Dylann Roof

Dylann Storm Roof[1] (born April 3, 1994) is an American white supremacist, neo-Nazi[1] and mass murderer convicted for perpetrating the Charleston church shooting on June 17, 2015, in the U.S. state of South Carolina.[2][3] During a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Roof killed nine people, all African Americans, including senior pastor and state senator Clementa C. Pinckney, and injured one other person. After several people identified Roof as the main suspect, he became the center of a manhunt that ended the morning after the shooting with his arrest in Shelby, North Carolina. He later confessed that he committed the shooting in hopes of igniting a race war.[4] Roof's actions in Charleston have been widely described as domestic terrorism.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Dylann Roof
Mugshot of Roof taken by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, June 18, 2015
Born
Dylann Storm Roof

(1994-04-03) April 3, 1994
Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Known forPerpetrator of the Charleston church shooting
Criminal statusFound guilty of all charges and sentenced to death in federal court, pleaded guilty to all counts in state court and received nine life sentences; currently incarcerated and awaiting execution at United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, Indiana
MotiveWhite supremacy, Neo-Nazism, desire to start a race war
Conviction(s)December 15, 2016 (federal)
April 10, 2017 (state; agreed to plead guilty on March 31, 2017)
Criminal chargeFederal (33 counts):
  • Hate crime act resulting in death (9 counts)
  • Hate crime act involving an attempt to kill (3 counts)
  • Obstruction of exercise of religion resulting in death (9 counts)
  • Obstruction of exercise of religion involving an attempt to kill and use of a dangerous weapon (3 counts)
  • Use of a firearm to commit murder during and in relation to a crime of violence (9 counts)

South Carolina State (13 counts):

PenaltyDeath (federal)
Life imprisonment (state)
Details
DateJune 17, 2015
c.  9:05 p.m. – c.  9:11 p.m.
Location(s)Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Target(s)African American churchgoers
Killed9
Injured1
WeaponsGlock 41 .45-caliber handgun

Three days after the shooting, a website titled The Last Rhodesian was discovered and later confirmed by officials to be owned by Roof. The website contained photos of Roof posing with symbols of white supremacy and neo-Nazism, along with a manifesto in which he outlined his views toward black people, among other peoples. He also claimed in the manifesto to have developed his white supremacist views after reading about the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin and black-on-white crime.

On December 15, 2016, Roof was convicted in federal court of all 33 federal charges (including hate crimes) against him stemming from the shooting; on January 11, 2017, he was sentenced to death for those crimes.[12] On March 31, 2017, Roof agreed to plead guilty in South Carolina state court to all state charges pending against him—nine counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony—to avoid a second death sentence. In return, he accepted a sentence of life in prison without parole.[13] On April 10, 2017, Roof was sentenced to nine consecutive sentences of life without parole after formally pleading guilty to state murder charges.[14][15][16]

Early life

Roof was born in Columbia, South Carolina, to Franklin Bennett Roof (nicknamed Benn), a carpenter and a construction contractor,[17] and Amelia "Amy" Cowles, a bartender. His parents had divorced but were temporarily reconciled at the time of his birth. When Roof was five,[18] his father married Paige Mann (née Hastings) in November 1999; they divorced after ten years of marriage. Roof has two siblings, an older half sister[19] and a younger sister, Morgan Roof.[20] Bennett Roof was allegedly verbally and physically abusive toward Mann.[19][21][22][23][24] The family mostly lived in South Carolina, though from about 2005 to 2008, they temporarily moved to the Florida Keys. There is no information about Roof attending local schools there.[25]

According to a 2009 affidavit filed for Mann's divorce, Roof exhibited "obsessive compulsive behavior" as he grew up, obsessing over germs and insisting on having his hair cut in a certain style.[21] When he was in middle school, he exhibited an interest in smoking marijuana, having once been caught spending money on it.[18]

In nine years, Roof attended at least seven schools in two South Carolina counties, including White Knoll High School in Lexington, in which he repeated the ninth grade, finishing it in another school. He apparently stopped attending classes in 2010 and, according to his family, dropped out of school and spent his time alternating between playing video games and taking drugs, such as Suboxone.[18][19][21][26][27] He was on the rolls of a local Evangelical Lutheran congregation, but it was unclear if he had recently attended.[28]

Prior to the attack, Roof was living alternately in Bennett's and Cowles' homes in downtown Columbia and Hopkins, respectively,[22][29][30] but was mostly raised by his stepmother Mann.[21] For several weeks preceding the attack, Roof had also been occasionally living in the home of an old friend from middle school and the latter's mother, two brothers, and girlfriend.[23][30][31] He allegedly spent his time using drugs and getting drunk.[30] He had been working as a landscaper at the behest of his father, but quit the job prior to the shooting.[18]

His maternal uncle, Carson Cowles, said that he expressed concern about the social withdrawal of his then-nineteen-year-old nephew, because "he still didn't have a job, a driver's license or anything like that and he just stayed in his room a lot of the time."[32] Cowles said he tried to mentor Roof, but was rejected and they drifted apart.[32] According to Mann, Roof cut off all contact with her after her divorce from his father. When his sister planned to be married, he did not respond to her invitation to the event.[23][24]

A former high school classmate said that despite Roof's racist comments, some of his friends in school were black.[27]

Earlier contacts with police

Roof had a prior police record consisting of two arrests, both made in the months preceding the attack. He was investigated on one occasion during this period but without arrest or charge.[33][34]

On March 2, 2015, he was questioned about a February 28 incident at the Columbiana Centre in Columbia, in which he entered the mall wearing all-black clothing and asked employees unsettling questions. During the questioning, authorities found a bottle of what was later admitted to be Suboxone, a narcotic that is used for treating either chronic pain or opiate-abuse addictions and that is abused as a recreational drug; Roof was arrested for a misdemeanor charge of drug possession. He was subsequently banned from the Columbiana Centre for a year.[35]

On March 13, 2015, Roof was investigated for loitering in his parked car near a park in downtown Columbia. He had been recognized by an off-duty police officer who investigated his March 2 questioning; the officer then called a colleague to investigate. A police officer conducted a search of his vehicle and found a forearm grip for an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and six unloaded magazines, all capable of holding 40 rounds. When asked about it, Roof informed the officer that he wanted to purchase an AR-15, but did not have enough money to do so. He was not charged, as it was not illegal in South Carolina to possess a firearm grip.[36][37]

