Fort Hood , Texas ( CNN ) -- After weeks of mostly silence in his defense , convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan had little more to say Tuesday in the capital sentencing phase of his court-martial , telling the jury panel three short words : `` The defense rests . '' His brief remarks produced a momentary gasp in the courtroom . The 13-member panel that earlier convicted the defendant for premeditated murder will now return Wednesday morning , to decide whether the Army Medical Corps officer will live or die for his crimes . The November 5 , 2009 , killings on this sprawling U.S. Army base by a lone gunman left 13 people dead and 32 others wounded , some severely . Hasan , who serves as his own attorney , called no witnesses ; nor did he offer any documentary evidence or explanation for why he should not die for his crimes . He also offered no explanation for his refusal to mount any defense in either the trial or sentencing phases . Judge Tara Osborn , an Army colonel , reluctantly granted his wishes , telling Hasan , `` You 're the captain of your own ship . '' Tuesday morning saw the last of 19 victims and family members of those wounded or killed giving heartbreaking testimony : emotional recollections of lost loved ones , as well as injuries -- physical and emotional -- suffered nearly four years ago . `` The shooting and his killing is not going to destroy my family , '' said Joleen Cahill , widow of Michael Cahill , the only civilian to die in the massacre . `` He is not going to win , '' she said firmly , referring to the defendant sitting just feet away . Hasan asked no questions of the prosecution witnesses , who spoke separately on the stand . None directly addressed Hasan at the defense table or bothered to look at him while they testified . Hasan himself stared intently at all the witnesses during testimony , occasionally wiping his nose . Three shooting victims , eight widows and widowers , six parents and an adult offspring were among those who fought tears to describe their physical and emotional suffering over the past two days . Prison or death for Hasan ? It 's up to the jury now . Cahill recalled going numb when she was told about the killings . `` A lot of that night was a blank . '' Also testifying Tuesday was Jerri Krueger , mother of Sgt . Amy Krueger , who was 29 at the time of the incident . She recalled what her daughter said the day of the September 11 attacks : `` She said , 'Mom , I 'm joining the Army . ' I told her she could n't fight bin Laden all by herself , and she said , 'Watch me . ' `` Krueger and her best friend enlisted the next day , and she had aspired to be a clinical psychologist . `` When a parent loses a child , '' said Jerri Krueger , `` it creates an irreplaceable void . I live with that every day . '' Hasan was convicted Friday of all 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting rampage at a Fort Hood deployment processing center . The incident occurred about a month before Hasan was to deploy to Afghanistan . Wounded by two gunshots was Lt. Col. Randy Royer , a Reservist . `` I have mental issues ; I take anxiety medication , '' he told the panel Tuesday . He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder , and dealing with crowds is especially tough . Visiting the local pharmacy , where chairs line the counter , reminds him of the setup at the center where the killings occurred . `` I do n't do well with that , '' he said softly . Fort Hood victims feel betrayed . Prosecutors presented `` aggravating '' evidence to demonstrate why Hasan deserves lethal injection . The court-martial unexpectedly recessed mid-afternoon Monday , and Hasan 's standby attorney John Galligan told CNN that `` health-related concerns promoted the delay . '' From his wheelchair , the defendant , who was wounded by military police in the attacks and paralyzed , repeatedly asked the bench Monday to take brief breaks from the proceedings . Among the victims ' family members testifying Tuesday was Philip Warman , who was so distraught about losing his wife -- 55-year-old Lt. Col Juanita Warman -- that he testified that friends had to take his guns away for his own safety . And he abused alcohol almost constantly until the following June . `` I was falling apart , '' he testified . `` It was like something was ripped from me . '' Warman entered rehab and has not had a drink since . He earns Alcoholics Anonymous coins as reminders of his sobriety . He told the panel that he pushes the coins into the ground when he visits his wife 's grave at Arlington National Cemetery .
NEW : ` ` The case rests , '' Hasan tells the panel . Shooter calls no witnesses in this phase . The sentencing phase for shooter Nidal Hasan could wrap up by midweek . 13 officers will then decide whether Army Medical Corps personnel should die for crimes .