FORT HOOD, TX (WTAQ) - A military judge is expected to decide Wednesday whether the government will pay for two defense experts to help the Army psychiatrist charged in the Fort Hood shooting massacre.
Major Nidal Hasan wants a jury consultant, plus an expert to determine how potential jurors could be influenced by the publicity surrounding the case.
The 41-year-old Hasan faces the death penalty if he's convicted of killing two Wisconsin soldiers and 11 others at the Texas military base in November of 2009.
Hasan has yet to enter pleas to 13 charges of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder. He's scheduled to have a military trial in March.
In October, Hasan's lawyers said he needs trial experts because of his accusations of being tied to a terrorist. Prosecutors say the experts are not necessary.
Also Wednesday, the defense will ask Judge Gregory Gross whether the military's death penalty procedures comply with the U.S. Constitution.
Hasan, an American-born Muslim, was training with a medical unit from Madison when the shooting massacre took place. It happened about a month before the 467th Combat Stress Control Detachment took off for Afghanistan.
Three of the unit’s members were murdered – Amy Krueger of Kiel, Russell Saeger of Mount Pleasant, and Libardo Caravea of Virginia. 32 soldiers were injured, including six from the Wisconsin unit.
