A military judge in Texas ruled Thursday that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist charged in the 2009 Ft. Hood shooting rampage, must be clean-shaven before his court martial, else he will be forcibly shaved.
Army regulations ban beards, but Hasan, 41, who is still receiving military pay and benefits, objected on religious grounds, arguing that as a Muslim it would be a sin for him to shave. He appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, which last week ruled that Hasan's appeal was premature because the military judge handling his case had not issued a definitive order. The court sent the case back to that judge.
Thanks to Julie III for the link and title.
