Suspect in Fort Hood shooting heads back to court

[August 30, 2012]  FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) -- The Army soldier accused of opening fire on a Texas military post is expected to appear in court for the first time since an appeals court lifted its stay of the case.

Maj. Nidal Hasan has a Thursday court hearing at Fort Hood.

Hasan is charged in the 2009 shooting rampage that killed 13 and wounded more than two dozen others.

His court-martial -- once scheduled to begin this month -- was delayed after a dispute over his beard, which violates Army regulations.

Col. Gregory Gross, the judge, had said he would order Hasan forcibly shaved if Hasan did not remove the beard himself. Hasan appealed, and a higher court briefly stayed the case but didn't address whether officials could forcibly shave him.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.