Fort Hood Shooter Nidal Hasan Sentenced To Death

Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan has been sentenced to death for the 2009 shootings, which left 13 dead and 32 injured. He will be the first active American soldier to be executed since 1961.

Bell County Sheriff's Department, File / AP

This undated file photo provided by the Bell County Sheriff's Department shows Maj. Nidal Hasan.

A military panel has sentenced Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan to death, making him the first active American soldier to be executed by the military since 1961. On Aug. 23, Hasan was found guilty of opening fire on Fort Hood's Soldier Readiness Processing Center on Nov. 5, 2009, killing 13 and injuring 32. Under military law, a unanimous verdict must take place to keep the death penalty as an option.

Deliberation began at 12 p.m. Wednesday afternoon after Hasan, who chose to represent himself, declined to make a closing statement in the sentencing phase of his trial. Three hours later, the panel returned with the death sentence.

In his closing statement Wednesday morning, prosecutor Col. Mike Mulligan decried Hasan's supposed religious motivations for committing the attack. "He is not giving his life. We are taking his life. It is not his gift to God. It is his death," Mulligan said. "He will not now and he never will be a martyr. He is a criminal. He is a cold-blooded murderer." The lawyers appointed for Hassan before he chose to represent himself have said throughout the trial that they believed Hasan was trying to secure a death sentence for himself.

Nick Delgado @NixDelgado

Maj. Nidal #Hasan during the judge's sentencing instructions. #hasanverdict #forthood #texas #kwtx

05:11 PM - 28 Aug 2013

Nick Delgado

@NixDelgado

Maj. Nidal #Hasan during the judge's sentencing instructions. #hasanverdict #forthood #texas #kwtx

/ Via

NBC DFW @NBCDFW

Jury in #FortHood trial also dismissed #Hasan from army & stripped him of his military pay http://t.co/jkF1waNVnK

07:09 PM - 28 Aug 2013

NBC DFW

@NBCDFW

Jury in #FortHood trial also dismissed #Hasan from army & stripped him of his military pay http://t.co/jkF1waNVnK

/ Via

Fort Hood Shootings @FtHoodShootings

#Hasan showed no emotion as his sentence was read. Gallery remained quiet, though some family members left teary-eyed.

07:12 PM - 28 Aug 2013

Fort Hood Shootings

@FtHoodShootings

#Hasan showed no emotion as his sentence was read. Gallery remained quiet, though some family members left teary-eyed.

/ Via

Fort Hood Shootings @FtHoodShootings

#Hasan's civilian attorney weighs in: RT @JPGalligan: @KDHcrime truly a sad day for our society and the military justice system.

07:13 PM - 28 Aug 2013

Fort Hood Shootings

@FtHoodShootings

#Hasan's civilian attorney weighs in: RT @JPGalligan: @KDHcrime truly a sad day for our society and the military justice system.

/ Via

Hasan's 13 deceased victims.

Via The Associated Press / AP

Michael Grant Cahill, 62, of Cameron, Texas; Maj. Libardo Eduardo Caraveo, 52, of Woodbridge, Va.; Staff Sgt. Justin M. DeCrow, 32, of Evans, Ga.; Capt. John Gaffaney, 56, of San Diego, Calif.; Spc. Frederick Greene, 29, of Mountain City, Tenn.; Spc. Jason Dean Hunt, 22, of Frederick, Okla., Sgt. Amy Krueger, 29, of Kiel, Wis.; Pfc. Aaron Thomas Nemelka, 19, of West Jordan, Utah; Pfc. Michael Pearson, 22, of Bolingbrook, Ill.; Capt. Russell Seager, 51, of Racine, Wis.; Pvt. Francheska Velez, 21, of Chicago; Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, 55, of Havre de Grace, Md.; and Pfc. Kham Xiong, 23, of St. Paul, Minn.