The last soldier executed by America committed a horrific rape

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During the past few days, US President Donald Trump gave his approval for the execution of former US Army doctor Nidal Hassan, who is accused of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others during a shooting attack at the Fort Hood military base in Texas in 2009. At the same time, the decision to broadcast the execution process live raised a state of concern, as many feared the possibility of this incident sparking a wave of hatred and turning Nidal Hassan into a symbol of extremism.

If the death sentence is carried out against Nidal Hassan, the latter will become the first American soldier to be executed by his country’s authorities in 65 years, as John Arthur Bennett was the last American soldier executed in 1961.

John Bennett was born on April 10, 1936, in Chatham, Virginia, to a poor family of African descent. Due to poverty, the latter left school early before volunteering for military service, as a soldier, when he was seventeen years old. Despite his suffering from epilepsy and sleep problems, John Bennett was assigned to serve in the US Army.

In the US Army, John Bennett worked in the field of transporting ammunition and driving trucks, and was assigned to serve for the 11th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Corps, which was located in Salzburg, Austria. During that period, the United States of America had maintained a significant military presence in Europe since the end of World War II. Within the context of the Cold War, during the 1950s Austria hosted many American military bases.

During Christmas Eve 1954, John Bennett was extremely drunk outside his military base. Then, the latter began searching for a nearby brothel and also proceeded to knock on the doors of nearby houses to bother the residents with strange questions, according to witnesses, about girls and food. The latter also entered, on more than one occasion, a number of homes without permission to ask about a girl named Margaret.

During the night of that day, John Bennett intercepted an 11-year-old girl named Gertrude, diverted her, and raped her. Later, John Bennett strangled Gertrude and threw her into a stream of water. Fortunately for her, the girl escaped death and quickly went to one of the houses to call for help and told them what happened to her.

A few hours later, the US military police arrested soldier John Bennett, who was in the movie theater at the military base.

During the course of the investigation, JonBenét admitted to the charges against him. Through statements that sparked widespread anger, this soldier spoke about the way he raped the 11-year-old girl. These statements disgusted many people, especially after the accused spoke about raping the girl with her consent.

During February 1955, the military court reviewed the medical reports relating to the child Gertrude and heard the testimony of a number of people. As a result, the military court approved charges of rape and attempted murder against John Bennett and issued a death sentence against him by hanging, which was later upheld by US President Dwight Eisenhower.

During the following years, John Bennett's lawyers tried to reduce his sentence, and Gertrude's family announced their forgiveness for the accused and asked the US President to reduce his sentence. Meanwhile, then US President John Kennedy did not take any action and refused to commute the sentence.

At the disciplinary barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on April 13, 1961, John Bennett was executed by hanging.

According to American sources, John Bennett's last dinner consisted of shrimp, sauce, bread, cake, milk, and coffee. The latter also thanked the prison team for taking care of him before his execution.