Fort Hood suspect cites 'defense of others' plan

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) — An Army psychiatrist accused of gunning down Fort Hood soldiers waiting to deploy to Afghanistan said today his defense would show that he was compelled to do so because the soldiers posed an imminent danger to Taliban fighters.

The military judge responded that Maj. Nidal Hasan's "defense-of-others" strategy would be thrown out if he didn't provide supporting evidence.

Hasan, 42, will represent himself in his upcoming court-martial. The "defense-of-others" defense that the American-born Muslim said he would rely on requires him to prove the killings were necessary to protect others from immediate danger or death.

The court-martial had been scheduled to start with jury selection Wednesday, and on Monday Hasan requested a three-month delay to give him more time to prepare his defense.

The military judge, Col. Tara Osborn, was to rule Wednesday on Hasan's trial-delay request. Osborn said jury selection would now start no earlier than Monday.