Fort Hood Gunman Nidal Hasan Gets Death Penalty

Maj. Nidal Hasan was given the death penalty today by a military jury for murdering 13 Americans during during his shooting rampage at Fort Hood in 2009.

As the jury president read the verdict, Hasan sat without movement. He has claimed that he killed 13 Americans at Fort Hood to protect Islamic insurgents over seas from American aggression and has never denied being pulling the trigger.

Hasan admitted to the jury that he fired the shots in a crowded room as American troops were getting medical checkups before being sent on duty to Iraq and Afghanistan. Today Hasan declined his final chance to give his closing argument before his case went to the jury.

Hasan represented himself during the trial and legal experts say he had that right under the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to represent himself. He was warned of his risk of being his own attorney by military judge, Col. Tara Osborn, and three lawyers assigned to help him tried to step in at least twice.