The Hill News

Maj. Nidal Hasan â€" alleged to be the gunman who shot and killed 13 people at Fort Hood last November â€" will appear in public for the first time on Tuesday at a pre-trial hearing on the base.

Hasan, who is paralyzed from the chest down from injuries sustained in the shootout, faces 13 murder counts and 32 attempted murder counts, and is the sole suspect in the case.

The hearing will decide whether there is enough evidence for him to face a court martial.

His defense attorney, retired Army Col. John Galligan, is expected to discuss Hasan's mental state â€" the subject of a review released in January by Defense Secretary Robert Ga! tes that noted "several officers failed to comply with … pol! icies wh en taking actions regarding the alleged perpetrator."

Many have noted that Hasan, who is Muslim, displayed signs of radicalization prior to the shooting. According to the FBI, he had at one point exchanged e-mails with radical Yemeni-American cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

The 32 wounded in the attack are likely to be brought as witnesses for the prosecution, and the hearing could last several weeks.