Posted on 11/09/2009 4:08:48 PM PST by LA Woman3
FORT HOOD (November 9, 2009)John P. Galligan, a retired military attorney who now practices criminal defense law said he was contacted Monday by the brother of the man accused opening fire Thursday at Fort Hood, killing 13 and injuring 29.
Galligan, a retired Army Col., who practices in Belton and specializes in courts-martial, said Hasans family asked him to represent the Army psychiatrist, who was awake and able to talk Monday.
Galligan said he was hoping to meet with Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan later Monday at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
He told News 10 he informed military and government investigators that he is representing Hasan and that the Hasan not be questioned outside of his presence.
He said his main concern now is that Hasan gets adequate medical care.
Authorities won't say when charges would be filed or if Hasan would face military justice.
Galligan questions whether Hasan could get a fair trial anywhere, given the widespread attention to the case.
Galligan has represented soldiers in other high-profile cases.
In 2005, he defended two soldiers at Fort Bliss charged in the beating death of Afghan detainees.
In 2007, he represented a Fort Hood master sergeant accused of failing to take precautions during a training exercise in which a soldier died.
In 2006, Galligan challenged incumbent Bell County Judge Jon Burrows in the Republican primary, but lost 5,941-3,223.
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Ugh. I’d rather clean a port-a-potty with my tongue than represent that SOB.
I hope he ‘defends’ him all the way to the gas chamber.
what’s with the continuing use of “SUSPECTED” ????
“whats with the continuing use of SUSPECTED ????”
Newsmediaspeak. They don’t want to offend their Muslim overlords.
I could never be an attorney.
Why does this asshat have to be present when the terrorist murderer is questioned? He hasn’t even been charged and it’s not known whether tried in military or civilian court. At any rate, he belongs at Gitmo, unless some hero pulls the plug on him in the hospital.
“Galligan questions whether Hasan could get a fair trial anywhere, given the widespread attention to the case.”
Actually, given the widespread attention to the case he’s GUARANTEED a fair trial.
Two words: Book Deal.
No kiddin'.
Today I heard a MSM report on the Florida shooter and there was no use of "alleged" or "suspected" and I thought "Why are they protecting the Mohammedan?"
Can private sector lawyers represent defendents in a military court?
If not, they can certainly assist.
Until he's convicted, or until such a time that he enters a guilty plea, he'll be referred to in press accounts as "suspected" or "alleged". It's just the way the media works, probably for good reason - presumed innocent until proven guilty, and all that.
“Can private sector lawyers represent defendents in a military court?”
yes but its not advisable unless they know military law
No, it isn't. See my comment above.
Colonel (ret) John P. Galligan ("JP")
Colonel John Galligan retired from the US Army in June 2001.
At the time of his retirement, he was serving as the Chief Circuit Judge, 3rd Judicial Circuit, Fort Hood, Texas.
Born in 1949 at Fort Bliss, El Paso,Texas, Colonel Galligan spent his childhood as a military dependant, accompanying his parents on remote military assignments to Fort Churchill,Canada, Taipel, Formosa, and Istanbut, Turkey.
Upon Graduating from Georgetown University ( school of Foreign Service) in Washington,DC, in 1971, Colonel Galligan was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the military intelligence branch.
To fulfill his regular Army commission responsibilities, he served as a combat arms officer in the infantry branch,initially as a platoon leader and later as a company executive officer and the Brigade Courts and Boards Officer, with the 41st infantry, Combat Developments Experimentation Command, Fort Ord, California.
Selected for the US Army Excess Leave Program in 1973, Colonel Galligan received his J.D. (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Puerto Rico in 1976. From 1976-1979, he served as a Defense Counsel and later as a Trial Counsel in the 1st Armored DIvision, Federal Republic of Germany. From 1979 until 1981, Colonel Galligan served as an Appellate Counsel with the Government Appellate Division, US Army Legal Services Agency, representing the government in cases before the US Army Court of Military Review and the Court of Army Appeals.
After completing the Graduate Course at the Judge Advocate General's School in Charlottesville, Virginia, Colonel Galligan was selected to assist in developing the Trial Counsel Assistance Program, designed to assist military prosecutors in developing trial advocacy skills.
Colonel Galligan twice served in the US Army Litigation Division, First as a Branch Chief from 1988 until 1991 and later as the Division Chief from 1992 until 1994. He had two tours with the 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas, first as the Dupty Staff Judge Advocate from 1985 until 1988 and as the Staff Judge Advocate from 1991 until 1992. From 1992 until 1994, Colonel Galligan served as the Staff Judge Advocate, US Army South, in Panama.
In 1997, he assumed duties as a Ciucuit Judge at Fort Hood and , in 1999, took over responsibilities as the Chief Circuit Judge for the third Judicial Circuit, one of the largest and busiest jurisdictions in the Army.
In 1983, Colonel Galligan was selected to participate as a member of a Judicial Reform Assessment Team, Coordinated by the US Department of State, to consult with high level governmental officials and members of the legal community in El Salvador and Honduras on issues related to legal reform, with particular emphasis on the area of criminal prosecution and military justice. In 1999, he participated as an instructor with a DILLS team dispatched to Bogota, Columbia, to perform similar functions.
Colonel Galligan is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Washington, DC. and Texas. He is admitted to the highest courts in those jurisdictions. as well as being a member before the United States Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the United States Claims Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. He served as the Vice- Chair and later as the Chair for the Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.
In addition to the usual Basic and Advanced Courses for his Branch, Colonel Galligan is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College (1985) and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces ( 1995).
His Medal ( with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters), and the Legion of Merit ( with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Colonel Galligan's hobbies are reading , Sailing, and Music. He has played the Cello since the age of five and , as a teenager, was awarded various State and National Music Scholarships.
He actively participated as a Cellist in various amateur orchestras, instanbul Amateur Symphony, McLean Orchestra, McLean Symphony, as well as with local Orchestra groups during his assignment to Fort Hood in 1991- 1992.
Colonel Galligan is a former member of the Belton Chapter of Rotary Club International, Following Retirement from the US Army, He established a private Law Practice in downtown Belton.
Colonel Galligan is married to the former Harriett Mechiko Despretter (" Harr"). Their sons, Michael and Timothy, reside in California.
You wouldn't want one to. Too many differences in law, evidence, and so one. Just like you wouldn't want a patent attorney to represent you in a murder case, except even more so.
Because American's have rights guaranteed by the Constitution, and in this case, the UCMJ. He's been named the sole suspect by command, as such, he has a right to counsel under the UCMJ, as well as a right against self-incrimination. He's currently in the middle of an ongoing CID investigation, which will be followed immediately by an Article 32 investigation and hearing -
If we abandon our fundamental and God-given rights when faced with the most horrific of crimes, we might as well call ourselves Iran or Saudi Arabia. No thanks, that's exactly what they want to happen.
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