say we petition the court to televise the execution. Might send a message to all Muslims that want to start this kind of "holy war" (what a joke the whole religion is) on US soil.
Smoke em if you got em..............
Bury him smeared in pigs blood so he won't get his alotment of virgins..........
What a country...court is being delayed so we can discuss the religious sensitivities of a mass murderer !
Good to know.
Andi -
I just spent about fourty minutes searching for any comment by Obama or other senior official like the ones mygirl1 accuses. I am now convinced that NO SUCH COMMENTS were ever made. The closest I found was an opinion that Obama's speech at Fort Hood "lacked emotion."
It appears she is full of B.S.
Mario & Andi: Guess you don't know how to research on the internet. All you have to do is type in "Obama adminstration refers to FT HOOD massacre as workplace violence' and reams of articles on the topic appear. Sorry you're having such a hard time, perhaps you don't want to find that information or else you don't want to believe it or else you're too lazy to really do the research and hope that others will be equally lazy . It IS hard to believe, however, it is a fact! Go ahead and vote for him anyways...you will regardless of what he does.
Andi -
I check her suggested line of investigation. Here is what she led us to:
This is a blogspot “Infidel Blogger’s Alliance”, not a reliable news source.
http://ibloga.blogspot.com/2012/07/obama-calls-aurora-shootings-terror.html
This is a blogspot “RightPundits.com”, not a reliable news source.
http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=9487
This is a blogspot “Moonbattery”, not a reliable news source.
http://moonbattery.com/?p=5490
This is a blogspot “Altas Shrugs”, by Pamela Geller, a known rabid anti-Islamist, not a reliable news source.
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2012/07/obamas-comments-on-aurora-killer-and-the-islamic-attack-at-ft-hood.html
I wouldn't trust those sources to pour syrup properly onto panakes.
If a man is standing at the scene with a smoking gun, the police can do us all a favor and kill him then and there.
So, you have proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are not only biases and deliberately obtuse, but also that you don't know how to research the internet.
www.youtu.be.com/watch/?v=ByvxVRFDQCo
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/06/military-growing-terrorist-target-lawmakers-warn/
http://www.militarytimes.com/forum/showthread.php?15915363-Lawmakers-Blast-Administration-For-Calling-Fort-Hood-Massacre-Workplace-Violence
Andi & mygirl -
In part, the DoD letter reads: “The documents attached illustrate how the Department is dealing with the threat of violent Islamist extremism in the context of a broader threat of workplace violence,"
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/06/military-growing-terrorist-target-lawmakers-warn/#ixzz23lEnvi1j
That ain’t what you accused yesterday. You are spinning mini-quotes.
You should have provided links and footnotes with your first posting. Chameleon!
Link to the letter itself, please?
mygirl -
Yesterday you quoted, "Obama has stated that Nidal's mass murdering spree wasn't domestic terrorism, it was 'workplace violence.'"
He didn't and you lied about it.
[[I am voting for Romney because he tells the truth better than you do.]]
You ever get so annoyed and stressed out at work that you just want to punch your boss? Well, Major Nidal Hasan knows just how you feel! He himself indulged in a little “workplace violence” down at Ft. Hood, according to the Defense Department:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/285286/fort-hood-and-workplace-violence-daniel-foster
Where is the darned letter these "informed" people keep talking about (referencing) but not quoting?
LINK, please?
Put him on his knees and shoot him in the back of the head. Case Closed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How very Taliban of you, Laker Man.
Hey Pedestrian You are Vey Welcome. That is what real JUSTICE IS!!!
He doesn't want to shave his beard so just burn it off. Really who gives a rats a$$ what he wants.
Ped - The taliban would stone you, or slowly cut your head off with a rusty kitchen knife.
I like it!
Do not waste the ammo, use the butt end .
If Ole Black Jack Pershing was still around and in charge of this piece of dog @!$%# he would know what to do to insure this would NEVER happen by Muslim means again. Google Black Jack Pershing Muslim.
Jack, I bet Laker Man would do the same thing if given the chance. He'd enjoy it too.
He is paralyzed. If you put him on his knees he would fall over again and again before you could shoot him.
I gave you putzes several hours to come up with the old comedy response, "He's no fun! He fell right over!"
Sigh!
Three years is a long time to build a case for this murdered! Pleading guilty should not preclude the death penalty, so just let him plead, then take him down to the wall and shoot him -- like he shot and killed members of this country's armed forces. He is a traitor and a murderer. Let's get this over with and move on! Shave his beard, feed him his last meal of pork chops and put one between his eyes.
That's what I was thinking - if he pleads guilty, he forfeits his right to appeal a death sentence. Makes it easy.
Unfortunately, a plea usually comes with a plea bargain--like taking the death penalty off the table.
He's being tried in a military court differant game differant rules.
Shooting would be a waste of a bullet and not painful enough. Treason was a hanging offence, wasn't it?
I love the UCMJ ! To bad it does not apply to politicians.
Military justice is to justice what military music is to music.
Yes. But this time justice will be sweet !
Thank goodness they really are getting tough on him!!
Surprised he can not be forcibly shaved..Take him out his wheelchair, get a k-bar and dry shave him.
Bill
I remember reading a couple of months ago that the judge said he would order him to be forceably shaved. Don't screw with military judges. The rules are different and their decisions can and will be enforced. That's what you sign up for when you join. You actually do sign away some civil rights.
