Pentagon will not label Fort Hood shootings as terrorist attack (Hasan must get fair trial)

The Washington Times ^ | 10/22/12 | Susan Crabtree

[markomalley]

Already facing intense scrutiny for its shifting narrative about the assault on the U.S. Consulate in Libya, the Pentagon now says it will not reclassify the Fort Hood shootings as a terrorist attack over concern about biasing the case against the gunman — an argument that is getting a mixed review from legal experts.

Late Friday, after 160 victims of the Fort Hood shooting called on the Pentagon to label the attack terrorism instead of workplace violence as it has for the past three years, the Department of Defense said it would not reclassify the attack.

In rejecting the victims outcry, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s spokesman cited concern that having the government weigh in could bias the case against Mr. Hasan. Maj. Hasan, 42 is awaiting trial and faces the death penalty if convicted.

When asked how Mr. Panetta plans to respond to the victims, his spokesman took a day and a half to respond, eventually emailing a statement Friday night.

“The Department of Defense is committed to the integrity of the ongoing court martial proceedings of Major Nadal Hassan and for that reason will not further characterize, at this time, the incident that occurred at Fort Hood on November 5, 2009,” Pentagon spokesman George Little said in the statement. “Major Hassan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder, and 32 counts of attempted murder. As with all pending UCMJ matters, the accused is innocent until proven guilty.”

[a fool in paradise]

Four years on the public dole drawing a salary and medical care AND still refusing to shave his non-regulation beard.

Obama sides with this human piece of crap.

[Little Ray]

Fair trial?
He admitted he did it. There are a large number of witnesses who saw him do it. There is ballistic evidence he did it.
Hell, they should be able try and convict him in 30 minutes.

The problem, I guess, is they are trying him for the wrong thing. They SHOULD be trying him as an unlawful enemy combatant, instead of for murder. If they call it “Terrorism” then they’d have to change the entire trial.