After a scheduling hearing at the J. Waites Waring Judicial Center in Charleston Tuesday afternoon, Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel announced jury selection in the trial of Dylann Storm Roof will begin on November 7.
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State prosecutors, meanwhile, said last September they would pursue the same punishment for Roof, who has 13 charges at that level. She said that she understands the desire of some victims’ families to forgive Roof but that it doesn’t eliminate the consequences of Roof’s actions.
Under the federal death penalty statute, a victim’s youth or old age can be an aggravating factor warranting a fatal sentence.
A federal judge says jurors will be picked this fall in the trial of a white man accused of killing nine members of a historic black Charleston, South Carolina, church.
The Post and Courier said the federal court is considering calling 1,200 to 1,500 potential jurors from across SC for Roof’s trial.
Setting a date for Roof’s federal trial had been delayed a number of times since previous year as the Justice Department weighed whether to seek the death penalty.
Federal charges in the case accuse Roof of driving to Charleston, sitting through a Wednesday night Bible study gathering, then shooting and killing nine parishioners. He attended the hearing on Tuesday. However, state officials may reschedule the second trial since it’s set for just a few weeks after the first.
The state trial is set to begin in January. Prosecutors in both jurisdictions are seeking the death penalty.
“The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision”, said U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch late Tuesday afternoon in a statement on the decision. That decision set the stage for the judge to set a trial date.
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The anniversary of the shooting at the church, which is often called Mother Emanuel, is next week. AP material published by LongIsland.com, is done so with explicit permission. This includes the preparation of derivative works of, or the incorporation of such content into other works. Please see our terms of service for more information.
