Terrorist sentenced to death for Fort Hood shooting
FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) — A military jury sentenced Maj. Nidal Hasan to death on Wednesday for the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, giving the Army psychiatrist what he believed would be a path to martyrdom in the attack on unarmed fellow soldiers.
The American-born Muslim, who has said he acted to protect Islamic insurgents abroad from American aggression, never denied being the gunman. In opening statements, he acknowledged to the jury that he pulled the trigger in a crowded waiting room where troops were getting final medical checkups before deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The same jurors who convicted Hasan last week had just two options: either agree unanimously that Hasan should die or watch the 42-year-old get an automatic sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole.
Had to change the AP’s caption. Dr. Hassan is not a soldier, but a terrorist, and should be referred to as such. Calling him a soldier disrespects those who have and who continue to honorably wear the uniform.
In any event, although it will likely be some time before the sentence is actually carried out, this is one step to securing justice for the survivors and the families of his victims. May they all sleep better tonight, at least.