I promise the judge will go 100% by-the-book and he will be put to death. There will be no avenue for appeal.
I think the court marshal verdict goes automatically to review. No appeal filing is necessary. This is why the judge will go by the book 100%.
We've head this forcible shave thing for weeks now. Let's get it done and get this murderous Jihadist in the ground.
If he couldnt plead guilty, why ask the question. The trial should of started long ago if they knew the plea already. Hurry up and put him in front of the firing squad of solders from Killeen.
Funny that the trial for the guy that attempted an attack on Killeen is already sentenced, <sarcasm>
The more Hasan gets away with stalling this trial, the more he wins at yanking the US military around on his chain and the terrorist agenda. Get it over with now, swift justice and a firing squad.
too bad that the police aim was either too good or too bad that they didn't kill him right there.
Either put a bullet in him or lock him in a steel box and drop this POS in the middle of the ocean...He doesn't deserve the time or energy of anyone involved....Traitor thru and thru!!!
This is a waste of money. Let him plead guilty, move to sentencing and give him life without parole. Now before you call me a bleeding heart liberal. This guy wants to be a martyr. He thinks death will give him paradise. No, he needs a 10x10 windowless room where he only sees sunlight long enough to give him the Vitamin D to live. Then he can sit in that solitary confinement and SUFFER for the next 50 years, waiting to die but not being allowed to and when he finally goes to Hell, he can suffer more. Then he can be come obscure footnote on the back page of the newspaper in 50 years.
They should enact the same laws as other countries. People have to come in to feed the criminals or STARVE.
I think his is going to get a surprise after all.... those 72 Virginians will be waiting on the other side... and they are not happy....
Virginians? I thought this was in Texas.
I would agree only on the condition he went to general population.
So go ahead and waste tax money and go through with a trial when the guy wants to plead guilty...and they have the nerve to waste even more time about his beard. Let him plead guilty, don't force witnesses to testify, stop grandstanding judge. Let him live out a long life in a jail cell.
Military law says that in capital cases where the government seeks the death penalty (as they have said that they will do). the accused is prohibited from pleading guilty. The effect would be the same as "suicide by cop". Just get on with it, get the trail done, the appeals and then execute him. He's of no further value to society except as compost.
That's why I was lamenting the "good/ bad aim" of the cop who stopped his sorry ass.
I wonder how much money the sonuvabitch has cost us up until now?
Where's feisty? I would love to see spin and more spin on this..
Suffering mushroom hangover no doubt.
Your crush is adorable, Bill.
This guy is such a piece of work. The balls of this guy to even mention that anything the court does violated his religious rights. Islam can violate the rights of anyone who is an Infidel and kill them, but he in turn can use the rights we have to make this claim. Ask Nidal, what would Muhammad do to you for what you have done?
William:
Probably tell him he would get the 72 virgins upped to 144. Just couldn't resist.
Our laws and legal system have been designed and written by lawyers. Know wonder it is such a mess! No common sense and a waste of taxpayers money.
I can't believe we're still having to deal with this terrorist! Ship his ass to Gitmo, have a trial, then kill the sorry SOB PRONTO!!
JTtown
Don't send him to GITMO. Just give the the family of each of the dead soldiers a six day of firearms training-in case none of the families have never ever fired a rifle-and then let them have fun terminating the towel head. Would bring closure and joy.
Set his damn beard on fire, call it a cigarette malfunction.
What is wrong with us and our "system" this is absurd to say the least.
He was an Army Major who signed an oath when he enlisted. They have to make an example of him for what he did!His victims deserve at least that much!
no his peers, those that promoted him because he was a muslim need to be made an example of...all he did was be a muslim in the US Army espousing hatred that went un-noticed because certain liberals didn't wish to make waves...we wanted the muslim world to like us...enough appeasement already how about a little common sense
He was definetly unfit to wear the uniform ! A real POS !
I think what the judge is doing is effectively spitting in this guys face. This guy wants to die because he is Islamic. The Quran says they should look forward to dieing. So the judge is making him suffer and staying in jail for the rest of his life. I actually think the judge is doing the right thing. If we put him to death he gets what he wants and in the Quran he is doing his Islamic Duties and he will be "rewarded" and will be considered a martyr. Islamic people hate us literally. The Quran says it is better to kill us in the Name of Allah that it is to let us coexist with the Islamic. For Jihad they are rewarded in heaven. Screw him deny him his "heaven". Let Him live a long agonizing, horrible life behind bars. I will pay for that.
Force him to shave? Christ Almighty, why should anyone care if he shaves? Stop the theater of the absurd, get on with the gawddam justice.
A real nice close shave would be in order.
CAR-43
He did not enlist. He was commissioned an officer.
He should be stripped of his rank as he never earned it he was awarded it through affirmative action thank you jimmy carter..he doesn't want to shave..so tie him up and shave him why does this sub human beast have 'rights' the innocents he slaughtered didn't seem to have
"Under military law, Hasan is not allowed to plead guilty because the premeditated murder charges carry death as the maximum sentence and the government is pursuing the death penalty in Hasan's case."
I don't see a problem here. He pleads guilty, is sentenced to die and hangs. No problem.
when this miserable excuse for humanity is to be executed,put him in a coffin and fill the empty space with pig intestines and pig droppings smoothed over the remaining space and place a plaque in his claws that says"Jesus Saves except muslim scum"!!!!!!!
Oh Jesus saves Muslims, we just gotta send them to him first, lol