If the US livestreams an execution, it will be an act of terror

The US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, said that Nidal Hasan, a former army psychiatrist who killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, would be executed by firing squad on 3 December. Photograph: Anna Rose Layden/EPAView image in fullscreenThe US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, said that Nidal Hasan, a former army psychiatrist who killed 13 people at Fort Hood in 2009, would be executed by firing squad on 3 December. Photograph: Anna Rose Layden/EPALettersIf the US livestreams an execution, it will be an act of terrorPete Hegseth | Pre-loved | Marlborough man | Canterbury tale | Newt kids on the block

Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, has authorised the livestreaming of an execution by firing squad (Report, 9 October). Morally this is no different from a terrorist group posting a video of a beheading. It marks yet another step in the brutalising of American society under the second Trump administration. Britain stopped holding public executions in 1868.John BoalerCalne, Wiltshire

I find nearly all the “pre-” expressions irritating, but the term pre-loved (Letters, 7 October) is, in this one instance, justifiable. Items that have been passed on due to the owner’s lack of affection are exactly in a state of “pre‑lovedness”, waiting for the buyer who will truly cherish them.Paola McClureDundee

Martin Pilgrim associates the pronunciation of Marlborough as “Mawlborough” with the eponymous school (Letters, 9 October). Not so: as one born and brought up a few miles from the town, I can assure him it is universal, in the town itself and, indeed, in most of Wiltshire.Dr Richard CarterPutney, London

I was amused to read the letter by Mr Pilgrim from Canterbury, as it seemed to start off a variation on nominative determinism.Liz BrewerWalton, Powys

Those who are not in education, work or training can’t be Newts (Letters, 7 October). Writing as a former member of the New Edinburgh Wine Tasting Society (Letters, 18 December 2024), we claim first dibs.Alex DickieEdinburgh