Fort Hood killer may face execution, says post commander

An Army official has recommended that the Fort Hood mass-murderer Major Nidal M. Hasan be tried before a general court martial authorized to consider capital punishment, according to Jim Garamone of the American Forces Press Service.

Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the November 5, 2009 attack on troops readying to deploy to Afghanistan.

The commander of the post’s 21st Air Cavalry Brigade, Colonel Morgan Lamb, has recommended the charges pending against Hasan be sent to a general court martial authorized to consider capital punishment.

However, the colonel’s recommendation is non-binding. The convening authority — in this case, 3rd Corps commander Army Lieutenant General Robert W. Cone –- will make the final decision in the Hasan case.

Officials at the Fort Hood military installation released the information after Hasan’s defense counsel publicly released the recommendation.

Army lawyers are reviewing the charges and the Article 32 investigation in order to provide legal advice on the case to Cone, according to Garamone. 

Fort Hood officials said that under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, a general court-martial convening authority has several options upon receipt of charges from a subordinate commander, including but not limited to dismissing the charges, referring them to court martial or sending them to a different convening authority for possible action.

The investigation after the shooting revealed that Hasan was in contact with Muslim militant leaders in the Middle East. A description of some mistakes leading to the shooting was part of a report released by Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), the ranking Republican on the committee.   "The administration is refusing to acknowledge that violent Islamic extremism is the ideology that fuels attacks," said Sen. Collins.   "The refusal to distinguish violent Islamic extremism from the peaceful, protected exercise of the Muslim religion sends the wrong message," she said, "as it implies they can’t be distinguished."

Meanwhile Lieberman criticized the executive branch of government for refusing to use the term ‘Islamic extremists,’ saying, "I think some people in the administration feel it will compromise our relations with the broader Muslim world."
 

Jim Kouri, CPP, formerly Fifth Vice-President, is currently a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he’s a columnist for Examiner.com and New Media Alliance (thenma.org).  In addition, he’s a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty. 

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