Fort Hood accused Hasan 'can represent himself'

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

3 June 2013 Last updated at 17:38 GMT

Fort Hood accused Hasan 'can represent himself'

A military judge has ruled that the US Army psychiatrist accused of the 2009 Fort Hood shooting may represent himself at his court martial.

Last week, the judge was given a report which concluded that Major Nidal Hasan was mentally competent to do so.

A doctor also testified on Monday that his paralysis would not have a significant impact on proceedings.

Maj Hasan could face the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted of the murders of 13 people.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22760465

[MADem]

1. Fool for a client!

I wonder how much of a sideshow this will be....like that guy who shot up the train in NY and put the people he shot on the stand?

I guess he'll have help nearby--even though he says he doesn't want it.

He may change his mind once the gavel starts coming down.

After questioning Maj Hasan, 42, for about an hour on Monday, Col Osborn ruled that he was mentally competent and physically able to represent himself and understood "the disadvantage of self-representation".

She had repeatedly urged him to reconsider, saying the lead prosecutor was highly experienced and that he would be held to the same standards as all lawyers.

"You've made that quite clear," Maj Hasan said, according to the Associated Press....The judge also ordered that Maj Hasan's defence team would sit beside him during the court martial, in case he asked for help. He had said that he did not want them to be there.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22760465

[atreides1]

2. Not much of a sideshow

A military trial is completely different from a civilian one.

[MADem]

3. I've sat on dozens of courts-martials.

They're different from civilian trials, certainly, but they aren't without their opportunities for theatrics and drama. I have personal experience of "You can't handle the truth" type moments--though the circumstances usually involved assault consummated by battery, attempted murder, adultery, theft or some other relatively pedestrian crime.

This one will have a press contingent along for the ride; I will wager a donut that the accused will play, repeatedly, to that audience. So I will expect theatrics; we'll see how well the judge does in tamping that shit down.

[demosincebirth]

4. yea, and about how persecuted he was for being Muslim in the military.

[MADem]

5. I think if he's counting on that for a defense, he's going to have some trouble.

He injured 32 people --who presumably can testify--in addition to the 13 he killed. He's in a wheelchair, paralyzed as a consequence of return fire.

Everyone is, of course, entitled to the presumption of innocence, but I have to say in this instance it's pretty cut-and-dried with the outcome assured. He should have spent his efforts negotiating for his life. Perhaps he believes that the US won't execute someone who is wheelchair-bound, and as a consequence he thinks he can put on a show, but he committed a pretty heinous crime--I wouldn't be surprised if he gets the max and the ultimate punishment.

[demosincebirth]

6. For a cut and dried case it us going to be a long hot summer and probably into next year before

this guy gets his due. He will try to make himself a victim of religious persecution and he will have a national audience. Bet on it.

[MADem]

7. This whole situation was bothering me, so I did a little homework...

Turns out, he has to go to trial because it is a DP case...he hasn't any choice in that matter. That said, he's been given a defense team who will be there with him, per judge's orders, even though he does not want them there. There's not much to do but plea for mercy in the penalty phase.

He wants a three month delay to "prepare" for trial. He'll probably claim he was not given due process if he doesn't get it. Maybe he's realizing that the clock is ticking down on the mess that is his life, and he's trying to kick the can down the road as much as possible.

Detail rich coverage at...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/03/fort-hood-nidal-hasan-trial