On April 26, 2015, Roof was arrested again for trespassing on the Columbiana Centre mall's grounds in violation of the ban. The ban was then extended for three additional years.[24][27][38]

According to James Comey, speaking in July 2015, Roof's March arrest was at first written as a felony, which would have required an inquiry into the charge during a firearms background examination. It was legally a misdemeanor charge and was incorrectly written as a felony at first due to a data entry error made by a jail clerk. Despite this, Roof would not have been able to legally purchase firearms under a law that barred "unlawful user[s] of or addicted to any controlled substance," such as the Suboxone, from owning firearms.[39][40]

Charleston church shooting
Main article: Charleston church shooting
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church

On the evening of June 17, 2015, a mass shooting took place at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, United States. During a routine Bible study at the church, a white man about 21 years old, later identified as Roof, opened fire with a handgun, killing nine people.[41] Roof was unemployed[42] and living in largely African-American Eastover at the time of the attack.[43]

Motivation

According to a childhood friend, Roof went on a rant about the shooting of Trayvon Martin and the 2015 Baltimore protests that were sparked by the death of Freddie Gray while Gray was in police custody.[38] He also often claimed that "blacks were taking over the world".[44] Roof reportedly told friends and neighbors of his plans to kill people, including a plot to attack the College of Charleston, but his claims were not taken seriously.[26][29]

One image from his Facebook page showed him wearing a jacket decorated with two obsolete flags used as emblems among American white supremacist movements, those of Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) and apartheid-era South Africa.[45][46][47] Another online photo showed Roof sitting on the hood of his car with an ornamental license plate with a Confederate flag on it.[48] According to his roommate, Roof expressed his support of racial segregation in the United States and had wanted to start a civil war.[49]

One of the friends who briefly hid Roof's gun away from him said, "I don't think the church was his primary target because he told us he was going for the school. But I think he couldn't get into the school because of the security ... so I think he just settled for the church."[50][51] An African-American friend of his said that he never witnessed Roof expressing any racial prejudice, but also said that a week before the shooting, Roof had confided in him that he would commit a shooting at the college.[52]

On the day he was captured (June 18, 2015), Roof confessed to committing the Charleston attack with the intention of starting a race war,[53] and reportedly told investigators he almost did not go through with his mission because members of the church study group had been so nice to him.[54]

Federal prosecutors said in August 2016 that Roof was "self-radicalized" online, instead of adopting his white supremacist ideology "through his personal associations or experiences with white supremacist groups or individuals or others".[55][56]

Website and handwritten documents

On June 20, 2015, a website that had been registered to a "Dylann Roof" on February 9, 2015, lastrhodesian.com, was discovered.[57] Though the identity of the domain's owner was intentionally masked the day after it was registered,[57] law enforcement officials confirmed Roof as the owner.[58] The site included a cache of photos of Roof posing with a handgun and a Confederate Battle Flag, as well as with the widely recognized neo-Nazi code numbers 88 (an abbreviation for the salute "Heil Hitler!") and 1488, written in sand.[57][58] Roof was also seen spitting on and burning an American flag.[57] While some photographs seemed to show Roof at home in his room, others were taken on an apparent tour of slavery-related historical sites in North and South Carolina, including Sullivan's Island, the largest slave disembarkation port in North America, four former plantations, two cemeteries (one for white Confederate soldiers, the other for slaves), and the Museum and Library of Confederate History in Greenville.[57][59][60] Roof is believed to have taken self-portraits using a timer, and his visits were not remembered by staff members working at the sites.[60]

The website also contained an unsigned, 2,444-word manifesto apparently authored by Roof,[61][62] in which he outlined his opinions, all methodically broken into the following sections: "Blacks", "Jews", "Hispanics", "East Asians", "Patriotism", and "An Explanation":[59]

I have no choice. I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country. We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me.[57]

The manifesto states that its author was "truly awakened" by coverage of the shooting of Trayvon Martin:

I read the Wikipedia article and right away I was unable to understand what the big deal was. It was obvious that Zimmerman was in the right. But more importantly this prompted me to type in the words "black on white crime" into Google, and I have never been the same since that day. The first website I came to was the Council of Conservative Citizens. There were pages upon pages of these brutal black on white murders. I was in disbelief. At this moment I realized that something was very wrong. How could the news be blowing up the Trayvon Martin case while hundreds of these black on white murders got ignored?[57][58][63][64]

The manifesto also mentioned the Northwest Front, a Seattle-based white supremacist organization.[65]

According to web server logs, Roof's website was last modified at 4:44 p.m. on June 17, 2015, when Roof noted, "[A]t the time of writing I am in a great hurry."[57]

According to court documents filed in August 2016, Roof drafted two other manifestos, one in 2015 and the other in jail, recovered from his vehicle and jail cell respectively. He also made a list of churches and a "selection of victims", along with other writings.[66][67][68]

Weapon purchase and FBI lapse

Roof personally purchased the gun used in the shooting from a retail gun store in West Columbia,[69] using money given to him on his birthday.[29] The Washington Post reported on July 10, 2015, that FBI Director James Comey said that Roof "was able to purchase the gun used in the attack only because of lapses in the FBI's background-check system".[70] On August 30, 2019, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the survivors and families of the deceased can sue the Federal government.[71]

One week prior to the shooting, two of his friends tried to hide the gun after Roof claimed he was going to kill people. They returned it to him after the girlfriend of one of the friends, in whose trailer they hid the gun, pointed out he was on probation and needed to have the gun out of his possession.[29][50]

Prior to the shooting

FBI analysis of Roof's seized cellphone and computer found that he was in online communication with other white supremacists, according to unnamed officials. Although Roof's contacts did not appear to have encouraged the massacre,[72] the investigation was said to have widened to also include other persons of interest.[73]

Reaction by white supremacists

Although the Council of Conservative Citizens took down its website on June 20 in the immediate wake of negative publicity,[59] its president, Earl Holt, stated that the organization was "hardly responsible" for Roof's actions.[63] The organization also issued a statement saying that Roof had some "legitimate grievances" against black people and that the group's website "accurately and honestly report[s] black-on-white violent crime".[74] Harold Covington, the founder of the Northwest Front, also condemned Roof's actions, but called the attack "a preview of coming attractions".[65]

