Fort Hood Shooting Sentencing Phase Continues With Emotional Testimony
FORT HOOD (CBS 11 NEWS) - Witnesses continue to take the stand in the sentencing phase of the trial for Major Nidal Hasan.
Hasan could receive the death penalty after being convicted of murdering 13 people during a mass shooting at Fort Hood in 2009.
At the start of this morning's hearing, the judge revealed why sentencing was cut short on Monday. He said the defendant had some "personal hygiene issues" that needed to be addressed.
Hasan is paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by police officers.
The jury heard from the mother of Sergeant Amy Krueger, who described her daughter's promising life that was cut short by Hasan during his killing spree.
Krueger's mother testified her 29-year-old daughter joined the Army after watching the events of September 11th on TV. She recalled a conversation back then where she told her daughter, "You can't take on Bin Laden all by yourself." To which her daughter replied, "Watch me."
Krueger was murdered along with 12 others by Hasan, who listened to today's testimony but did not question any witnesses.
Another survivor of the massacre, Lt. Col. Randy Royer, took the stand with the help of a cane.
He was shot twice and suffered disabling injuries including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Royer testified he can't be around large groups of people or go anywhere that has rows of chairs because it reminds him of the crowded deployment center at Fort Hood where chairs and bodies were scattered among the blood and bullets in 2009.
Prosecutors are expecting to call their final witnesses soon and Hasan will either choose to fight for a life sentence or remain silent and face the possibility of execution for the murders.
