President Trump reversed course Thursday and canceled plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the gunman convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people and wounded more than 30. The Pentagon had announced a week earlier that Hasan would be executed by firing squad in a public broadcast, a move that drew immediate criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, religious leaders and survivors of the attack.
Trump initially defended the livestream as a deterrent, but said he heard from many people who did not want to watch Hasan die. The execution will still take place, though only the victims’ immediate family members will be permitted to attend. The controversy has already sparked new legislation: Senator Mark Kelly introduced a bill to prohibit public broadcasting of military executions.
For families across the Suncoast with ties to the military, this story raises hard questions about justice, privacy and how the country publicly confronts terrorism. The firing squad execution proceeds, but out of the public eye.
Where do you stand on this one? Should executions ever be broadcast to the public, or should they stay behind closed doors? Let us know in the comments.
