Fort Hood shooting suspect’s attorney says mental exam will be next month
By APWednesday, January 6, 2010
Attorney: Fort Hood suspect to have mental exam
FORT WORTH, Texas — The attorney for the Fort Hood shootings suspect says his client will be evaluated next month to determine his mental status that day and whether he’s competent to stand trial.
Attorney John Galligan says prosecutors notified him that a three-person board of medical professionals has been named and will start reviewing documents in the case. He says that after the board finishes by Feb. 7, members will evaluate Maj. Nidal Hasan.
Galligan declined to release the names of the board members, who will report their findings to military prosecutors.
Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the Nov. 5 shootings on the Texas Army post.
Fort Hood officials did not immediately return calls Wednesday.
