The Pentagon says the planned execution of former US Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009, will be livestreamed to the public.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the decision, describing the execution by firing squad as an opportunity to demonstrate the consequences of such attacks. A Defense Department official told the BBC that the execution would be livestreamed, although legal proceedings challenging Hasan’s conviction and sentence remain unresolved.
“We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it’s public,” Hegseth said.
“People need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things.”
The decision has drawn criticism from legal experts, who questioned its legality and whether the execution could proceed while appeals remain outstanding.
John Mills, a lawyer who works with death-row inmates, described the proposed livestream as unprecedented in the modern era and said it raised significant legal questions.
The Pentagon announced earlier this week that Hasan would face execution following approval of Hegseth’s recommendation by President Donald Trump. The execution is scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood in Texas, according to the US Army secretary. If carried out, it would be the first US military execution in more than 60 years and the first military firing-squad execution since World War II.
Legal Challenges Could Delay Execution
Hasan, a US Army psychiatrist from Virginia, admitted fatally shooting 13 unarmed soldiers inside a crowded medical building at Fort Hood in November 2009. During his court-martial, he said he believed he was protecting Muslims and the Taliban in Afghanistan. He was convicted in 2013 and sentenced to death.
However, the legal process surrounding his conviction and sentence has not been completed. Mills said Hasan could seek further review in federal court, a move that would likely delay the execution while the courts considered the case. He expressed doubt that the execution would take place on the scheduled date, arguing that the outstanding appeals could prolong the proceedings for years.
Mills also criticised the administration’s decision to publicise the proposed execution, describing the livestream plan as an attempt to attract attention rather than deliver justice.
Eugene R. Fidell, a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School, similarly condemned the decision. He described livestreaming an execution as an outdated practice and questioned the appropriateness of making such an event available for public viewing.
Under US military law, a military execution requires presidential approval, appellate review and a final determination that the sentence can legally be carried out. The BBC reported that it had asked the White House whether Trump supported the livestream proposal.
