Judge stalls decision on delaying Fort Hood trial

A judge says she won?t decide whether to delay the Fort Hood shooting suspect?s trial until he provides evidence to support his defense strategy ? and she might not accept it.

Maj. Nidal Hasan said today his defense will explain that he killed 13 people in the 2009 shooting rampage because soldiers were about to deploy to Afghanistan. He says he was trying to prevent the imminent death of Taliban fighters.

A ?defense of others? strategy requires defendants to prove they killed a person or people to protect others from immediate danger or death. Hasan, who?s representing himself at his murder trial, is seeking a three-month delay. The judge may rule Wednesday, delaying jury selection until at least Monday.

He faces the death penalty or life without parole if convicted.