Monday, November 23, 2009

Lawyer: Mental-illness defense possible for Ft. Hood suspect


Retired Army Col. John P. Galligan, who is representing Fort Hood shooting suspect Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan.

The attorney representing Fort Hood massacre suspect Maj. Nidal Hasan said today that he is considering a defense based on mental illness.

John Galligan said he intends to request the help of "lots of experts,'' including those to evaluate Hasan's "mental responsiveness.''

Galligan, a retired Army oficer, asserted that the military was trying to unnecessarily accelerate the prosecution by staging a Saturday confinement hearing in a San Antonio Army hospital where Hasan is being treated for gunshot wounds that have left him paralyzed from the chest down.

"I am unhappy with the manner in which things have been conducted,'' Galligan said in a telephone interview. "If this is the way it's going to go, my client is not gonna get a fair trial.''

Galligan said that while Hasan does appear to understand the charges against him, the Army psychiatrist "fell asleep'' during the brief Saturday hearing.

In addition to the 13 murder charges, Galligan said military officials have told him that Hasan could face additional criminal charges.



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