Fort Hood shooting subject trial set for May 29

FORT HOOD, Texas After many delays, the Army psychiatrist charged in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting rampage will go on trial in three months.

The military judge Thursday set Maj. Nidal Hasan's court-martial for May 29. After about four weeks of jury selection, testimony will begin July 1.

The judge, Col. Tara Osborn, said she expects testimony in the trial to last up to three months. The government has nearly 300 witnesses.

Hasan faces the death penalty or life without parole if convicted of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the attack on the Texas Army post.

Hasan, 42, is paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by police the day of the rampage.

Osborn didn't rule Thursday on defense requests to move the trial away from Fort Hood or to select jurors from another military branch instead of the Army.

In December Osborn told Hasan he will be allowed to keep his beard during his military trial.

Hasan had appeared clean-shaven in his court appearances until last June when he appeared in court with a beard, which violates Army regulations.

Hasan said he grew the beard voluntarily. He previously said his Muslim faith requires it.