Wounded Soldier Reacts to Delay in Fort Hood Shooting Trial Over Suspect's Beard

Almost three years ago, Major Nidal Hasan opened fire on Fort Hood Army base in Texas, killing 13 people and wounding 30 others. His trial was scheduled to begin this week, but there is growing frustration after the judge in the case decided to delay proceedings over the question of whether the suspected gunman should have to shave his beard. According to military courtroom rules, it is mandatory to be clean-shaven but Hasan’s defense team is protesting the rule because of his religious beliefs.

One of the wounded was Staff Sergeant Shawn Manning, who was shot six times. He joined America Live today by phone and told Megyn Kelly that, “I think they should just shave it off and get him into the courtroom so we can get this over with […] There’s no exception to him versus any other soldier. So, it’s sad to say that he’s still a soldier

but you know he still is in the Army, still getting paid by the Army, so I don’t think we should make an exception for him.”

Sgt. Manning believes this is just a ploy to holdup the trial because with all of the evidence against Hasan and witnesses who allege they saw him open fire, he has no defense. Recalling the harrowing moments when the gunman began shooting and he was hit in the chest, he says the trial delay “puts the families and the victims through more of a hardship.”