Fort Hood suspect allowed to keep beard at trial

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) — The Army psychiatrist charged in the deadly Fort Hood shooting rampage will be allowed to keep his beard during his military trial.

The new judge overseeing Maj. Nidal Hasan’s case told Hasan during a Tuesday hearing that the beard is a violation of Army regulations. But the judge, Col. Tara Osborn, said she won’t hold it against him.

Hasan answered her questions, saying he grew the beard voluntarily. He previously said his Muslim faith requires it.

Hasan faces the death penalty if convicted in the 2009 rampage that killed 13 and wounded more than two dozen others on the Texas Army post. His trial date hasn’t been set.

A military appeals court recently ousted the former judge and tossed his order requiring Hasan to be forcibly shaved before his trial.