Dylann Roof, accused of the racially motivated massacre past year at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church, was attacked and beaten Thursday by another inmate in a SC jail, authorities said.
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Roof, charged with murder in the deaths of nine people at Mother Emanuel AME church in June 2015, is being held in solitary confinement at the Charleston County Detention Center.
Officials say Roof was taking a shower Thursday morning when he was struck in the face and body by Dwayne Stafford, a fellow inmate.
Dylann Roof, 22, was outside of his cell at the North Charleston jail where he is detained when the assault occurred, Charleston County Sheriff’s Major Eric Watson said in a phone interview.
This was the jail’s first incident with Roof, he said.
Stafford, in jail for strong armed robbery and assault, left his cell and ran down the stairs to get to Roof, according to an incident report. Officials also are looking into the possibility of an electronic malfunction, Cannon said.
Charleston County Sheriff’s Maj.
Officials said earlier that 26-year-old Dwayne Stafford would face assault charges. Prosecutors have said Roof was trying to make his way to Nashville, Tennessee, after the shootings.
Roof, who is now awaiting trial on death penalty charges related to the church murders, is supposed to be held in solitary confinement, away from any other prisoners.
Roof is charged with 33 federal offenses, including hate-crime charges for allegedly targeting his victims on the basis of their race and religion.
He is set to begin trial in January 2017.
His state and federal attorneys have said he is willing to plead guilty in exchange for a life sentence.
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Roof’s attorneys in the federal case have asked a judge to declare the federal death penalty unconstitutional which they said would clear the way for Roof to plead guilty.
