As he sits in jail accused of the Nov. 5 Fort Hood shooting that left 13 dead, Maj. Nidal Hasan continues to receive his monthly U.S. Army paycheck, probably more than $6,000. Hasan, charged with a shooting spree that shocked the country, is not a standard defendant. And he’s having a hard time finding a bank to take his money, reports the Austin American-Statesman.
His civilian attorney John Galligan, says that Bank of America notified Hasan it was closing his account and no area bank so far has agreed to open an account for the Army psychiatrist. Military regulations require soldiers to be paid through direct deposit, making a bank account indispensable. “I think it’s just another example of the prejudice that he’s been exposed to,” Galligan said. “It’s money that he’s entitled to, that he has a right to.” Army regulations allow commanders to grant waivers exempting soldiers from the SURE-PAY direct deposit system. Galligan said he and his staff have tried to open accounts in Hasan’s name at half a dozen banks but were turned down at each one. Asked Galligan, “How do you expect me to get a fair trial at Fort Hood if he can’t even get a bank account?”