Fort Hood suspect says he allowed release of 'martyr' report

The US Army psychiatrist on trial for the 2009 shooting rampage among fellow soldiers at Fort Hood says he authorized the release of a report that shows he told mental health experts he "would still be a martyr" if executed. Nidal Hasan told the judge Wednesday he wasn't forced to disclose the report and knew that releasing it could make it available to prosecutors. Hasan's civilian lawyer released the documents to The New York Times, which published its contents on Tuesday. Attorneys ordered to help Hasan have said they think he is trying to get the death penalty. Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder. He has told jurors he was the gunman and has said little in his defense.

The US-born Muslim has said he attacked fellow soldiers to stop them from going to Afghanistan and killing his fellow Muslims. He had been scheduled to go to Afghanistan, too. During testimony on Wednesday, a pathologist who performed autopsies on two people killed during the rampage said one of them likely was attacked while lying on the ground. Capt. Edward Reedy said 23-year-old Pfc. Kham Xiong was shot three times, including twice in the head. Similar fatal injuries were inflicted on Lt. Col. Juanita Warman, a 55-year-old military physician assistant, who another pathologist said suffered four bullet wounds that were consistent with someone laying on their stomach or side when they were shot.

Reedy also said the lone civilian killed in the attack, 62-year-old physician's assistant Michael Grant Cahill, was shot six times. Prosecutors have said Cahill was shot while trying to stop Hasan with a chair.