Pentagon plan to livestream firing squad execution draws bipartisan outrage

· Politics · United States

The Pentagon's plan to livestream the Dec. 3 firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, drew bipartisan condemnation. Republican and Democratic lawmakers joined religious leaders and international observers in opposing the plan, and the UN called a livestreamed execution 'abhorrent' and possibly a violation of prohibitions against torture. Vice President JD Vance cast doubt on the plan and said he would not watch it. The execution would be the first military execution in more than 60 years and an unprecedented public broadcast.

Why it matters:The plan raises fundamental questions about capital punishment, transparency and the US military's public image.

Key points

  • Hasan killed 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.
  • The execution is set for Dec. 3 by firing squad.
  • It would be the first US military execution in over 60 years.

Sources (original reporting)

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