Fort Hood gunman Nidal Hasan forcibly shaved on death row

FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan., Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Officials said Fort Hood gunman Nidal Hasan was shaved after his move to death row and Texas legislators proposed a new compensation bill for shooting victims.

Hasan, who was convicted in the 2009 shooting deaths of 13 people and injury of 31 others at the Texas military base, grew a beard for what he said were religious reasons prior to the start of his court-martial. The move drew the ire of the judge, who found Hasan in contempt of court, causing a one-year delay of his trial.

After Hasan, 42, was flown to Fort Leavenworth, Kan., Friday to be put on death row, a spokesman for the Army at the Pentagon said he was forcibly shaved, the Kileen (Texas) Daily Herald reported Wednesday.

"In keeping with AR 670-1 and AR 190-47, the Army corrections system, inmate Hasan has been shaved," said Lt. Col. S. Justin Platt.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, announced a bill to provide up to an additional $3,088 per month in assistance to the victims of the shooting, The Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday.

Similar bills have been killed in the past, partly because of concerns they would jeopardize the Hasan court-martial, but now that it's over, the legislators hope they'll be successful this time, the newspaper said.

"Prospects are definitely improved now that the trial is over and Hasan has been convicted on all counts," said Cornyn spokesman Drew Brandewie.