I’m cool with it. Use his refusal to shave as evidence of his devotion to the most radical sect of Islam. Use the stupid beard as evidence to help execute him.
Use his refusal to shave as evidence of his devotion to the most radical sect of Islam. Use the stupid beard as evidence to help execute him.
It need not, and should not, be used explicitly by the prosecution. If the judge permitted that it could later be held on appeal to be reversible error.
I have not reviewed the panel of officers (all holding the rank of Major or above) who will eventually decide Major Hasan's guilt or innocence and, assuming the former, the punishment to be imposed (both, of course, subject to review by the convening authority and then appeal). However, Fort Hood is an Armor base and it seems likely that many on the panel are in the Armor branch, a combat branch. It also seems likely that most have been in the Army and probably in Armor for at least fifteen years. They are more likely than non-combat branch officers to take offense not only at Major Hasan's crime but at his overt efforts to mock the military and therefore to mock them.
They don't need to be told about what they have seen with their own eyes.