Through analysis of his manifesto, the Southern Poverty Law Center alleged that Roof was a reader and commenter on The Daily Stormer, a white nationalist news website.[75] Its editor Andrew Anglin "repudiated Roof's crime and publicly disavowed violence, while endorsing many of Roof's views."[76] He claimed that while he would have sympathy with a white man shooting criminals, killing innocents including elderly women was "a completely insane act".[77]

A neo-Nazi group named itself the “Bowl Patrol" after Roof's "bowl-cut" hairstyle. The group remained active as of a July 2020 exposé in the Huffington Post, five years after the Charleston church shooting.[78]

Manhunt and capture

The attack was treated as a hate crime by police, and officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were called in to assist in the investigation and manhunt.[41][79]

At 10:44 a.m., on the morning after the attack, Roof was captured in a traffic stop in Shelby, North Carolina, approximately 245 miles (394 km) from the shooting scene. A .45-caliber pistol was found in the car during the arrest, though it was not immediately clear if it was the same one used in the attack.[80][81]

Police received a tip-off from a driver, Debbie Dills, from Gastonia, North Carolina. She recognized Roof driving his car, a black Hyundai Elantra with South Carolina license plates and a three-flag "Confederate States of America" bumper decoration,[82][83] on U.S. Route 74, recalling security camera images taken at the church and distributed to the media. She later recalled, "I got closer and saw that haircut. I was nervous. I had the worst feeling. Is that him or not him?" She called her employer, who contacted local police, and then tailed the suspect's car for 35 miles (56 km) until she was certain authorities were moving in for an arrest.[84] His older half sister also reported him to the police after seeing his photo on the news.[19][85]

Roof was arrested and was interrogated by agents of the FBI. He stated that he had been traveling to Nashville, Tennessee, when he was arrested in Shelby. Police in Shelby deferred his questioning to the FBI.[86] An unidentified source said interrogations with Roof after his arrest determined he had been planning the attack for around six months, researched Emanuel AME Church, and targeted it because of its role in African-American history.[41]

Prosecution
Main article: Trial of Dylann Roof

On the evening of June 18, 2015, Roof waived his extradition rights and was flown to Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston.[43][87][88][89] At the jail, his cell-block neighbor was Michael Slager, the former North Charleston officer charged with first-degree murder in the wake of his shooting of Walter Scott.[90][91]

Dylann Roof is the first person in U.S. history to have faced both a state and federal death penalty at the same time. In September 2015, it was announced Roof would face capital punishment in his state prosecution, and in May 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Roof would face capital punishment in his federal prosecution as well.[92]

State prosecution

On June 19, 2015, Roof was charged with nine counts of murder and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.[89][93] He first appeared in Charleston County court by video conference at a bond hearing later that day. At the hearing, shooting survivors and relatives of five of the victims spoke to Roof directly, saying that they were "praying for his soul" and forgave him.[41][42][94][95] Governor Nikki Haley called for prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Roof.[96]

The judge, Charleston County chief magistrate James "Skip" Gosnell Jr., caused controversy at the bond hearing with his statement that, alongside the dead victims and their families, "there are victims on this young man's side of the family […] Nobody would have ever thrown them into the whirlwind of events that they are being thrown into."[97] Gosnell then set a $1 million bond for the weapons possession charge and no bail on the nine counts of murder.[98]

On July 7, 2015, Roof was indicted on three new charges of attempted murder, one for each person who survived the shooting.[99] A temporary gag order was issued by a judge on July 14 following the appearance of a letter purportedly written by Roof on an online auction site.[100] Seven groups, including news media outlets, families of the slain victims, and church officials, called for easing some restrictions placed by the gag order, particularly 9-1-1 calls.[101] Portions of the gag order were lifted on October 14, allowing for the release of 9-1-1 call transcripts and other documents, but the order remained in place for graphic crime scene photos and videos, as well as audio for the 9-1-1 calls.[102]

On July 16, 2015, Roof's trial in state court was scheduled by Circuit Court Judge J.C. Nicholson to start on July 11, 2016.[103][104] On July 20, Roof was ordered to provide handwriting samples to investigators. The order explained that following his arrest in Shelby, notes and lists were found written on his hand and at other locations; that the handwriting samples were needed to determine if the handwriting matched.[105][106]

On September 3, Ninth Circuit solicitor (district attorney) Scarlett Wilson said that she intended to seek the death penalty for Roof because more than two people were killed in the shooting and others' lives were put at risk.[107] On September 16, Roof said through his attorney that he was willing to plead guilty to the state charges to avoid being sentenced to death.[108] Roof reappeared in state court on October 23, 2015,[95] before Nicholson.[109]

The jury selection process for the state trial was initially expected to start in June 2016;[110] jury selection was postponed in November 2016.[111] In April 2016, the state trial was delayed to January 17, 2017.[112] It was delayed again in January 2017.[113][114] On April 10, 2017, Roof pleaded guilty to nine state counts of murder and was sentenced to nine consecutive sentences of life without parole.[14][15][16] In a letter to the victims' families, Wilson said that the plea deal was "an insurance policy" in the event that Roof's federal death sentence were ever overturned, as it assures that Roof will die in prison.[115]

Indictment

Five days after the shooting, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced a grand jury had indicted Roof on 33 federal charges: nine counts of using a firearm to commit murder and 24 civil rights violations (12 hate crime charges under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act and 12 counts under a second hate-crime statute that prohibits using force or threatening the use of force to obstruct a person's free exercise of religious beliefs), with 18 of the charges carrying the federal death penalty.[116]

On July 31, 2015, Roof pleaded not guilty to the federal charges against him at the behest of his lawyer David Bruck. Roof wanted to plead guilty, but Bruck stated he was not willing to advise a guilty plea until the government indicated whether it wanted to seek the death penalty, as 18 of the 33 charges could carry the death penalty.[117]

On May 24, 2016, the Justice Department announced they would seek the death penalty for Roof. As he was already facing the death penalty in South Carolina, Roof became the first person in U.S. history to face both a federal and state death penalty at the same time.[118]

