US President Donald Trump has approved the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the 2009 Fort Hood shooter, marking the first military execution since 1961. Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was sentenced to death in 2013 for the mass shooting that killed 13 people and wounded over 30. The Pentagon confirmed the execution will proceed after Trump's approval, with the Army secretary set to determine the time and place.
Hasan, a US-born Muslim of Palestinian descent, opened fire at a military base in Texas in 2009, claiming he was opposing US military occupations. He made no effort to defend himself during his trial, and the court-appointed defense attorneys expressed concern over his decision to seek execution. The execution, which will be carried out by a military firing squad, is a significant step in the federal government's resumption of the death penalty after a moratorium.
The military justice system has not executed anyone since 1961, with only four individuals currently on death row at Fort Leavenworth. The execution of Hasan follows a recent attempt to execute a woman in Tennessee by lethal injection, which prompted a halt to further executions. The federal government executed 13 people between 2020 and early 2021, contributing to Trump becoming the most prolific execution president in over 130 years.
Hasan's execution could be delayed by a habeas corpus appeal in civilian federal court, though the military justice system has not faced such a challenge since 1961. The execution, which will be the first in over six decades, is a rare event in US military history, highlighting the continued use of capital punishment in the federal system.