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Lawyer says accused shooter is paralyzed

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, seen in this undated handout photo, is the alleged gunman who killed 13 and wounded at least 30 at the Army's Fort Hood in Texas on November 5, 2009. Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, was soon to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. UPI/Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences/HO
Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, seen in this undated handout photo, is the alleged gunman who killed 13 and wounded at least 30 at the Army's Fort Hood in Texas on November 5, 2009. Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, was soon to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. UPI/Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences/HO | License Photo

FORT HOOD, Texas, Nov. 13 (UPI) -- The psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, last week is paralyzed, his civilian attorney said Friday.

Retired Army Col. John Galligan made the comment on CBS' "The Early Show" based on an hour-long meeting he had with Maj. Nidal Hasan at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio Thursday.

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He said his client has been coherent in their discussions despite his medical condition.

"He understands who I am. We can talk. He knows what time it is," Galligan said after anchor Harry Smith asked him if Hasan was competent to stand trial.

Galligan described Hasan's condition as "extremely serious" and said his paralysis is likely from the waist down.

"He cannot get up and walk," Galligan told a group of reporters gathered at Fort Hood's entrance.

Galligan said his client is in "extremely serious" condition.

Hasan was wounded after 13 people were fatally shot at a military processing center at Ford Hood on Nov. 5.

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