Trial preparations

On June 9, 2016, Roof, through his lawyers, announced that he did not want to be tried by a jury. Instead, Roof wanted the judge presiding over his case to hear the case entirely by himself, determining guilt or innocence and, if Roof was convicted, whether to sentence him to death.[119] The judge denied that motion after the prosecution (whose consent is required for a bench trial under the rules that apply to federal criminal proceedings) opposed Roof's request.[120]

On August 2, 2016, Roof's lawyers filed a motion arguing that the federal capital punishment laws were unconstitutional.[121] Federal prosecutors filed a response on August 22, asking the judge to reject the motion.[55]

On August 23, 2016, federal prosecutors filed court documents announcing their intention to call thirteen expert witnesses at trial, including white supremacy experts who were expected to testify on Roof's "extremist ideology, including a belief in the need to use violence to achieve white supremacy." The documents also indicated the presence of extensive incriminating evidence against Roof. A hearing was set for September 1, 2016.[56][67]

Around August 31, 2016, District Judge Richard Gergel ordered that an in camera hearing be held on September 1. The judge was to rule on the admissibility of some "potentially explosive" evidence. Gergel wrote: "This instance is one of those rare cases where Defendant's Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial outweighs the public's and the press' First Amendment right of access. ... This is an unusually sensitive period in this proceeding where highly prejudicial publicity could taint the jury pool and make selection of a fair and impartial jury increasingly challenging." Two Charleston-area media outlets, The Charleston Post and Courier and WCBD-TV, unsuccessfully sought to keep the hearing open.[122]

On September 6, 2016, federal prosecutors filed a motion seeking to bar Roof's attorneys from asking the jurors for mercy during sentencing should he be found guilty of the charges against him. They argue that the defense will already have the opportunity to present evidence that could sway the jury's opinion for sentencing.[123][124] The next day, prosecutors asked for the use of summary charts as evidence for the trial. One of the charts was expected to be a timeline of the case as drafted by the agent responsible for investigating the shooting.[124]

Jury selection started on September 26, 2016.[125] The initial pool of three thousand candidates was narrowed down to the final jury of twelve, plus alternates.[126] The federal trial itself was expected to start late November or early December and last for about two months.[124][125][127]

On November 8, 2016, District Court judge Richard M. Gergel ordered a competency evaluation for Roof, which Gergel scheduled for November 16, 2016. Gergel also postponed the jury selection to November 21, 2016.[128][129]

On November 14, 2016, Gergel delayed the competency hearing to November 17, 2016.[130][131][132] On November 16, 2016, Gergel delayed the competency hearing to November 21, 2016. Gergel also delayed the jury selection to November 28, 2016.[133][134][135] The competency hearing ended November 22, 2016.[136][137]

On November 25, 2016, Roof was declared competent to stand trial.[138] Three days later, a federal judge granted Roof's motion for pro se representation.[139][140][141][142]

On December 4, 2016, Roof, in a handwritten request, asked Gergel to give him back his defense team for the guilt phase of his federal death penalty trial.[143][144][145][146] On December 5, 2016, Gergel allowed Roof to hire back his lawyers for the guilt phase of his trial.[147][148] On December 6, 2016, a federal judge denied a motion by Roof's defense team to delay Roof's trial.[149]

Trial and sentencing
USP Terre Haute, where Roof is incarcerated

On December 7, 2016, Roof's federal trial began.[150] The jury consisted of "two black women, eight white women, one white man and one black man".[151] Two days into the trial, Roof's confession was played in court, admitting that he had killed the people at the church before chuckling.[152] On December 15, 2016, after about two hours of deliberation, the jury found Roof guilty on all 33 counts.[153]

At a court hearing on December 28, 2016, Roof reiterated that he would proceed with the sentencing phase without attorneys, although Judge Gergel repeatedly warned him that it was not in his interests to do so. At the hearing Roof said that he did not plan to call any witnesses or present any evidence at the sentencing phase in order to avoid the death penalty.[154]

On January 3, 2017, following a lengthy closed-door competency hearing, Judge Gergel denied a motion, submitted under seal by Roof's court-appointed counsel, that sought to have Roof declared incompetent.[155][156] Gergel wrote: "After fully considering all of the evidence presented, the court ruled from the bench that Defendant remains competent to stand trial and to self-represent."[155]

On January 10, 2017, the jury recommended the death penalty for Roof,[157] and on January 11, 2017, Judge Gergel sentenced Dylann Roof to death by lethal injection.[158]

Until April 19, 2017, Roof was located at the Charleston County Jail; on that day federal authorities took custody of him and took him to FTC Oklahoma City. On April 22, 2017, Roof arrived at USP Terre Haute, the location of the federal death row for men and the federal execution chamber.[159]

Post-trial proceedings and release of documents

On May 10, 2017, Judge Gergel denied Roof's motion for a new trial.[160][161] On the same day, Gergel unsealed psychiatric reports from two court-ordered exams of Roof performed by Dr. James Ballenger, a forensic psychiatrist, as well as the transcripts of two competency hearings, all of which found Roof competent to stand trial.[161][162] The court first ordered a psychiatric exam after Roof wrote a letter to prosecutors referring to his defense attorneys as "the sneakiest group of people I have ever met" and adamantly rejecting their strategy to portray him as mentally ill.[161]

The psychiatric report showed that Roof stated of the relatives of his victims that he "did not identify with them, he didn't care."[161] Ballenger concluded that Roof had "perhaps some autistic traits" and meets the criteria for "social anxiety disorder, probably generalized anxiety disorder, possible autistic spectrum disorder, a mixed substance abuse disorder, depression by history and a schizoid personality disorder" but was competent to stand trial.[162] Ballenger wrote that Roof blocked his attorneys from introducing any evidence of autism or other disorders, as well as various delusions,[161] at trial because he did not want "any issue to take away from the rationale he had for committing his crimes" because he felt that "his reputation was ruined, ... He continues to feel that the only thing that is important to him is to protect his reputation."[162] Roof, who denies having autism,[163] told Ballenger that he "would rather die" than rely on autism defense, stating "it would ruin me" and "everybody would think I am a weirdo."[161] Ballenger concluded that: "all of his decisions in the trial are dominated and driven by his primary racial prejudice and wish to preserve that as the sole rationale for his crimes and to protect his long term image and reputation as someone who has no mental illness."[161]

