Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan was convicted on all counts of murder he was charged Friday in the 2009 shooting rampage many experts deem as a terrorist attack at Fort Hood, in which he opened fire on fellow soldiers, the Associated Press reported.
Hasan admitted that he opened fire and killed 13 soldiers and wounded 30 in a crowded waiting room while they had made final preparations to deploy to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 13 high-ranking military officials reached a unanimous guilty verdict on all 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder.The sentencing phase, in which Hasan would be eligible for the death penalty, is scheduled to begin on Monday.
The jury must now unanimously agree to give Hasan can be issued the death penalty or else the 42-year-old could spend the rest of his life in prison, the AP reported.
Born in Virginia, Hasan said the attack was an act of jihad, aimed at retribution to U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"It wasn't done under the heat of sudden passion. There was adequate provocation - that these were deploying soldiers that were going to engage in an illegal war," Hasan told jurors before they deliberated this week.
Testimony from survivors is expected during the sentencing phase. During the trial, Hasan acted as his own attorney, and most experts agreed that his ultimate goal is to receive the death penalty.
