In this courtroom sketch, U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, right, sits by his former defense attorneys Ma...

1. Fort Hood shooting suspect, defense attorneys at odds
In this courtroom sketch, U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, right, sits by his former defense attorneys
Maj. Joseph Marcee, far left, and Lt. Col. Kris Poppe, center, during a hearing at Fort Hood, Texas,
Tuesday, June 11, 2013.
AP Photo/Brigitte Woosley
FORT HOOD, Texas Defense attorneys ordered to help the Army psychiatrist charged in the deadly
2009 Fort Hood shooting rampage said Tuesday that it would be unethical to give him their legal
advice and opinions while he's representing himself at his upcoming murder trial.
After allowing Maj. Nidal Hasan to serve as his own attorney, Army judge Col. Tara Osborn last
week said his former attorneys would stand by and help him
http://wnge.fielding.edu/profile/LeighGathers if he requests it.
On Tuesday, former lead defense attorney Lt. Col. Kris Poppe said complying with the judge's order
would be unethical because it seems to have no limits and requires the attorneys to give legal
opinions in addition to doing research.
Hasan told the judge Tuesday that a paralegal did research about his defense strategy over the
weekend, instead of the three attorneys. He said the attorneys refused to give their opinions when
he asked what evidence and witnesses would best help his case.
"They don't believe that I should go forward with (this defense) ... and by helping me, they believe
that crosses an ethical line," Hasan told the judge during the one-hour hearing.
Osborn had asked Hasan for more information, including a legal basis and any evidence to support
his "defense of others" strategy, which would require him to prove that the shootings were
necessary to prevent the immediate harm or death of others. Hasan has said he shot U.S. troops on
the Texas Army post to protect Taliban leaders in Afghanistan.
Hasan, an American-born Muslim, faces the http://law.utulsa.edu/ death penalty or life without
parole if convicted in the rampage that left 13 dead and nearly three dozen wounded.
It's unclear when the judge will rule on whether to allow Hasan's defense strategy or on his request
for a three-month trial delay. Jury selection was to begin last week, with testimony starting in early
July. But that has been delayed since various issues have arisen after Hasan requested and was
allowed to be his own attorney.
On Tuesday, Osborn refused Poppe's request for a closed hearing, but she gave defense attorneys
about 24 hours to submit motions supporting their argument that they cannot comply with the
judge's orders to help Hasan. Osborn said it's within a standby attorney's scope to give opinions to a
defendant representing himself.
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