The United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces yesterday issued an order staying proceedings in the trial of mass shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan. According to a release from the Fort Hood Public Affairs Office, the stay was imposed while the appeals court decides whether or not the presiding judge in the military trial can order Hasan, who has grown a beard for religious reasons, to be forcibly shaved. (See prior posting.) Earlier yesterday, according to the Los Angeles Times, Hasan's lawyers told the trial court that Hasan wanted to plead guilty for religious reasons to take responsibility for his actions. Military judge Col. Gregory Gross said he was not allowed to accept a guilty plea in a capital case, but that Hasan's lawyers could still enter the plea.
UPDATE: Here is the full text of the Court of Appeals order. It calls for the military court trial judge to respond by Aug. 22. The full text of Hasan's petition to the appeals court, which includes Hasan's legal arguments in support of the petition, is also available online. It recites in part that "Petitioner is a practicing Muslim and has recently had a premonition that his death is imminent. He does not wish to die without a beard as he believes not having a beard is a sin." The Los Angeles Times has further coverage.
