Washington, Oct 16:
US President Donald Trump has announced that the Pentagon will not livestream the execution of former Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan, who was convicted in connection with the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas.
Trump said the execution would proceed as scheduled on December 3, but the public would not be able to watch it through a livestream. The earlier proposal to broadcast the firing squad execution had drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, while Vice President JD Vance said he would not watch it.
In a social media post, Trump argued that publicly showing the execution might have served as a deterrent by demonstrating how the United States deals with terrorists. However, he acknowledged that well-meaning people might not want to witness a person being killed through a livestream or other visual medium.
Hasan carried out the November 5, 2009, shooting at the US Army’s Fort Hood base, killing 13 people and injuring more than 30 others. He was convicted by a military court and sentenced to death in 2013.
The Pentagon has maintained that the execution remains scheduled for December 3. The decision not to livestream it follows the public controversy over whether broadcasting an execution would serve a legitimate deterrent purpose or cross ethical boundaries.
The immediate families of the victims may be permitted to witness the execution in person, according to reports.