As Twitchy reported on Wednesday, there was “major drama” at the trial of Nidal Hasan when standby defense attorneys asked the judge to allow them to either ditch the case or take over. The lawyers suggested Hasan was working “in concert” with the prosecution to get the death penalty.
This morning, the judge ruled that the attorneys cannot use their objections to modify their role.
BREAKING: Judge denies standby counsel motion to restrict their roles. Trial will continue as before. #hasan
— Fort Hood Shootings (@FtHoodShootings) August 8, 2013
Judge Colonel Osborn denied the motion to modify the role of standby counsel. #NC25HasanTrial
— NC25 Hasan Trial (@NC25HasanTrial) August 8, 2013
Judge: this is nothing more than their disagreement with #Hasan's trial strategy.
— Fort Hood Shootings (@FtHoodShootings) August 8, 2013
Judge Col. Osborn says Maj. Hasan decides his trial strategy not the standby counsel." #NC25HasanTrial
— NC25 Hasan Trial (@NC25HasanTrial) August 8, 2013
Motion of Stand by counsel denied. They must continue to actively aid #hasan in his defense. #forthood
— Josh Rubin (@jrubin) August 8, 2013
Update:
More trial drama:
More chaos: defense attorneys say they will appeal judge's decision, appear to have drawn line in sand.
— Fort Hood Shootings (@FtHoodShootings) August 8, 2013
Standby counsel feels the order to assist Hasan conflicts with the rules of their duties & believes it is morally unethical.#NC25HasanTrial
— NC25 Hasan Trial (@NC25HasanTrial) August 8, 2013
Things got heated as defense attorneys ask for judge's order to be stayed while appeals court rules. Voices raised. #Hasan
— Fort Hood Shootings (@FtHoodShootings) August 8, 2013
Standby counsel says they will file a writ. #NC25HasanTrial
— NC25 Hasan Trial (@NC25HasanTrial) August 8, 2013
Judge to def. attny Poppe: I will make it easy for you: if you follow my order you have no ethical liability. Poppe strongly disagrees.
— Fort Hood Shootings (@FtHoodShootings) August 8, 2013
Prosecutor: #Hasan acting normally in admitting to shooting and appears to following "tried and true" defense strategy.
— Fort Hood Shootings (@FtHoodShootings) August 8, 2013
Ltc.Poppe:" This is not about saving my license this is about what you are requiring me to do which is help him seek the death penalty."
— NC25 Hasan Trial (@NC25HasanTrial) August 8, 2013
Def. attny LTC Kris Poppe: "this is not about saving my license" it is about being ordered to do something "morally repugnant." #hasan
— Fort Hood Shootings (@FtHoodShootings) August 8, 2013
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