Judge says Hasan may be forcibly shaved

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) — A judge says the Army psychiatrist charged in the fatal Fort Hood shooting rampage will be forcibly shaved if he doesn't remove his beard on his own.

Maj. Nidal Hasan appeared in court Wednesday sporting a beard, as he did during a court appearance last month. The beard violates Army regulations. Hasan says his beard is an expression of his Muslim faith.

On Wednesday, Col. Gregory Gross found Hasan in contempt of court for keeping the beard and fined him $1,000. Fort Hood spokesman Chris Haug says Gross gave Hasan the choice to shave on his own or be forcibly shaved sometime before his court-martial begins Aug. 20.

It's not yet clear what Hasan and his attorneys will decide.

Hasan is charged with killing 13 people in the 2009 attack.