The Death Penalty in the US

Senator outraged by execution plans: "The Middle Ages"

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy is outraged by plans to broadcast the execution of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at the Fort Hood military base in 2009. He tells CNN that the Pentagon's actions are "horrible."

"I understand that we have the death penalty in this country, but public executions belong to the Middle Ages."

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says that a public execution aims to ensure people "understand that this type of action has serious consequences."

Malmer Stenergard critical of US execution

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard is highly critical of US plans to carry out a public execution this winter.

According to the Pentagon, Nidal Hasan is to be executed by firing squad at the Fort Hood military base—the same base where he shot and killed 13 people and wounded over 30 others in an attack in 2009. The execution is to be broadcast live.

"We oppose the death penalty everywhere, in all contexts, and naturally this instance as well. I could not be clearer," Stenergard tells TT.

Experts criticize plans for a live-broadcast execution

It would be "extremely strange" for the US to broadcast the execution by firing squad of Nidal Hasan—who was sentenced to death after killing 13 people at the Fort Hood military base in 2009—according to lawyer and professor Eugene Fidell, speaking to Reuters.

Fidell notes that while the US military certainly has a long history of executions by firing squad, a live broadcast would be something entirely new.

Author and military historian Jonathan Lurie is also skeptical of the US plans, arguing that there is no purpose in executing a person publicly.

"What is the point? Who would want to watch that?" he tells Reuters.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth states that the public execution is intended to ensure people "understand that this type of action has serious consequences."