Posted on 11/12/2009 11:44:49 AM PST by lbryce
Military prosecutors have charged Maj. Nadil Malik Hasan with 13 counts of premeditated murder in last week’s shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Tex., a spokesman for the Army criminal investigation division said Thursday.
Major Hasan, 39, an Army psychiatrist, is accused of opening fire with two handguns in a Soldier Medical Readiness Center, where troops receive medical attention before being deployed or after returning from overseas.
Of the 13 people who were killed, , four were officers, 8 were enlisted soldiers and one was a civilian. Major Hasan was eventually subdued by civilian police.
The 13 charges against Major Hasan are “initial charges,” said the Army spokesman, Chris Grey, “and additional charges may be preferred in the future, subject to the ongoing criminal investigation.”
“It is important to remember that the preferral of charges is the first step in the court-martial process,” Mr. Grey said, “and that a charge is merely an accusation. The accused is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.”
Col. John P. Galligan, a retired Army officer, who is representing Major Hasan, has questioned whether the suspect will be able to get a fair trial at Fort Hood.
For now, Mr. Grey added, “Major Hasan is currently under pretrial restriction while receiving medical care.”
Major Hasan is reported to be in stable condition in an Army Hospital in San Antonio, where he is recovering from four gunshot wounds.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Mark my words. II mean this in the most derogatory way) to say what a field day the press will have being able to report at eventually every opportunity, how the last two men executed in the US are Muslim.
Why not 14 counts? One of his victims was pregnant.
An enemy combatant in a US military uniform....just shoot him and be done with it.
Hasan is pretty p o’d that he didn’t get shot dead....Bet he’ll soon be writing to Obama....
And so begins the twenty year trial....
This asshole killed an unborn baby.
How is that not murder or manslaughter?
“Why not “treason”?” murder is simpler to prove and provides less points of argument for the defense.
Treason. Making war on the armed forces of the United States.
I would have no trouble with that or a hanging.
I agree...But the extenuating circumstances may dilute the 13 solid counts...The military justice system may not be the place for that issue...
Even though I agree there should be an accounting of that particular life that was taken as well...
It will all come out in the wash...
Like your idea. It does fit in with Geneva Con III an IV.
I don’t think the army has executed anyone in the last 50 yers. Any body know for sure.
Hasan should be prosecuted under the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, also known as Laci and Conner’s law, named for the pregnant woman and unborn baby who were murdered in California by Scott Peterson, the baby’s father.
I do not believe there can be a treason count put against him, as the ideology that drove him to commit this murderous act...
Treason would have to involve multiple players involved with this incident, and they would have to be directly complicite in the act, and or recieve some sort of tactical advantage from these murders, like information, and or spoofing some direct operation against the enemy...
I’ll try to post the actual offence of Treason from the UCMJ...Or somebody might have it already...
Uh, missed one.
What extenuating? The soldier was holding the baby in her belly instead of her arms?
Maybe others of a “like mind” will get the hint.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.