Death sentence appeal

In January 2020, it was reported that Roof was appealing his death sentence.[164][165] According to a 321-page brief filed by Roof's lawyers in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, Roof's representing himself during the penalty phase of his trial deprived the jury of extenuating information about his mental illness.[166] The brief cites the Supreme Court's ruling in Indiana v. Edwards that judges can force a lawyer on defendants who lack mental capacity.[167]

2016 assault in prison

On August 4, 2016, Roof was beaten by a fellow inmate while detained at the Charleston County Detention Center. Roof, who suffered hits and bruising to the face and body, was not seriously injured, and he was allowed to return to his cell after being examined by jail medical personnel. The assailant was identified as 25-year-old African American Dwayne Marion Stafford, who was awaiting trial on charges of first-degree assault and strong-arm robbery. Stafford was able to exit his unlocked cell, pass through a steel cell door with a narrow vertical window, and go down the stairs into the jail's protective custody unit to reach Roof. At the time of the attack, Roof was alone after two detention officers assigned to be with him left, one being on break and the other called away to do another task.[168][169][170][171]

Roof and his attorney have stated that they do not plan to press charges.[172][173] The night after the attack, eighteen months after his initial arrest, Stafford was released on over $100,000 bond.[174][175]

See also

References
  1. "Attorney General Lynch Statement Following the Federal Grand Jury Indictment Against Dylann Storm Roof" (Press release). United States Department of Justice. July 22, 2015.
  2. Dustin Waters & Mark Berman (December 15, 2016). "Dylann Roof found guilty on all counts in Charleston church massacre trial". Washington Post.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  3. Alan Blinder & Kevin Sack (December 15, 2016). "Dylann Roof Found Guilty in Charleston Church Massacre". New York Times.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  4. Sack, Kevin; Blinder, Alan (January 5, 2017). "No Regrets From Dylann Roof in Jailhouse Manifesto". The New York Times. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  5. Groll, Elias (June 18, 2015). "Was the Charleston Massacre an Act of Terrorism?". Foreign Policy. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  6. Hartmann, Margaret (June 19, 2015). "Why the Charleston Shooter Should Be Called a Terrorist". New York Magazine.
  7. Dahl, Julia (June 19, 2015). "Was the South Carolina shooting a hate crime or a terrorist attack?". CBS News.
  8. Friedersdorf, Conor (June 22, 2015). "Why It Matters That the Charleston Attack Was Terrorism". The Atlantic.
  9. Norris, Jesse J. (March 30, 2017). "Why Dylann Roof Is a Terrorist under Federal Law, and Why It Matters". Harvard Journal on Legislation. 54(1): 501–541.
  10. Ghansah, Rachel Kaadzi (August 11, 2017). "A Most American Terrorist: The Making Of Dylann Roof". GQ. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  11. McCord, Mary B. (August 21, 2017). "Criminal Law Should Treat Domestic Terrorism as the Moral Equivalent of International Terrorism". Lawfare.
  12. "Dylann Roof Gets Death Penalty For Racially Motivated Charleston Church Shooting". VannDigital. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  13. Kinnard, Meg (March 31, 2017). "Dylann Roof to plead guilty to state murder charges, avoiding second death penalty trial". Chicago Tribune.
  14. "Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof pleads guilty to state murder charges". The Guardian. April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  15. "Dylann Roof: Charleston Church Shooter Gets Nine Life Sentences in State Case". NBC NEWS. April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  16. "Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof pleads guilty, awaits execution". Chicago Tribune. April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  17. "Charleston shooter Roof left little fingerprint on the Keys". flkeysnews. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  18. Robles, Francis; Stewart, Nikita (July 16, 2015). "Dylann Roof's Past Reveals Trouble at Home and School". The New York Times. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  19. Otis, Ginger Adams (June 20, 2015). "Accused Charleston shooter Dylann Roof was raised in home destroyed by domestic violence: reports". The New York Daily News. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  20. "Sister Of Charleston Shooter Dylann Roof Arrested After Menacing Social Media Post". NPR.org. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
  21. Weiss, Mitch; Mone, John (June 27, 2015). "Charleston suspect's life a troubled road to radicalization". Yahoo! News. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  22. Ellis, Sarah; Cahill, Harrison (June 27, 2015). "Dylann Roof: Hindsights and 'what ifs'". The State. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  23. "Difficult family circumstances a part of Dylann Roof's history". NewsOK. June 28, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  24. "Charleston shooting suspect led troubled life long before radicalization". Oregon Live LLC. Associated Press. June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  25. Wadlow, Kevin (June 27, 2015). "Charleston shooter Roof left little fingerprint on the Keys". Keys Info Net. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  26. Mindock, Clark (June 18, 2015). "Charleston Shooting Racial Motivation? Dylann Storm Roof Told Black Neighbor He Planned On Killing". The International Business Times. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  27. "Dylann Roof: Racist jokes and black friends -- a man of contradictions". The Los Angeles Times. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  28. "South Carolina Lutheran Pastor: Dylann Roof Was Church Member, His Family Prays For Victims". Huffington Post. June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  29. "Friend of Dylann Roof says suspect planned attack on College of Charleston". FOX News. June 20, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  30. Wilks, Avery; Monk, John; Cahill, Harrison (September 19, 2015). "EXCLUSIVE: Sharper picture emerges of suspected Charleston shooter Dylann Roof". The State. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  31. Monk, John (November 4, 2015). "Judge grants $25,000 bond for Joey Meek". The State. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  32. "South Carolina massacre suspect Dylann Roof had apparent interest in white supremacy". Sydney Morning Herald. June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  33. "Dylann Storm Roof arrested in North Carolina". KFOR. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  34. Old, Jason (June 18, 2015). "Police: Dylann Roof arrested for trespassing, drug possession at Columbiana Centre". WISTV.com. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  35. "Dylann Roof, Suspect in Charleston Shooting, Flew the Flags of White Power". The New York Times. June 18, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  36. Monk, John (June 25, 2015). "EXCLUSIVE: Was accused SC racial church killer Roof planning bigger death spree?". The State. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  37. Robles, Frances (June 26, 2015). "Dylann Roof Had AR-15 Parts During Police Stop in March, Record Shows". The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  38. "Dylann Roof, Suspected Charleston Church Shooting Gunman Has Troubled Past". NBC News. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  39. Volokh, Eugene (July 11, 2015). "Dylann Roof apparently had not been arrested for a felony a month before he went through a gun purchase background check". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  40. Collins, Jeffrey (July 13, 2015). "Jail clerical error acknowledged in church shooting gun buy". Yahoo! News. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
