Jury handed Fort Hood shooting rampage case

[TexasTowelie]

Source: AP

FORT HOOD, Texas — The Army psychiatrist on trial for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood passed on his final chance to address jurors before they started deliberating Thursday, even after prosecutors insisted they hand down a verdict that would allow the death penalty.

Maj. Nidal Hasan is acting as his own attorney but declined to plead his case after prosecutors finished their closing argument. When the judge told Hasan he could begin, he said: "The defense chooses not to make a closing statement."

Army psychiatrist is facing numerous counts of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder for the attack, which killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others at the Army post in central Texas on Nov. 5, 2009.

It was the deadliest mass shooting ever on a U.S. military base.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/08/22/5099676/jury-in-fort-hood-rampage-trial.html#storylink=cpy

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/08/22/5099676/jury-in-fort-hood-rampage-trial.html

[jberryhill]

1. This story should get a real quick update

[TexasTowelie]

2. I agree.

This should be the quickest verdict ever IMO.

[msanthrope]

4. Yeah...that's what I'm thinking. nt

[Socal31]

3. Federal death penalty is what I think will happen.

Although he is paralyzed, so the death penalty is too easy for him.

Why make a martyr?

[leftynyc]

5. Agree

The murderer wants to be a martyr. I'd give him live in supermax.

[atreides1]

6. Military Death Penalty

The execution date must be at least 60 days after affirmation of the sentence by the President of the United States. All sentences of death must be personally affirmed, in writing, by the President of the United States before the Secretary of the Army is permitted to set an execution date.

In a regular federal case the Trial judge decides the execution date, and signs all paperwork.

If Hassan is sentenced to death, then the President will have to affirm the sentence.

Of course it coudld take years before the sentence is carried out because of the appeals process!

[exboyfil]

7. Do you think he will appeal

It doesn't appear so right now. I think he wants to die. I don't think the court could step in and force him to appeal. Without his standing and cooperation, it shouldn't take long to execute him. It was about six years for McVeigh. McVeigh did appeal but gave up the effort a year before execution.

I think he will be executed in less than a year.

[Socal31]

8. Thank you for the info!

[branford]

9. The appeals process might not take too long in this instance.

The court was very careful to prevent any claims that Hassan's pro se defense amounted to ineffective assistance of counsel. Also, in order to raise most issues on appeal, they need to have been raised at trial. As Hassan's defense could best be described as god-awful (or, more likely, seeking martyrdom), there really shouldn't be many appealable issues to consider. Lastly, as other posters have mentioned, he may not even want to appeal.

I am more interested in Obama's willingness to sign the death order. It certainly will be a political hot potato, although I imagine almost all elected Democrats will wholeheartedly support a death sentence, particularly if during an election year.

[davidpdx]

11. What happens if he is sentenced to death and Obama refuses to affirm the sentence?

Does the sentence revert to life in prison w/ out the possibility of parole?

How long does he have to affirm it? I'm just wondering if he puts it off until the day before he leaves office and commutes his sentence it would minimize any impact politically.

Personally I think he'll be sentenced to death, but will end up with a sentence of life in prison w/ out the possibility of parole.

[freshwest]

10. No matter what the sentence, guess there will be an automatic appeal process. Akbar Hasan is still

alive and kicking after he decided to 'switch sides.'

Wonder if that phrase would constitute treason. But from what I've read at DU, it's a very narrow definition. Maybe it will never be used again in a court of law, left for political hyperbole.

The article describes him sitting quietly and others say he wants to be put to death as a martyr, since he expects non-stop sex with virgins when he gets to Paradise.

I can't help but wonder if he hasn't had time to think about his delusions, or if he's doubling down. If not going deeper into his belief system, he maybe thinking,

'WTH was I was thinking? That was bullshit. I'll go off to La-La Land because I can't handle this reality.'

Although he hadn't handled reality well for a while. He sure couldn't handle being deployed.

Was it fear for himself? Did he really care about his little old cause?

I guess we'll never know.