Accused Fort Hood Shooter Could Be Forcibly Shaved

Fort Hood shooting suspect Maj. Nidal Hasan should be forcibly shaved of his beard before his trial begins to avoid a "distracting and disruptive sideshow" that is "flagrantly disrespecting the Army," military prosecutors said Wednesday.

Military prosecutors, in a response to a court of appeals ruling staying Hasan's court martial, argue that Hasan's refusal to follow orders to shave is not a question of religious freedom, but of decorum and authority.

"This is a direct challenge to the military judge's authority," prosecutors said in court documents. "…The military has long recognized the authority of the court martial to compel an accused to appear in the proper uniform to maintain the decorum of the court."

Read the full Los Angeles Times story.

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