  41. Alcindor, Yamiche; Stanglin, Doug (June 19, 2015). "Affidavits spell out chilling case against Dylann Roof". USA Today. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  42. Stableford, Dylan (June 19, 2015). "Families of Charleston shooting victims to Dylann Roof: We forgive you". Yahoo! News. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  43. "Church shooting suspect Dylann Roof captured amid hate crime investigation". The Washington Post. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  44. Silverstein, Jason (June 19, 2015). "Dylann Roof was obsessed with Trayvon Martin, wanted to save the 'white race': friend". The New York Daily News. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  45. "Charleston Church Shooting Suspect, Dylann Storm Roof, Is Captured". The New York Times. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  46. "On Facebook, Dylann Roof, Charleston Suspect, Wears Symbols of White Supremacy". The New York Times. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  47. "Everything Known About Charleston Church Shooting Suspect Dylann Roff". The Daily Beast. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  48. Blidner, Rachelle; Wagner, Meg (June 18, 2015). "Dylann Storm Roof bragged about plans to 'kill a bunch of people' week before Charleston church shooting". The New York Daily News. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  49. "Charleston Shooting: A Closer Look at Alleged Gunman Dylann Roof". Yahoo! News. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  50. Weiss, Mitch; Biesecker, Michael (June 20, 2015). "Man accused of church killings spoke of attacking college". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved June 20, 2015. Alt URL
  51. Krol, Charlotte (June 20, 2015). "Dylann Roof's friend: Charleston church 'wasn't primary target'". The Telegraph. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  52. "Dylann Roof's friend: 'He never said anything racist'". BBC News. June 20, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  53. Payne, Ed; Botelho, Greg (June 19, 2015). "Charleston church shooting: Suspect confesses, says he sought race war". CNN. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  54. Borden, Jeremy; Horwitz, Sari; Markon, Jerry (June 19, 2015). "Officials: Suspect in church slayings unrepentant amid outcry over racial hatred". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  55. Berman, Mark (August 23, 2016). "Prosecutors say Dylann Roof 'self-radicalized' online, wrote another manifesto in jail". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  56. Kinnard, Meg (August 23, 2016). "Feds: Church shooting suspect entrenched in his beliefs". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  57. Robles, Francis (June 20, 2015). "Dylann Storm Roof Photos Found on Website". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  58. Bernstein, Lenny; Horwitz, Sari (June 20, 2015). "Charleston shooting suspect left racist manifesto on Web site, authorities say". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  59. Lewis, Paul; Holpuch, Amanda; Glenza, Jessica (June 21, 2015). "Dylann Roof: FBI probes manifesto and website linked to Charleston suspect". The Guardian. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  60. Tucker, Neely; Holley, Peter (July 1, 2015). "Dylann Roof's eerie tour of American slavery at its beginning, middle and end". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  61. Roof, Dylann Storm (2015). rtf88.txt, lastrhodesian.com. Archived from the original, viewed July 30, 2020
  62. Buncombe, Andrew (June 29, 2015). "Dylan Roof: Experts believe Charleston shooting suspect was author of racist manifesto and 'self-radicalised' online". The Independent. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  63. Alexander, Harriet (June 22, 2015). "Republican candidates accepted donations from man whose organisation inspired Dylann Roof". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  64. Yglesias, Matthew (June 20, 2015). "Charleston Shooter Dylann Roof's apparent manifesto surfaces". Vox.com. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  65. Thielman, Sam (June 28, 2015). "White supremacist calls Charleston 'a preview of coming attractions'". The Guardian. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  66. Alsup, Dave; Ansari, Azadeh (August 23, 2016). "Dylann Roof case: New court documents reveal more details, feds say". CNN. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  67. Knapp, Andrew (August 23, 2016). "Feds: 'Self-radicalized' before attack, Dylann Roof penned another manifesto in jail". The Post and Courier. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  68. Pestano, Andrew V. (August 23, 2016). "Dylann Roof wrote racist manifesto in jail after Charleston church shooting". UPI. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  69. "Charleston church massacre: Dylann Roof's gun bought at local store". MSNBC. June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  70. Nakashima, Ellen (July 10, 2015). "FBI: Breakdown in background check system allowed Dylann Roof to buy gun". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  71. "No. 18–1931" (PDF).
  72. Schmidt, Michael S. (July 3, 2015). "Charleston Suspect Was In Touch With Supremacists, Officials Say". The New York Times. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  73. Monk, John (July 2, 2015). "EXCLUSIVE: Charges possible against church shooter's associates". The State. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  74. Thompson, Catherine (June 22, 2015). "Group That May Have Influenced Charleston Killer: He Had Some 'Legitimate Grievances'". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  75. Lee, Kurtis (June 22, 2015). "Dylann Roof's manifesto resembles comments on neo-Nazi website, analysis finds". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  76. Siegel, Jacob (June 22, 2015). "Dylann Roof, 4chan, and the New Online Racism". The Daily Beast. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  77. Pearce, Matt (June 24, 2015). "What happens when a millennial goes fascist? He starts up a neo-Nazi site". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  78. Murdock, Sebastian; Mathias, Christopher (July 24, 2020). "Exclusive: Leader Of Dylann Roof-Worshipping Neo-Nazi Group Exposed". HuffPost. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  79. "Everything We Know About the Charleston Shooting". TIME. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  80. "Charleston church shooting suspect Dylann Roof in custody in NC". WIS. WorldNow and WISTV. June 18, 2015. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  81. "Shooting suspect in custody after Charleston church massacre". CNN. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  82. Safi, Michael (June 18, 2015). "Charleston shooting: florist Debbie Dills hailed a hero after tailing suspect's car". The Guardian. