Judge In Fort Hood Shooting Case Enters Not Guilty Plea For Nidal Hasan

The judge presiding over Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan’s trial entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the defendant at a Tuesday hearing.

Judge Colonel Tara Osborn entered the plea after Hasan refused to enter a plea himself. Hasan said he had tried to plead guilty earlier in the case after the Muslim community he had been a part of told him is actions were wrong, but he later came to believe is actions were justified because he was defending Islamic leaders in Afghanistan when he carried out his attack.

Osborn has already rejected Hasan’s “defense of others” strategy, and at Tuesday’s hearing denied him a delay of three days in jury selection, which is set to begin July 9. Hasan requested the delay so that he could meet with former U.S.Attorney General Ramsey Clark, who served under President Johnson and once represented Saddam Hussein. Clark has offered to defend Hasan, who had requested to defend himself.

Osborn said Hasan’s request was “untimely” and “and obstruction to the efficient administration of [the] court.” She said the defendant may change attorneys, but that jury selection will proceed as planned.

The court martial is set to begin August 6.