FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) _ Fort Hood’s incoming commander likely will decide whether an Army psychiatrist will go to trial and face the death penalty for the deadly 2009 hootings.
Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, the departing commanding general, on Wednesday granted a request by Maj. Nidal Hasan’s attorney to delay proceedings until late April. That’s when Maj. Gen. Donald Campbell is expected to assume command at the Texas Army post.
A commanding general will decide if Hasan will be court-martialed and face death for 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. Two Army colonels already have made that recommendation.
Hasan’s attorney, John Galligan, contended that Cone, whose departure date for a promotion is unclear, wouldn’t have been impartial because he was at Fort Hood the day of the shootings.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)