Fort Hood shooter convicted of massacre

A U.S. military jury on Friday convicted army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan of killing 13 people and injuring more than 30 others in a shooting rampage at a military base at Fort Hood, Texas, local media reported. Hasan, 42, showed no reaction as the jury read the verdict that he was found to be guilty on all charges, a conviction which means he could face the death penalty, the real-time report of the Houston Chronicle said. The America-born Muslim is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the November 2009 shooting rampage at the Texas army post. He opened fire on unamed soldiers at a crowded room when they were making final preparations to deploy. The jury of 13 high-ranking officers took about seven hours Friday to reach the unanimous verdict. In the next phase, jurors must all agree to give Hasan the death penalty before he can be sent to the military's death row. If they do not agree, Hasan could spend the rest of his life in prison. The sentencing phase begins next Monday. Hasan said Friday that he would continue to represent himself during sentencing. He has largely kept silent during the trial in which he called no witnesses in his defense and did not give a closing argument. Death sentences are rare in the U.S. military and trigger automatic appeals that take decades to play out. Among the final barriers to execution is authorization from the president. No American soldier has been executed since 1961, according to the report.