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| Defendant in Fort Hood Shooting Case Admits Being Gunman | Defendant in Fort Hood Shooting Case Admits Being Gunman |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KILLEEN, Tex. — Nearly four years after going on a deadly shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army base here in 2009, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan told a jury of senior Army officers on Tuesday that “the evidence will clearly show that I am the shooter.” | KILLEEN, Tex. — Nearly four years after going on a deadly shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army base here in 2009, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan told a jury of senior Army officers on Tuesday that “the evidence will clearly show that I am the shooter.” |
| In an opening statement that took little more than a minute, Major Hasan, seated in a wheelchair and speaking quietly, said that there was death and destruction on both sides, but that the evidence presented by the prosecution would show only one side. | In an opening statement that took little more than a minute, Major Hasan, seated in a wheelchair and speaking quietly, said that there was death and destruction on both sides, but that the evidence presented by the prosecution would show only one side. |
| He said the evidence would show that he fought on the “wrong side,” and then switched sides, and he seemed close to offering an apology for the shooting when he said, “We the mujahedeen are imperfect Muslims” trying to establish a perfect religion. He added, “I apologize for any mistakes I’ve made in this endeavor.” He did not elaborate. | He said the evidence would show that he fought on the “wrong side,” and then switched sides, and he seemed close to offering an apology for the shooting when he said, “We the mujahedeen are imperfect Muslims” trying to establish a perfect religion. He added, “I apologize for any mistakes I’ve made in this endeavor.” He did not elaborate. |
| In other statements he has apologized to the Islamic fighters known as the mujahedeen for being part of an Army waging what he described as an immoral war against Muslims. His remarks followed an hourlong opening statement by Col. Steve Hendricks, one of the Army prosecutors, who presented a matter-of-fact yet dramatic retelling of the rampage and how it unfolded. | |
| Major Hasan, 42, an Army psychiatrist and an American-born Muslim of Palestinian descent, opened fire inside a medical processing complex known as the Soldier Readiness Processing Center on Nov. 5, 2009, shooting unarmed soldiers and commissioned officers as they tried to hide under desks and tables. His assault, one of the deadliest mass shootings at an American military base, left 13 dead and more than 30 others wounded. | Major Hasan, 42, an Army psychiatrist and an American-born Muslim of Palestinian descent, opened fire inside a medical processing complex known as the Soldier Readiness Processing Center on Nov. 5, 2009, shooting unarmed soldiers and commissioned officers as they tried to hide under desks and tables. His assault, one of the deadliest mass shootings at an American military base, left 13 dead and more than 30 others wounded. |
| Colonel Hendricks told the jurors that three weeks before the shooting Major Hasan was told by his superior that he would soon be deploying to Afghanistan, and had been upset by the news. | Colonel Hendricks told the jurors that three weeks before the shooting Major Hasan was told by his superior that he would soon be deploying to Afghanistan, and had been upset by the news. |
| On Nov. 5, the day his unit was to report to the readiness center for processing, Major Hasan gave away some of his clothes and other belongings to a neighbor in the apartments where he lived, the prosecutor said. He drove to the complex, and walked into the center, taking a seat with other soldiers in a waiting area called Station 13. He had paper towels stuffed in his uniform, to shield the rattle of the ammunition he carried, the prosecutor said. | On Nov. 5, the day his unit was to report to the readiness center for processing, Major Hasan gave away some of his clothes and other belongings to a neighbor in the apartments where he lived, the prosecutor said. He drove to the complex, and walked into the center, taking a seat with other soldiers in a waiting area called Station 13. He had paper towels stuffed in his uniform, to shield the rattle of the ammunition he carried, the prosecutor said. |
| Continuing the narrative, Colonel Hendricks said that the defendant had trained for that moment, taking classes to receive a state concealed handgun license and spending much of his time at a nearby shooting range. And after shouting “God is great” in Arabic, he stood and opened fire. | Continuing the narrative, Colonel Hendricks said that the defendant had trained for that moment, taking classes to receive a state concealed handgun license and spending much of his time at a nearby shooting range. And after shouting “God is great” in Arabic, he stood and opened fire. |
| Using an FN Five-seven semiautomatic handgun outfitted with two laser sights, he avoided those in civilian clothes to shoot those in uniform. Two men in civilian attire approached him as he calmly made his way outside, and he let them live, telling one not to worry about it and the other that it was a training exercise. | Using an FN Five-seven semiautomatic handgun outfitted with two laser sights, he avoided those in civilian clothes to shoot those in uniform. Two men in civilian attire approached him as he calmly made his way outside, and he let them live, telling one not to worry about it and the other that it was a training exercise. |
| The only civilian he killed, Michael Grant Cahill, 62, was a physician assistant and a retired National Guardsman who had tried to end the attack by trying to hit Major Hasan with a chair. | The only civilian he killed, Michael Grant Cahill, 62, was a physician assistant and a retired National Guardsman who had tried to end the attack by trying to hit Major Hasan with a chair. |
| Major Hasan was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan on Nov. 28 with several Army Reserve units of mental health professionals trained to deal with combat stress. Five of the soldiers he is charged with killing came from those Reserve units. | Major Hasan was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan on Nov. 28 with several Army Reserve units of mental health professionals trained to deal with combat stress. Five of the soldiers he is charged with killing came from those Reserve units. |