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  83. Cush, Andy (June 18, 2015). "Dylann Roof's car, like S.C. Statehouse, flies a Confederate Flag". Gawker. Archived from the original on June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  84. "Tip from Kings Mountain florists led to Charleston shooting suspect's arrest". Shelby Star. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  85. Jeremy Borden (June 18, 2015). "For accused killer Dylann Roof, a life that had quietly drifted off track". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  86. Dunn, Andrew; Washburn, Mark; Gordon, Michael (June 19, 2015). "Shelby police chief describes arrest of Charleston shooting suspect". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  87. Horowitz, Jason; Corasaniti, Nick; Pérez-Peña, Richard (June 18, 2015). "Church Shooting Suspect Dylann Roof Is Brought Back to Charleston". The New York Times. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  88. "Charleston shooting suspect Dylann Roof due in court in Charleston Friday". WHNS. June 18, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  89. Margolin, Josh; Shapiro, Emily (June 19, 2015). "Dylann Roof's Father Called Cops After Seeing Suspect's Photos, Warrant Says". ABC News. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  90. Sickles, Jason (June 19, 2015). "Dylann Roof and Michael Slager are cellblock neighbors in Charleston County jail". Yahoo! News. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  91. Martinez, Michael (April 8, 2015). "South Carolina cop shoots unarmed man: A timeline". CNN. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  92. Kozlowska, Hanna. "Dylann Roof is the first person in modern US history to face both a federal and state death penalty". Quartz.
  93. Dearden, Lizzie; Guion, Payton (June 19, 2015). "Charleston shooting: From 'liking a woman who dated a black man' to a 'fan of white power music' – insight into Dylann Roof's life emerges". The Independent. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  94. Arkin, Daniel (June 19, 2015). "Dylann Roof 'Almost Didn't Go Through' With Charleston Church Shooting". NBC News. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  95. Berman, Mark (June 19, 2015). "'I forgive you.' Relatives of Charleston church shooting victims address Dylann Roof". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  96. "S.C. governor calls for death penalty in church shooting". The Boston Globe. June 19, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
  97. Paddock, Barry; Shapiro, Rich (June 19, 2015). "S.C. judge urges support for accused murderer Dylann Roof's family in bizarre court speech". The New York Daily News. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  98. Neuman, Scott (June 19, 2015). "$1 Million Bond For Charleston Church Shooting Suspect". NPR.
  99. Kinnard, Meg (July 7, 2015). "New charges in Charleston church shooting: Attempted murder". Yahoo! News. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  100. Chan, Melissa (July 14, 2015). "Dylann Roof in alleged jail letter to fan of serial killers: 'My health and spirit are doing fine'". The New York Daily News. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  101. "Seven groups expected to pose arguments on gag order in Dylann Roof case". The Post and Courier. July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  102. "Portions of gag order in Dylann Roof case lifted". The Post and Courier. October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  103. Smith, Bruce (July 16, 2015). "Judge Sets Trial for Suspect in Charleston Church Shooting". ABC News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  104. Phillip, Abby (July 16, 2015). "Dylann Roof trial date set for Charleston church shooting". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  105. "Charleston shooting suspect ordered to provide handwriting samples". CBS News. July 20, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  106. Smith, Bruce (July 20, 2015). "Dylann Roof to Provide Handwriting Samples". WLTX. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  107. Kinnard, Meg; Collins, Jeffrey (September 3, 2015). "Prosecutor: Church shooting suspect to face death penalty". Yahoo! News. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  108. McLeod, Harriet (September 16, 2015). "Accused gunman in Charleston church shooting proposes guilty plea". Yahoo! News. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
  109. Chuck, Elizabeth (June 20, 2015). "Judge Who Presided Over Dylann Roof Bond Hearing Was Reprimanded for Racial Slur". NBC News. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  110. Stevens, Matthew (January 27, 2016). "In South Carolina, Jury Selection To Begin In Church Shooting Trial". WACH. Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  111. Andrew V. Pestano, South Carolina jury selection for Dylann Roof trial postponed, UPI (November 7, 2016).
  112. "Judge Delays Trial Against Charleston Church Shooter Dylann Roof Until January". NBC News. Associated Press. April 13, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  113. "The Latest: Roof mused about adoption, Hitler's canonization". The Washington Post. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  114. "Dylann Roof's state trial delayed indefinitely as federal trial continues". ABC News 4. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  115. Jennifer Berry Hawes; Glenn Smith (March 30, 2017). "Dylann Roof to plead guilty to state murder charges, avoid second death penalty trial". The Post and Courier.
  119. Monk, John (June 9, 2016). "Accused Charleston killer Dylann Roof gambles, wants lone judge". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  120. "Judge denies bench trial for Charleston shooting suspect Dylann Roof". Fox News. Associated Press. June 13, 2016.
  121. McBride, Brian (August 2, 2016). "Dylann Roof's Lawyers File Challenge to Death Penalty, Say It's Unconstitutional". Yahoo! GMA. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
  122. Monk, John (August 31, 2016). "US Judge Gergel orders rare secret hearing on potentially explosive evidence in Dylann Roof case". The State. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  123. Ortiz, Erik (September 6, 2016). "Dylann Roof, Accused Church Shooter, Should Not Ask Jury for Mercy: Feds". NBC News. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  124. "Prosecutors want to use timeline exhibit in guilt phase of Dylann Roof's federal trial". WACH. September 7, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  125. Monk, John (September 26, 2016). "Roof jury selection under way in federal death penalty trial". The State. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  126. Johnson, Alex (September 26, 2016). "Charleston Church Shooting: Jury Selection Begins in Dylann Roof Federal Trial". NBC News. Retrieved October 1, 2016.
  127. Knapp, Andrew (September 6, 2016). "3 federal courtrooms dedicated to Dylann Roof trial in Charleston". The Post and Courier. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  128. Sack, Kevin (November 8, 2016). "Charleston Judge Orders Competency Evaluation of Dylann Roof". The New York Times. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  129. "Dylann Roof case: Jury selection postponed over competency issue". CNN. November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.
