The Hasan execution plan has faced strong criticism from Catholic leaders in the United States. Archbishop Timothy Broglio has urged Catholic troops not to take part in the planned firing squad execution. He says the act would go against the teachings of their church.
Broglio made his appeal on Monday. He raised concerns about plans to livestream the death of Nidal Hasan, a former US Army major. Hasan killed 13 people during a shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. Police shot him during the attack, leaving him unable to walk.
In his statement, Broglio told Catholic service members to seek an exemption if they were assigned to the firing squad. He said taking part in the execution would conflict with church teaching.
The archbishop also questioned why the United States wanted to show the killing to the world. He asked whether the country wanted to copy terrorist groups by turning the death of an enemy into a public event.
The plan has drawn criticism from lawmakers, rights groups and religious leaders. Opponents say a live broadcast of an execution raises serious moral concerns. They also warn that the footage could be used by groups that oppose the United States.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the plan last week. He said the execution would take place on December 3 and would be open to public viewing through a livestream.
Hegseth said the broadcast could help prevent future attacks. He argued that people should understand the serious results of violent acts. His comments suggest that the public display is meant to serve as a warning to others.
The plan also calls for military members to carry out the death sentence. Hegseth has said he wants the execution to happen at the same time and place as the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.
He also pointed to the use of firing squads during World War II. The last US military execution by firing squad took place in 1945. Army soldier Eddie Slovik was executed after being found guilty of desertion. He was the only US soldier executed for desertion during that war.
Broglio questioned why military personnel should be filmed while carrying out Hasan’s death. He warned that the broadcast could harm the reputation of the US armed forces abroad.
The archbishop said the US military generally has a good reputation around the world. He asked whether showing the execution of a man in a wheelchair could damage that standing. He also questioned whether the broadcast could make US troops appear similar to the violent groups they oppose.
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, also condemned the plan on Monday. He raised concerns about the message that a public execution could send to children.
Cupich said the death penalty was unacceptable in every case. He described the planned broadcast as a cruel display of state power. He also warned that children could see the footage, even if their parents did not want them to watch it.
His comments added to the wider debate over the use of public broadcasts for executions. Critics say showing a person being killed could turn a legal punishment into a form of public entertainment.
Hasan is now 56 and remains in a wheelchair because of the injuries he suffered during the 2009 attack. The shooting took place at Fort Hood, a major US Army base in Texas. The attack killed 13 people and wounded others. Hasan was later convicted and sentenced to death.
Critics fear that broadcasting his execution could give armed groups a tool for spreading anti-US messages. They warn that images of the killing could be used to stir anger or present Hasan as a symbol.
Supporters of the plan argue that public access could show the consequences of serious violence. However, Catholic leaders say the method and the proposed broadcast raise deep moral questions.
Broglio’s statement has placed the role of Catholic service members at the center of the dispute. His appeal asks them to consider whether taking part in the firing squad would violate their faith.
The plan also raises questions about the duties of military personnel who may be ordered to carry out the sentence. The public debate now covers not only the death penalty but also the use of military staff and the decision to show an execution online.
With December 3 set as the planned date, the Hasan execution plan remains under fire from church leaders and other critics. They say the United States must consider the moral cost of turning an execution into a public broadcast.
