Ft. Hood suspect against held in contempt, fined $1,000
The suspect in the November 2009 Fort Hood massacre appeared in court with a beard for the fifth time today, 1200 WOAI news reports.
Beards violate Army grooming regulations, and Nidal Hasan is still in the Army and is still being paid his major's salary of about $7000 a month.
Col. Gregory Gross, who is heading Hasan's court martial, ordered him fined $1,000 for contempt of court and sent him out to the trailer next to the courtroom where he has been watching the proceedings on television. Gross says it would be a 'distraction' to have Hasan in the courtroom.
Hasan faces 13 specifications of premeditated murder, and 32 specifications of premeditated attempted murder, after he allegedly opened fire inside a billeting room at Ft. Hood on a unit which was preparing to deploy to Afghanistan.
Hasan was shot four times by civilian guards, ending the rampage and leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.
In addition to his Major's salary, Hasan is also receiving a special hospital jail cell at taxpayers expense, and the taxpayer is also paying for his attorneys.
Gross has said he will expect Hasan to be clean shaven by the time his court martial begins August 20, and has said he will order him shaved by force if he doesn't comply. Hasan has said the beard is required by his Muslim faith, a claim that has been rejected by the military court of appeals.
