Pentagon Plan to Livestream Nidal Hasan Firing Squad Execution Draws Global Backlash
The Pentagon announced that Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter who killed 13 people in 2009, will be executed by firing squad in December and that the execution will be livestreamed, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The plan has drawn global condemnation, with critics calling it "medieval" and "disturbing." Vice President JD Vance expressed doubts and said he will not watch, while President Trump said he absolutely approved of the livestream plan. Legal experts say the plan could face federal court challenges. It would be the first public US execution in nearly a century.
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Commentary Warns Livestreaming Nidal Hasan Execution Would Be Barbaric
This New Republic opinion article argues that livestreaming the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter who killed 13 people in 2009, would be a barbaric act. It recounts the 1936 public hanging of Rainey Bethea in Owensboro, Kentucky, which drew 20,000 spectators and led states to outlaw public executions. The author notes that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the idea a 'no-brainer' in an interview, while President Trump said he will make the final decision and Vice President JD Vance downplayed it. The piece contends that televising an execution would align the United States with Iran and Afghanistan, the only countries Amnesty International says carried out public executions in 2025, and warns of watch parties if the December 3 execution proceeds.
Read sourceUS Plans Livestreamed Execution of Fort Hood Shooter, Reviving Public Executions
The Pentagon announced that the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people in 2009, will be carried out by firing squad in December and livestreamed, according to US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The article notes that public executions in the US ended nearly a century ago, with the last high-profile public hanging occurring in Kentucky in 1936. Capital punishment scholar Michael Radelet said he never imagined another public execution and noted declining public support for the death penalty, now at 52%. Author Sonya Lea described the plan as horrific, while Ohio State professor Kurt Gray said some Americans may be desensitised rather than enthusiastic. UC Berkeley's Garen Wintemute cited surveys showing a declining appetite for violence, and the chair of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops called the plan barbaric. Vice-President JD Vance expressed uncertainty about whether it would proceed, while President Donald Trump said he absolutely approved of the livestream plan.
Read sourcePentagon Plan to Livestream Fort Hood Shooter's Firing Squad Execution Draws Backlash
The New York Times reports that a Pentagon plan to livestream the firing squad execution of the Fort Hood shooter has become the latest spectacle surrounding President Trump. The Guardian describes the plan as 'medieval' and 'disturbing,' noting it has elicited global condemnation. Crux reports that Catholic Vice President Vance has expressed doubts about the Pentagon plan. CNN reports that Defense Secretary Hegseth wants America to watch the firing squad execution, drawing backlash. The New York Times also notes the execution could face a challenge in federal courts.
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US Plans to Livestream Nidal Hasan Execution Draw Global Condemnation
The United States is considering livestreaming the execution of Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, prompting widespread backlash. BBC explains who Hasan is and the details of the plan. The Guardian reports that the proposal has elicited global condemnation, with critics calling it 'medieval' and 'disturbing.' Axios notes that Vice President JD Vance said he will not watch the livestream. CNN reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants Americans to watch a firing squad execution, drawing further criticism. Reuters reports that Republican opposition to the livestreamed execution is widening, while President Trump is still weighing the decision.
Read sourceFort Hood survivor backs gunman's firing squad execution but questions livestream
Alonzo Lunsford, a former US Army sergeant who survived the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting in Texas, told the BBC he supports the execution of gunman Nidal Hasan by firing squad, saying lethal injection would be "doing him a favour." However, he questioned plans announced by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to livestream the execution, saying it is "not something you should view for entertainment purposes," though survivors and victims' families should be able to watch. Lunsford, shot seven times, said he plans to attend in person and wants Hasan to know he failed. Legal experts told the BBC the livestream could face court challenges, and it would be the first public US execution in nearly a century. Senators Chris Murphy and Thom Tillis voiced opposition.
Read sourceFort Hood survivor backs gunman's firing squad execution but questions livestream
Alonzo Lunsford, a former US Army sergeant who survived the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting, told the BBC he supports the execution of gunman Nidal Hasan by firing squad, saying lethal injection would be 'doing him a favour.' However, Lunsford questioned plans announced by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to livestream the execution, saying it is 'not something you should view for entertainment purposes,' though survivors and victims' families should be able to watch. Lunsford, who was shot seven times, said he plans to attend in person and has forgiven Hasan as a Christian. Legal experts told the BBC the livestream could face court challenges, and it would be the first public US execution in nearly a century. Senators Chris Murphy and Thom Tillis voiced opposition.
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