UntiMilitary Judge heard evidence and ruled on several other motions
in Article 39A hearing for Major Hasan case

FORT HOOD -- Military Judge Col. Gregory A. Gross in the case of United States vs. Maj. Nidal M. Hasan began the Aug. 14 hearing with another contempt proceeding as he has done in the previous three hearings. 

Hasan appeared again in court with a beard, and after hearing argument from Hasan's counsel, the judge held Hasan in contempt for his failure to be clean shaven and fined him $1,000.

Gross also heard and ruled on several motions. 

He denied a defense motion to exclude the testimony of one of the government's experts, Evan Kohlmann.

He also denied a defense request for a delay in the court martial until Oct. 9.

He denied a defense motion to have the government produce daily transcripts of the  proceedings during the jury selection process and denied a defense request for a special instruction regarding note taking by panel members during the court martial.

He heard argument but reserved ruling on defense motions regarding the conduct of jury selection and a motion regarding prosecutorial misconduct.

At the end of the Aug. 14 hearing, Gross announced the parties, including the accused, would be back in court twice more this week. 

Court will reconvene at 1 p.m. Aug. 15 and again at 10 a.m. Aug. 17 to litigate remaining issues and for the accused to enter his pleas to the charged offenses.

The accused is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in a court of law.