Military lawyers Wednesday argued to an appeals court that a judge can tell Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan to shave his beard before his capital murder trial begins at Fort Hood.
Hasan was only days from the start of a trial on charges of killing 13 people and wounding 32 when the appeals court intervened.
Col. Gregory Gross, who has fined Hasan $5,000 for violating an order to shave, said that he would “force (Hasan) to be shaved if he doesn't do it voluntarily” as the trial's “more critical stages” occur.
Hasan contends the beard is an expression of his religious faith. His attorneys said in a motion that Hasan, who faces the death penalty if he is found guilty, “is a practicing Muslim and has recently had a premonition that his death is imminent. He does not wish to die without a beard as he believes not having a beard is a sin.”
Gross said he didn't doubt Hasan's sincerity but has stated, “It doesn't matter. The rules are the rules. They apply to everybody.”
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