The Trial of Dylann Roof

In June of 2015, Dylann Roof, twenty one at the time, stormed into an African Methodist church in the midst of a prayer service, pulled out a handgun, and shot nine people dead. Later, he admitted his crime was racially motivated, as he had been trying to “start a race war”. A friend has since quoted him as saying that “blacks were taking over the world”.

Roof was the owner of a Neo-Nazi website titled, “The Last Rhodesian”, containing a two thousand-word manifesto professing his supremacist ideals. There were two arrests on his record prior to the attack as well- for trespassing and misdemeanor drug use.

Roof is the first person in US history to have faced a death penalty in both state and federal court. He was indicted on thirty three federal charges, twenty four civil rights violations, and twelve counts of hate crime.

In July of 2015, he plead not guilty to these charges, and announced that he did not want to be tried by a jury. However, it was not until this past November that Roof was found psychologically fit to stand trial and self-represent, following a series of competency hearings. His federal trial began on the twenty eighth of December 2016.

In order to avoid the death penalty, Roof announced that he would not call any witnesses or present any evidence. He also iterated that he was not interested in proceeding his sentencing phase with the help of any attorneys.

Throughout the course of his trial, Roof has offered no apology nor has he shown any remorse for his crime. He has also remained insistent that he is perfectly sane, insanity being one of the few factors that could mitigate his sentence.

“I would like to make it crystal clear that I do not regret what I did. I am not sorry. I have not shed a tear for the innocent people I killed” he said.

Roof has also written in a court filing claiming it was “unfair” for prosecutors to allow victims such a lengthy testimony, due to the fact that he was not to present any evidence himself. He thinks this will ensure he is sentenced to death, that giving victims a chance to speak about what they have been through violates due process. Still, he refuses to show any emotion indicating regret or, at the very least, fear of the almost inevitable sentence.*   

    *As of January 10, 2017, Roof will face the death sentence. The verdict was decided after a mere three hours of deliberation by the jury. Judge Richard Gergel, who led the trial for its entire duration, called roughly twenty family members of victims to testify following the sentencing. Roof has maintained that he is perfectly sane and not remorseful for his actions. He also reminded the jury that if just one opposed the sentence, he would instead receive a life sentence.