Your weekly Hasan’s beard update
The Associated Press reports that Fort Hood murdered, Nidal Hasan’s case to save his beard will be heard by an appeals court today;
The U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals at Fort Belvoir in Virginia will hear oral arguments. The court also will hear from government attorneys who have said forcibly shaving Hasan would not violate his religious rights, and that the judge has the authority to enforce the Army rule prohibiting beards
[…]
Hasan would not be the first military defendant forcibly shaved. The Army has done it to five inmates since 2005, including one person who was forcibly shaved twice, according to the Army’s Office of the Chief of Staff.
The defense is also asking that the judge be removed from his position for exceeding his authority by ordering that Hasan be forcibly shaved, and while they’re at it, they want the six counts of contempt of court vacated for each time Hasan refused to shave his fur. All the appeals court had to do was refuse to hear the case, which is specious in the first place, and we’d have through with all of this bullshit. But, no one has ever accused Big Army of doing the right thing in the first place, have they?
Army prosecutors claim that Hasan grew the beard just before the trial was to start, so that witnesses would not be able to identify him in court.
Well, that would be the first time a jihadist did something sneaky, isn’t it?
Category: Terror War
If he is still “serving” in the military the beard has got to go.
IMO, the Army is bending over backwards here to do everything possible to ensure Hassan’s eventual conviction survives an appeal. Any issue raised by his defense that is dismissed out-of-hand without a hearing might potentially become grounds for appeal after conviction.
Hassan’s not going anywhere. Let things play out correctly the first time around and he may actually get the needle he so richly deserves at Leavenworth. Take shortcuts now and he might end up getting a second trial and/or a modified sentence down the road.
That’s a good point Hondo
Too bad it will be the needle….although it’s better than keeping that piece of crap in prison forever.
I understand the process here of making sure no mistakes are made, once it’s determined that he must comply with the grooming standards though….well here’s hoping he takes a nice beating with his shaving.
What a freakin’ circus.
@4, I would prefer staked over an ant hill covered in honey.
Are they going to stuff him and put him on display after the needle?
Exhibit: Homo terroristis
At first this was mildly amusing. Then it became frustrating. Now it’s become a farce. However, I do have to agree with Hondo. Better to do everything “by the numbers” to ensure his conviction sticks. I say keep him alive in solitary, in a round cell (so he doesn’t know which way is east) then feed him eggs & bacon for breakfast, a pulled pork sandwich for dinner and finally a ham steak for supper!?
Mr. Lilyea, jihadists aren’t sneaky, they’re cowards!!! Just ask that little girl who was shot in the head in cameturdistan. There are five Muslims I trust in the whole world, my friend Sahid and his family. For the rest? I keep my .45 close at hand.
Personally, given the cowardly nature of his crime I think homo sinecolei would be more apropos.
Never had them, did he? One of the castrati.
@8 that’s 5 more than I do….and I have some nice muslim neighbors. But I keep a nice 12ga nearby for when they get out of line…
Yat Yas, I like your idea. I will cook, if you will serve.
Just make sure the pork is overcooked, has no flavor, and is served Klingon-style: cold as ice.
MASTER CHIEF BEARD REMOVAL PROJECT
To be conducted on November 11, 2012 during Vetran’s Day Parade in NYC.
Always obtain written permission from Commanding Officer prior to commencing any BEARD REMOVAL PROJECT.
1. Remove the manhole cover from the 5th Ave and 42nd Street intersection.
2. Build a platform inside the manhole that will accomodate a sitting Hasan. Install seat belt and hand restraints for comfort.
3. The height of such platform should position Hasan’s chin just above to surface of 5th Avenue.
4. Instruct all 20,000 parade participant that they may kick Hasan in the face while they march north on 5th Ave.
Note: The beard will be removed.
END OF MASTER CHIEF BEARD REMOVAL PROJECT
MCPO: why not just let each of the parade participants pluck a hair or two from the “Beard of the Putzface” as a souvenir instead?
Hondo … that is a good idea .. but we still need to maintain a degree of military bearing and cadence.
Do you think maybe they’re dragging out this case and Mannings to make sure they won’t be pardoned by somebody on his way out of office?
@16. Damn. That’s scary…
I understand that a muslim isn’t supposed to eat pig or they lose the 72 virgins. Does that work in reverse? IE-Pig eating muslim? If it does, I think we’ve found our solution!
lurkersteve: not likely. Pardons can be issued prior to trial and conviction for crimes that “may have been committed”. Ford did exactly that when he pardoned Nixon in 1974.
http://www.ford.utexas.edu/library/speeches/740061.htm
Stringing out the time before trial thus does the prosecution no good with respect to a potential pardon. And if the prosecution was proven to have done that intentionally, that could end up being held a violation of the Constitution’s guarantee of a speedy trial. The defense would have no good motive to string things out that I can see except for publicity.
Bottom line: I think Army prosecutors and the judge are just playing this step-by-step “by the book” and being very careful to give Hassan every bit of legal due process up front. In the case of the prosecution, that’s so he ends up getting the needle he deserves with no valid appeal or retrial. In the case of the judge, it’s so his decisions don’t get reversed on appeal. He realizes he’s now a historical figure and certainly doesn’t want to look like a fool.
Hopefully they’ll be successful.