Fort Hood shooter faces military execution, joining infamous list of traitors, rapists, killers
- Nidal Malik Hasan set for Dec. 3 execution by military firing squad at Fort Hood.
- First military execution since 1961; first firing squad since WWII era.
- Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, murdered 13 soldiers in 2009 terror attack.
- Appellate reviews in civilian courts could still stall the long-overdue sentence.
Brief Summary
After more than a decade of legal purgatory, the military has set a date to execute Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist who turned his gun on his own comrades at Fort Hood in 2009. President Trump has formally approved the death sentence, signaling a return to swift military justice by authorizing a firing squad—a method not used by the U.S. military since 1945.
Why This Matters
This case represents a definitive closing of the book on one of the most brazen acts of domestic terror in military history. For those who serve, it serves as a brutal reminder that the military justice system still possesses the teeth to handle those who betray their oath and their country. Whether the execution proceeds on schedule or gets caught in the gears of the federal appellate system, the decision to utilize a firing squad marks a significant shift in how the government handles capital punishment for military offenders, signaling a zero-tolerance policy for those who target troops on American soil.