Over 40 witnesses have testified in the court martial of Maj. Nidal Hasan. Most of the witnesses today identified Hasan as the shooter. Many had been shot in the attack.
Nearly all of the witnesses testified when the shooting began they thought it was a training exercise. Even as some were hit, they thought they were hit by paintballs, until they noticed blood. They described a rapid firing, a pause as the shooter reloaded, and the continued shots ringing out. The testimony continues to be detailed and graphic.
Hasan didn’t cross-examine any witnesses. Today, he only had one of three standby defense lawyers next to him. That’s because two asked to be absent today. The judge has ordered them to remain as standby defense, even though they asked to be taken off the case or to assume full defense. The attorneys think Hasan is trying to get the death penalty and don’t want to help him do that. A writ from the attorneys will be filed with a higher court of appeals.
It’s unclear when the standby defense plans to file the writ, although it's not expected to delay the trial. Testimony will resume Monday. There are still nearly 300 witnesses who could possibly testify.
