The Army psychiatrist charged in the deadly Fort Hood shooting rampage will be allowed to keep his beard during his military trial.

13 Responses to “Hasan rolling along”

1. ConLaw says:

   December 18, 2012 at 6:47 pm

   And it only took a federal appellate court and a new trial judge to stop the stupid.  
2. Phil Cave says:

   December 18, 2012 at 6:50 pm

   Might of been interesting to be a fly on the wall during the 802′s.
3. Christopher Mathews says:

   December 18, 2012 at 7:15 pm

   I don’t see how the beard will help him. 
    
   But then again, as an outside observer, going strictly from news accounts — I don’t see how anything else would, either.
4. Cap'n crunch says:

   December 18, 2012 at 7:52 pm

   Chris:  that has been my point all along.  Avoid prejudicial error, concede most points to the defense, cut his guy every break.  eliminating appellate issues by the government conceding almost all issues gets a needle in this guy’s arm a heck of a lot faster than the government TC being stupid and fighting unnecessary issues.
5. JP Galligan says:

   December 18, 2012 at 8:01 pm

   This afternoon, I was at the Fort Hood Lawrence Williams Judicial Center for a Guilty Plea – I can report that the barber pole has been taken down.  I was permitted inside even though my hair has grown considerably since retirement….  A host of other absurdities - like the three-story high mountain of connex containers around the courthouse remain - as startling reminders that the case is still being handled as an Army show-trial at its very best.
6. Gene Fidell says:

   December 18, 2012 at 8:42 pm

   I’m so glad to read about this. To quote the last line of Portnoy’s Complaint, “So now, perhaps, ve are ready to begin.”
7. stewie says:

   December 18, 2012 at 8:46 pm

   Well, it’s hard to call a case of a guy who is clearly guilty of killing a lot of people a “show-trial” as such terminology suggests that such a trial shouldn’t happen in the first place and is being done merely for, well, show.
   There might be things being done wrong, but that’s a whole nother kettle as they say.
8. SFC V says:

   December 18, 2012 at 9:30 pm

   So now his appellate counsel will just argue that his chain of command’s failure to force MAJ Hasan to present a neat military appearance prejudiced the panel against him.  Not saying it’s a good argument because as a general rule one may not invite error and then complain of it but the beard will certainly be an issue on appeal.
    
    
    
    
    
    
9. Phil Spelunker says:

   December 19, 2012 at 11:14 am

   From the article:
   “The new judge overseeing Maj. Nidal Hasan’s case told Hasan during a Tuesday hearing that the beard is a violation of Army regulations. But the judge, Col. Tara Osborn, said she won’t hold it against him.”
   Isn’t murdering your fellow soldiers a violation of Army regulations?
   Prithee, Phil, Is the U.S. Army mentally ill?!
10. stewie says:

    December 19, 2012 at 12:10 pm

    Not really, the Accused was warned, the CAAF took this up before, he chose anyways, on the list of appellate issues this is pretty darn low on the list now.
11. Dave Glazier says:

    December 19, 2012 at 7:31 pm

    The whole basis of trying Hasan by court-martial rather than in a civilian court is that he is an active-duty serviceman.  If he’s an active duty serviceman, how can he be exempted from conforming to uniform regulations?  So CAAF says it’s not contempt of court for him to have a beard; it’s up to the responsible commander to enforce uniform regulations, not the judge.  WTF is the commander thinking/doing in not ordering him to shave?  Should be a simple matter – if the commander is unwilling to have him forcibly shaved, then just give him his choice – act like an officer and shave or be tried in town like a civilian.  Texas will try and execute him rather promptly, unlike the military justice system where this will be dragged out for years, IF he is ever put to death at all.
12. Ama Goste says:

    December 20, 2012 at 9:07 pm

    Sounds like a commander may deserve to be fired for “loss of confidence in leadership” after this fiasco.  Of course, it’s hard to fault one commander for not making the major shave when others’ more monumental failures allowed the doc to remain in uniform for years.
13. Atticus says:

    January 7, 2013 at 11:50 am

    This is a joke.  Get this case into federal district court where it’ll be tried and final. DP or not. He can grow his hair and beard down to his a–.