A top military appellate court has upheld the death sentence given to a former Army officer who killed more than a dozen people in a mass shooting 14 years ago at one of the largest bases in the country.

Army Maj. Nidal Hasan on Nov. 5, 2009, walked into the Soldier Readiness Processing Center at Fort Hood, now Fort Cavazos, Texas, where troops receive medical treatment before and after deployments, and opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun. Hasan, a psychiatrist, killed 13 people and wounded dozens more by the time police arrived and subdued him. …

Hasan said previously that his shooting attack at the base was retribution for the U.S. war in Afghanistan. He also said Afghanistan was “the innocent victim of an unlawful attack by the United States military” and American troops were “fair game” for the Taliban.

(Via Twitter follower HallandaleBeach/Hollywood Blog)

[This is the final step in the military courts, but it may not be over yet. As reporter Doug Ware points out, Hasan can petition the Supreme Court directly now for a review, and — importantly — Joe Biden would have to sign his execution warrant. Biden opposes the death penalty, so it may wind up being a moot point … assuming the Supreme Court acts and upholds the conviction and sentence while Biden is still president. — Ed]