| Despite the evidence of Major Hasan’s self-radicalization, prosecutors do not have to prove that he was a homegrown terrorist. He faces not terrorism but murder charges, and prosecutors have to prove only that he acted with intent and premeditation. | Despite the evidence of Major Hasan’s self-radicalization, prosecutors do not have to prove that he was a homegrown terrorist. He faces not terrorism but murder charges, and prosecutors have to prove only that he acted with intent and premeditation. |
| Prosecutors could have incorporated federal terrorism charges into the case, but chose not to. Experts in military law said such a move would have unnecessarily complicated the case because no American soldier has been prosecuted for terrorism offenses, creating an appellate issue should Major Hasan appeal a conviction. | Prosecutors could have incorporated federal terrorism charges into the case, but chose not to. Experts in military law said such a move would have unnecessarily complicated the case because no American soldier has been prosecuted for terrorism offenses, creating an appellate issue should Major Hasan appeal a conviction. |
| Colonel Hendricks addressed Major Hasan’s motive briefly, telling the jury that he did not want to deploy, and was inspired by what he saw as a duty to perform a jihad on Nov. 5, 2009. In the days and hours before the attack, investigators found, he performed Internet searches on suicide bombings and jihad. | Colonel Hendricks addressed Major Hasan’s motive briefly, telling the jury that he did not want to deploy, and was inspired by what he saw as a duty to perform a jihad on Nov. 5, 2009. In the days and hours before the attack, investigators found, he performed Internet searches on suicide bombings and jihad. |
| “He came to believe he possessed a jihad duty to kill as many soldiers as possible,” Colonel Hendricks said. | “He came to believe he possessed a jihad duty to kill as many soldiers as possible,” Colonel Hendricks said. |
| As he spoke, the jury of nine colonels, three lieutenant colonels and one major sat, their faces stern, many occasionally taking notes. The relatives of several of Major Hasan’s victims sat about 20 feet away from him behind the prosecution’s table. | As he spoke, the jury of nine colonels, three lieutenant colonels and one major sat, their faces stern, many occasionally taking notes. The relatives of several of Major Hasan’s victims sat about 20 feet away from him behind the prosecution’s table. |
| Major Hasan, who has chosen to act as his own lawyer, was quiet and calm in court. Some of the witnesses he questioned asked him to repeat himself because they could not hear him. After the gripping testimony of one of his victims — Staff Sgt. Alonzo M. Lunsford Jr., a health care specialist whom he shot seven times — the judge asked Major Hasan if he had any questions on cross-examination. | Major Hasan, who has chosen to act as his own lawyer, was quiet and calm in court. Some of the witnesses he questioned asked him to repeat himself because they could not hear him. After the gripping testimony of one of his victims — Staff Sgt. Alonzo M. Lunsford Jr., a health care specialist whom he shot seven times — the judge asked Major Hasan if he had any questions on cross-examination. |
| “I have no questions,” Major Hasan told the judge, Col. Tara A. Osborn. | “I have no questions,” Major Hasan told the judge, Col. Tara A. Osborn. |
| Major Hasan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. If convicted, he could become the first American soldier in 52 years to be sent to death row and executed at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. The last military death sentence was carried out there in April 1961, with the hanging of John A. Bennett, an Army private who was convicted of the rape and attempted murder of an 11-year-old girl. | Major Hasan has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. If convicted, he could become the first American soldier in 52 years to be sent to death row and executed at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. The last military death sentence was carried out there in April 1961, with the hanging of John A. Bennett, an Army private who was convicted of the rape and attempted murder of an 11-year-old girl. |
| Major Hasan, who appeared in camouflage fatigues and the beard that his former Army defense lawyers fought for his right to wear, became the only defendant in recent history to represent himself in a military capital-punishment case. He took on this role after deciding to release his court-appointed lawyers from the Army Trial Defense Service. He is a medical doctor with a master’s degree in public health, but he has no formal legal training. | Major Hasan, who appeared in camouflage fatigues and the beard that his former Army defense lawyers fought for his right to wear, became the only defendant in recent history to represent himself in a military capital-punishment case. He took on this role after deciding to release his court-appointed lawyers from the Army Trial Defense Service. He is a medical doctor with a master’s degree in public health, but he has no formal legal training. |
| The prosecution was led by Col. Michael Mulligan, one of the Army’s most aggressive and skillful lawyers. In 2005, he successfully prosecuted Hasan Akbar, an Army sergeant who was convicted and sentenced to death in a grenade attack on his own camp in Kuwait in 2003, though that case remains on appeal. | The prosecution was led by Col. Michael Mulligan, one of the Army’s most aggressive and skillful lawyers. In 2005, he successfully prosecuted Hasan Akbar, an Army sergeant who was convicted and sentenced to death in a grenade attack on his own camp in Kuwait in 2003, though that case remains on appeal. |
| Major Hasan’s decision to represent himself created unusual moments on Tuesday. He submitted one piece of evidence — his officer evaluation report that showed he had performed his duties in a superb manner — and also handled the semiautomatic weapon used in the attack. | Major Hasan’s decision to represent himself created unusual moments on Tuesday. He submitted one piece of evidence — his officer evaluation report that showed he had performed his duties in a superb manner — and also handled the semiautomatic weapon used in the attack. |
| He had asked to see it. After holding it in his hands, he told the judge, “Your honor, I’d like to submit for the record that this is my weapon.” |