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Planned execution livestream of Fort Hood shooter sparks fierce debate over ethics

By
FOX 13 News
Tampa
Published October 9, 2026 7:59 PM EDT
Published October 9, 2026 7:59 PM EDT
article

The Brief

    • Pentagon officials plan to publicly livestream the firing squad execution of 2009 Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan in December.
    • Legal experts and religious institutions raised immediate concerns, pointing out that Hasan has not finished his appeals process.
    • The backlash comes following two failed execution attempts of death row inmate Christa Pike in Tennessee.

ARLINGTON, VA. - Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced plans to publicly livestream the upcoming military firing squad execution of 2009 Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan, drawing swift pushback from legal experts, some legislators and religious groups.

Livestream Plan Triggers Backlash

What we know:

The military plans to execute Hasan by firing squad in December and make the event public via livestream. Hegseth stated that soldiers with rifles will carry out the execution, arguing that a public view ensures people understand the serious consequences of such actions.

The United States has not carried out a public execution since the 1930s, and the military last used a firing squad during World War II.

Court challenges loom over livestream plan

What we don't know:

It remains unclear if federal courts will allow the livestream or the execution itself to proceed as scheduled in December.

Legal Challenges Ahead

What they're saying:

John Mills, Vice President of the American Bar Association's Due Process Review Committee, called the proposal a "grotesque spectacle" and noted that Hegseth appears to hold an "eye for an eye" perspective. Mills added that Hasan has not finished his appeals, making court intervention highly likely. Vice President JD Vance expressed similar concerns regarding legal hurdles.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemned the decision as "a barbaric promotion of death" that undermines the nation's moral fabric. Additionally, the United Nations responded by calling the public livestream a breach of the absolute prohibition on torture.

Execution Ethics Raised

The backstory:

The controversy comes shortly after Tennessee made two failed attempts to execute death row inmate Christa Pike. Pike survived both attempts, raising immediate legal and ethical questions regarding future proceedings. It remains unclear whether there will be a third attempt to execute Christa Pike. The Tennessee governor postponed the other scheduled execution for this year and ordered a review into what went wrong with Pike’s execution attempt.

Legal authorities weigh next steps

What's next:

Mills noted that state officials must consider what they hope to accomplish before attempting to execute Pike again, pointing to legal questions over whether subjecting her to another ordeal constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. The United Nations called for an immediate stop to any further execution attempts against Pike, saying it highlights why the death penalty should be abolished.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX13’s Briona Arradondo using statements by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and reports from the United Nations, and an interview with American Bar Association’s Due Process Review Committee Vice President John Mills.

Tampa