  130. Tyson, Sam (November 15, 2016). "Competency hearing for Dylann Roof delayed until Nov. 17". abcnews4. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  131. "Judge Delays Dylann Roof Competency Hearing for a Day". The New York Times. November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  132. "Judge delays Dylann Roof competency hearing for a day". YAHOO! NEWS. November 15, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  133. Tyson, Sam (November 16, 2016). "Dylann Roof's competency hearing pushed back to week of Thanksgiving". abcnews4. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  134. "Judge orders Dylann Roof competency hearing closed to media". The Washington Post. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  135. "Judge closes Dylann Roof competency hearing to the public". YAHOO! NEWS. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  136. "Church suspect competency hearing wraps up with no decision". The Washington Post. November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  137. "Dylann Roof Competency Hearing Wraps Up". ABC Columbia. November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  138. "Charleston shooter, Dylann Roof, declared competent to stand trial". WCNC. November 25, 2016. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  139. "Dylann Roof represents self in Charleston murder trial". CNN. November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  140. "Judge grants Dylann Roof's 'unwise' request to represent himself in church shooting trial". Chicago Tribune. November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  141. "Charleston massacre accused Dylann Roof to defend himself". BBC News. November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  142. Sack, Kevin (November 28, 2016). "Dylann Roof to Represent Himself at Trial in Charleston Church Shootings". The New York Times. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  143. "Dylann Roof Wants His Lawyers Back to Begin Trial". The New York Times. December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  144. "Dylann Roof: accused Charleston church gunman asks for defense team back". The Guardian. December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  145. "Dylann Roof to judge: Let lawyers back on death penalty case". Los Angeles Times. December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  146. "Dylann Roof to judge: Let lawyers back on S.C. church death penalty case". Chicago Tribune. December 4, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  147. "Judge Allows Dylann Roof to Hire Back His Lawyers for Guilt Phase of Trial". NBC News. December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  148. "Accused Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof allowed to hire lawyers back, for now". Los Angeles Times. December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
  149. Johnson, Alex (December 6, 2016). "Judge Denies Motion to Delay Charleston Church Shooting Suspect Dylann Roof's Trial Over Slager Outrage". NBC News. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  150. Sack, Kevin; Blinder, Alan (December 7, 2016). "Heart-Rending Testimony as Dylann Roof Trial Opens". The New York Times. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  151. Lydia O'Neal (December 7, 2016). "Dylann Roof Trial Update: 6 Things To Know, Plus Jury Breakdown Ahead Of Hate Crime Case". International Business Times. Retrieved January 11, 2017. Upon the selection Tuesday of a jury consisting of two black women, eight white women, one white man and one black man, the federal trial has begun for Charleston shooter Dylann Roof.
  152. "Dylann Roof's confession shown to jury at Charleston church shooting trial". CBS News. Associated Press. December 9, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  154. "Church shooter Dylann Roof says he won't call witnesses, give evidence to spare life". Fox News. December 28, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  155. Alan Blinder, Dylann Roof, Charleston Church Killer, Is Deemed Competent for Sentencing, New York Times (January 3, 2017).
  156. Tonya Maxwell, New competency hearing slated for Charleston church shooter, Asheville Citizen-Times (December 30, 2016).
  157. Shah, Khushbu (January 10, 2017). "Dylann Roof jury: Death penalty for Charleston church shooter". Retrieved January 10, 2017.
  158. Sack, Kevin; Blinder, Alan (January 11, 2017). "Anguish, Rage and Mercy as Dylann Roof Is Sentenced to Death". nytimes.com. New York Times. p. A version of this article appears in print on January 12, 2017, on Page A14 of the New York edition with the headline: Anguish, Mercy and Defiance at Roof’s Sentencing. Retrieved January 26, 2017. At the close of the nearly five-hour hearing, Judge Richard M. Gergel of Federal District Court formally sentenced Mr. Roof, 22, to death, in accordance with the verdict that a jury quickly delivered on Tuesday. Although they were not required to do so, most of the jurors who heard the case attended Wednesday’s proceedings.
  159. Byrd, Caitlin (April 22, 2017). "Dylann Roof is now on federal death row in Indiana". The Post and Courier. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  160. United States v. Roof, 2:15-472-RMG (D.S.C. May 10, 2017), Docket Number 961 – Ruling denying bid for new Roof trial.
  161. Jennifer Berry Hawes & Glenn Smith, Newly released documents say Dylann Roof saw his reputation — not his crimes — as 'the most important issue', Post & Courier (May 10, 2017).
  162. John Monk & Cynthia Roldán, Dylann Roof's attorneys suspected he had autism, said he had 'blushing attacks', The State (May 10, 2017).
  163. Drew Tripp, Dylann Roof likely has autism, but preferred death over that label, court records show, WCIV (May 10, 2017).
  164. Coleman, Justine (January 29, 2020). "Dylann Roof appeals conviction, death sentence in South Carolina church shooting". The Hill. Washington, D.C. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  165. Lavoie, Denise (January 29, 2020). "White supremacist Dylann Roof appeals death penalty in church massacre". Fox News. Associated Press. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  166. Hecker, Caroline (January 29, 2020). "Appeal: Dylann Roof hid mental illness from court during capital trial". WIS-TV. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  167. Trotta, Daniel (January 29, 2020). "Dylann Roof appeals death sentence for massacre at South Carolina black church". Reuters. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  168. Visser, Steve (August 4, 2016). "Accused Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof beaten in jail". CNN. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  169. Jackson, Angie; Boughton, Melissa (August 4, 2016). "Sheriff's Office cites officer complacency". Charleston Post Courier. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  170. Smith, Bruce (August 4, 2016). "Sheriff: Jail inmate slugs man charged in church massacre". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  171. Stanglin, Doug (August 4, 2016). "Dylann Roof attacked next to jail shower". USA Today. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  172. Waters, Dustin (August 4, 2016). "Dylann Roof assaulted by fellow inmate". Charleston City Paper. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  173. Scruggs, Danielle (August 7, 2016). "Man who allegedly assaulted Dylann Roof released on $100,000 bond". FOX 2 Now. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  174. "Man accused of attacking alleged Charleston church shooter out on bond". CBS News. Associated Press. August 6, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  175. Ray Rivera (August 6, 2016). "Report: Inmate who assaulted Dylann Roof out on bond". Live 5 News.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.