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Fort Hood jury deliberates sentence for Maj Nidal Hasan Nidal Hasan gets death penalty for Fort Hood rampage
(34 minutes later)
A military jury is weighing whether a former US Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 soldiers at a Texas Army base should be sentenced to death. A former US Army psychiatrist has been sentenced to death for killing 13 soldiers at a Texas Army base, a military jury has decided.
Maj Nidal Hasan, 42, was convicted last week of the 2009 shooting rampage at Fort Hood, which injured 30 others. Maj Nidal Hasan, 42, was convicted last week of the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, in which 32 others were also injured.
The defendant tried to admit multiple murder charges, but military rules ban guilty pleas in death penalty cases. The defendant had tried to admit his guilt but military law bans guilty pleas in death penalty cases.
The Virginia-born Muslim said he opened fire to protect Taliban insurgents from troops about to deploy to Afghanistan.The Virginia-born Muslim said he opened fire to protect Taliban insurgents from troops about to deploy to Afghanistan.
His court-appointed lawyers have previously told the judge they believed he is seeking execution in a bid for martyrdom. His court-appointed lawyers have previously told the judge they suspect he is seeking execution in a bid for martyrdom.
'Debt to society' 'Never a martyr'
On Wednesday, prosecutor Col Mike Mulligan urged jurors to opt for a rare military death penalty.On Wednesday, prosecutor Col Mike Mulligan urged jurors to opt for a rare military death penalty.
"He will not now and he will never be a martyr," Col Mulligan said of Maj Hasan. "He is a criminal. He is a cold-blooded murderer. "He will not now and he will never be a martyr," Col Mulligan said of Maj Hasan. "He is a criminal. He is a cold-blooded murderer."
"This is not his gift to God. This is his debt to society. This is the cost of his murderous rampage. "This is not his gift to God. This is his debt to society. This is the cost of his murderous rampage."
"He will never be a martyr because he has nothing to give," Col Mulligan added. "He will not be giving his life, we will be taking it.""He will never be a martyr because he has nothing to give," Col Mulligan added. "He will not be giving his life, we will be taking it."
Maj Hasan, who has represented himself, declined to speak on his own behalf, saying only: "I have no closing statement." Maj Hasan, who represented himself, declined to speak on his own behalf, saying only: "I have no closing statement."
For the 13-member panel to recommend that the judge sentence Maj Hasan to death, it must come to a unanimous agreement. The 13-member jury had to come to a unanimous agreement in order to sentence Maj Hasan to death, otherwise he would have faced life in prison.
If the panel members do not agree, he will face a life sentence in prison.
The US military has not executed a service member since 1961. There are five inmates on the US military's death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, all at various stages of the appeals process.The US military has not executed a service member since 1961. There are five inmates on the US military's death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, all at various stages of the appeals process.
Maj Hasan opened fire at a medical facility on the Fort Hood base where soldiers were being evaluated before deploying overseas.Maj Hasan opened fire at a medical facility on the Fort Hood base where soldiers were being evaluated before deploying overseas.
The trial heard he had prepared carefully for the attack, during which he fired 146 bullets.The trial heard he had prepared carefully for the attack, during which he fired 146 bullets.
The shooting spree ended when he was shot by a civilian police officer.The shooting spree ended when he was shot by a civilian police officer.
He was paralysed from the waist down from the wound and now uses a wheelchair.He was paralysed from the waist down from the wound and now uses a wheelchair.