After deliberating for about seven hours a panel of high-ranking military officers found Maj. Nidal Mailk Hasan guilty of all charges in connection with the shooting at Fort Hood that killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others, according to USA Today.
Hasan was an Army psychiatrist when he decided to open fire in the medical readiness center in 2009. The American born Muslim has said in the past that he felt like he needed to "switch sides" and considered himself to be a mujahedeen.
During the trial Hasan chose to represent himself although other than a brief opening statement - in which he admitted to being the shooter - and a question or two for only a couple of the 80 plus witnesses brought by the prosecution he was silent for the majority of the proceedings, according to the Washington Post.
While Hasan was allowed to defend himself the judge, Col. Tara Osborn, would not allow Hasan to use the defense he preferred; to argue that he was protecting the lives of Taliban leaders by shooting soldiers about to deploy to Afghanistan, according to the Washington Post.
Despite facing many delays prior to the start of the trial, including one over an argument concerning the facial hair of Hasan, once it began it moved very quickly. It looked as if it would face yet another delay when the panel of military lawyers that were on hand to assist Hasan with any legal issues he may have requested to be dismissed, it was their belief that Hasan was attempting to get himself the death sentence, but their request was turned down.
Hasan faces the death penalty and could become the first U.S. soldier executed since 1961. If the panel decides not to sentence Hasan to death he will be given life in prison with no possibility of parole. If he is given the death penalty experts told the Washington Post that the appeal process will likely last years.
The U.S. military justice system has a series of mandatory appeals where Hasan will most likely be appointed lawyers regardless of if he wants to continue to serve as his own representation. Greg Rinckey, a former U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps attorney, told the Washington Post that in appeals lawyers appointed to Hasan will likely focus on his mental stability during the trial.
"Part of defense strategy in this case will be delays... [and] I think they're going to file mental-health issues, whether he had the capacity to stand trial, ineffective assistance of counsel," Rinckey said.
Autumn Manning, whose husband Sgt. Shawn Manning was shot six times in the shooting and testified against Hasan, was worried that some of the murder charges against Hasan would have been lessened to manslaughter, therefore making him ineligible for the death penalty, according to the Associated Press.
"This is so emotional," Manning told the Associated Press. "I've just been crying since we heard it because it was a relief...we just wanted to hear the premeditated."
