Fort Hood shooting suspect due at pretrial hearing

[April 04, 2012]  FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) -- The Army psychiatrist charged in the deadly Fort Hood shooting rampage is due in military court for a pretrial hearing.

Maj. Nidal Hasan (nih-DAHL' hah-SAHN') will attend Wednesday's hearing on the Texas Army post in which the judge may rule on a defense request to provide them with a government-paid forensic pathologist.

The judge also may rule on a defense motion seeking to force prosecutors to provide notes from meetings with President Barack Obama, the defense secretary and other officials after the November 2009 shootings.

Prosecutors have said no Army officers involved in the case were influenced by higher-ranking officials.

Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder and could face the death penalty if convicted. His trial is scheduled for June.

[Associated Press]

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