Fort Hood , Texas ( CNN ) -- The prosecution rested its death penalty case Tuesday against the Army psychiatrist charged with a shooting rampage at Fort Hood that left 13 people dead , clearing the way for the man acting as his own attorney to put on a defense . Maj. Nidal Hasan , 42 , is defending himself against 13 counts of murder and 32 counts of attempted murder in the November 5 , 2009 , attack , raising the question of whether he will take the stand . `` If you choose to testify , it is your choice and your choice solely , '' the judge , Col. Tara Osborn , told Hasan . `` If you do testify , you have to ask yourself questions . ... You ca n't simply give a statement . It has to be in a question-and-answer format . '' Will Hasan testify ? Hasan previously indicated that he intended to call himself and two witnesses to the stand . If he testifies , Hasan is expected to discuss religious justification for his actions . But there was a question whether Hasan would even put on a defense after he told the court Tuesday morning he no longer wished to call Dr. Lewis Rambo , an expert on religious conversion . A day earlier , he told the court he would not call Tim Jon Semmerling , who specializes in mitigating factors in criminal cases . Even so , the judge ordered Rambo to appear in court to speak with Hasan before he made a decision , prompting Hasan to challenge the order . `` I object . I 'm not going to be using him , '' Hasan said . `` To waste his time when he has more pressing matters to attend to does n't seem fitting . '' The judge noted his objection , but ordered the witness to appear in court . `` Then if you decide you do n't want to have him as a witness after you talk face-to-face , then that 's fine , '' Osborn said . Fast Facts : Soldier-on-Soldier Attacks . Much has been made of Hasan 's defense or , as his stand-by attorneys have said , the lack of it . The judge declined a request by Hasan 's attorneys to drop out of the case . The attorneys argued that they were helping the prosecution put him to death . Hasan admitted to opening fire in a processing center for soldiers deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq , telling a military jury of 13 officers during his opening statement : `` The evidence will clearly show that I am the shooter . '' The judge has barred Hasan from arguing he acted in the `` defense of others , '' claiming he carried out the shooting to protect Taliban leaders in Afghanistan from the U.S. military . Declining to cross-examine witnesses . Just as he has throughout most of the court-martial , Hasan declined to cross-examine the prosecution 's final witnesses -- most of whom testified about the chaotic final minutes of the shooting . Fort Hood victims feel betrayed . The day of the shooting , photographer Steven Bennett was taking pictures of a college graduation ceremony for soldiers who had obtained their degrees . Bennett took pictures of the final minutes of the shooting , capturing images of Hasan outside the deployment processing center and then the shootout with police . The final photo shows Hasan lying on the ground bleeding as a police officer checks his pulse . Asked if he recognized the man in the courtroom , Bennett pointed at Hasan : `` The bearded individual . '' Hasan has refused to shave , citing his religious beliefs . The judge on Monday raised again concerns about Hasan acting as his own attorney after he admitted last week he did not understand that by listing someone as a witness he gave up the right of privileged communication with that person . `` Remember when I told you that I thought you would be better off with a trained lawyer ? '' Osborn asked . Hasan responded : `` Repeatedly . '' `` I 've advised you before and I 'm advising you again that it 's not a good policy to represent yourself . ... Do you understand that ? '' Osborn said . Hasan said : `` Yes , I do . '' Military death row : More than 50 years and no executions .
Hasan , if he testifies , is required to discuss religious justifications for his actions . The defendant has been told by the judge it 's ` ` not a good idea '' to represent himself . Hasan has been barred from ' ` ` defense of religion ''