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World
The US Army is readying to carry out death sentences on four soldiers pending presidential approval, marking the first such executions since 1961.
The US Army is preparing to execute death sentences for four military personnel, awaiting an order from President Donald Trump to proceed, according to ABC News.
If approved, this would mark the first time in more than half a century that the US military has carried out executions of convicted soldiers, with the last occurring in 1961.
An internal US Army planning document from February, titled "Operation Resolute Justice," directs military officials to coordinate with the Federal Bureau of Prisons to transfer the condemned soldiers from the US Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to the federal execution facility in Terre Haute, Indiana.
This same facility previously conducted a series of non-military federal executions during President Trump's first term.
While military courts can issue death sentences, US law requires presidential approval before any execution can be carried out.
The White House has not directly commented on whether President Trump intends to authorize these executions, referring inquiries to the Department of the Army. A military spokesperson described the planning as "standard procedures."
This preparation aligns with the Trump administration’s second term efforts to revive federal capital punishment. On his first day back in office, Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Justice to resume and intensify the enforcement of the death penalty, reversing the previous administration’s federal execution moratorium.
In September, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed full commitment to ensuring the execution of Nidal Hasan, emphasizing that victims and survivors deserve justice without delay.
The four soldiers subject to execution under this plan are:
Nidal Hasan: A former major convicted of the 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood, which resulted in 13 deaths and 32 injuries.
Ronald Gray: A former paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division, convicted in 1988 on 14 charges including three counts of premeditated murder and three counts of rape. President George W. Bush approved his execution in 2008, but it was halted by a federal judge. He remains the only condemned soldier to have had a US president sign off on his death sentence.
Timothy Hennis: A former sergeant convicted of raping and murdering a woman and her two daughters. His conviction was overturned and he was acquitted in a civilian trial, but the case was reopened with new DNA evidence unavailable previously. He was recalled to active duty, tried again by a military court, and sentenced to death.
Hasan Akbar: A former combat engineer sergeant convicted of premeditated murder and attempted murder after throwing grenades and firing on fellow US soldiers in their tents at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait in 2003, prior to the Iraq invasion.
In April, the US Department of Justice announced further steps to accelerate executions, including expanding authorized methods to include firing squads.
