The head of the legal defense team representing the man suspected of carrying out a deadly shooting spree in November 2009 at Ft. Hood, Texas, has taken a “leave of absence” from the case.

John Galligan, a former Army colonel, did not appear with Major Nidal Hasan at Hasan’s arraignment on Wednesday in Ft. Hood. In fact, the accused informed the court that he would now prefer to be represented by military lawyers from the Judge Advocate General corps.

Given the phrasing of Hasan’s statement and attorney Galligan’s own words in a letter explaining his departure, it is unclear whether Galligan was fired by Hasan or whether his stepping down was the result of a mutually agreed upon change in the relationship. Galligan’s letter reads as follows:

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Photo of Major Nidal Hasan: AP Images