Nidal Hasan deserves no sympathy for what he did at Fort Hood. He murdered 13 people and wounded 32.
❓But I have a question about the timing❓
There are FOUR men on U.S. military death row:
Ronald Gray — sentenced in 1988
Hasan Akbar — 2005
Timothy Hennis — 2010
Nidal Hasan — 2013
Hasan is the NEWEST death sentence of the four, yet he has now been specifically selected to become the first person executed by the U.S. military since 1961.
Why him first?
Hasan is Muslim. So is Akbar. And this is happening during a political climate where Islam, “jihadists,” and Muslims are increasingly part of the political conversation.
To be clear: Hasan committed an absolutely horrific crime and was sentenced to death by a military jury. I am not defending him.
I am questioning why the government chose the newest of four military death-row cases to restart military executions after 65 years.
Maybe there is a legitimate explanation. But when the government selectively moves one death sentence ahead of three older ones, I think asking why this prisoner, and why now? is completely fair.
*the two non Muslim death row inmates are in habeas, one with a stayed awaiting presidential action.