US Vice President J.D. Vance has reacted to the controversial proposal to oadcast the execution of Nidal Hasan live, stating that it is not yet certain it will happen and that he personally would not watch it if it were aired.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, October 8, Vance said, "I've seen these reports, but I don't know if such a thing will be done or not." His comments followed a statement a day earlier by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who suggested that the public would watch Hasan's execution by firing squad.
Nidal Hasan, a former U.S. Army psychiatrist, was sentenced to death for killing 13 people and injuring 32 others in a deadly mass shooting at the Fort Hood military base in Texas in 2009. His execution is scheduled to be carried out by firing squad.
The plan to oadcast the military execution live has faced widespread criticism, including from some Republicans. Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, said he opposes oadcasting the execution and would not do it if the decision were his. He argued that such an act would make society more violent.
Senator John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, also urged the Secretary of Defense on the social media platform X to reconsider the decision. Many Democrats have also strongly condemned the proposal.
Proponents of the idea might argue that a public oadcast could serve as a deterrent for similar crimes and provide a sense of closure for the victims' families. However, opponents emphasize the negative psychological and social impacts on society and its unprecedented nature in modern American history.
The last military execution by firing squad in the United States took place in 1944. At that time, Army Private Eddie Slovik was executed for desertion during World War II.
Source: News reports
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