The Pentagon says it will livestream the firing-squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan on 3 December. Should executions ever be broadcast to the public?
Hasan was convicted in 2013 of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says people should see there are serious consequences; critics call public executions medieval. The last public execution in the US was in 1936.
What happened
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan would be public, and Pentagon officials confirmed on 8 October that it will be livestreamed. Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was convicted in 2013 of killing 13 people and wounding 32 at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. President Trump approved execution by Army firing squad, scheduled for 1pm on 3 December at Fort Hood. It would be the US military's first execution since 1961; the last public execution in the US was in 1936.
Why people disagree
Hegseth says public viewing helps people understand that there are serious consequences for attacks like this, and supporters see it as justice done openly for the victims. Critics, including Democratic senator Chris Murphy, call public executions medieval. Legal experts question whether broadcasting an execution is degrading under international law, how children could be stopped from watching, and whether it risks making Hasan a martyr to some.
What's still unclear
Legal challenges are expected, and Hasan could file a habeas petition in civilian court that might significantly delay the execution. Officials say more details will follow, including how the livestream would work.
Sources
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