Brigade commander Col. Morgan Lamb has recommended a court-martial and the death penalty for the Army psychiatrist charged in the 2009 Fort Hood shootings. Maj. Nidal Hasan has been charged on 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. Lamb's recommendation comes after a similar one made last fall by another colonel who presided over Hasan's evidentiary hearing.
A mental health evaluation of Hasan by a military panel prompted Lamb's recommendation. The findings of that evaluation have not been disclosed, but Hasan's attorney, John Galligan, said they will not prevent the military from pursing a court-martial and considering the death penalty.
Lamb delivered his recommendation to the III Corps and Fort Hood commander, who serves as a general court-martial convening authority under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Under military law, a general court-martial convening authority has several options upon receipt of charges from a subordinate commander, including dismissing the charges, referring them to court-martial or sending them to a different convening authority for possible action.
