A U.S. military judge on Thursday ordered the Fort Hood massacre suspect, Army Major Nidal Hasan, to shave or be forcibly shaved, ruling that his beard is not covered by federal laws protecting religious freedom.
Colonel Gregory Gross ruled following a hearing that Hasan's attorneys failed to prove he has grown the beard, which he has worn since June, for religious reasons. Hasan, 41, has said he grew the beard in line with the beliefs of his Islamic faith, and that it is part of his free exercise of religion.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that Hasan's military defense lawyer, Lieutenant Colonel Kris Poppe, said in court that the defendant had tried to plead guilty last month, a sign that he wanted to "to be accountable" for his actions.
Other media, including the New York Times
...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize...
, reported that Poppe told the court that Hasan has offered twice to plead guilty. |