Dylann Roof Convicted

The jury in Dylann Roof’s federal trial deliberated less than 2 hours, and convicted him on all counts of hate crimes, obstruction of religion and weapons charges.

The panel of nine Whites people and three Blacks  will reconvene on January 3, 2017 to decide whether Roof is sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.

Minutes after the verdict was read, Roof told U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel he wanted to represent himself during the penalty phase.

Fox news reports;

The verdict came after days of emotional testimony from people who survived the shooting and witnessed the aftermath. During closing arguments earlier in the day, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Williams told jurors Roof waited until the Bible study group had its eyes closed for prayer before he opened fire.

Williams said Roof, who posed in photos with the Confederate flag that appeared in a racist manifesto, believed black people were animals and less than human when he violated the sanctuary of the church and killed nine people. “Those people couldn’t see the hatred in his heart any more than they could see the .45-caliber handgun and the eight magazines concealed around his waist.”

On December 8th, we posted on the trial with daily updates.

In the following video, criminal defense attorney John Burris speaks about the sentencing phrase and what Roof might argue in representing  himself.