Charleston Church Shooting Trial to Begin Next Week

The federal death penalty trial for a South Carolina man charged in the shooting death of nine black church members is scheduled to begin next week.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel has ruled that the 12 member jury will be selected next Wednesday for the case against Dylann Roof. 

Roof faces federal charges, including hate crimes for the June 2015 shooting rampage at Emanuel AME church.

Roof is representing himself in this federal trial and has previously offered to plead guilty if prosecutors drop the pursuit of the death penalty. 

His former defense team is staying on as legal advisers. 

Roof's attorneys filed a motion Thursday arguing that the court is hampering Roof's defense by not allowing them to play a larger role. 

"It should be apparent to everyone observing these one-sided proceedings that despite the defendant's best efforts, there is much being left unaddressed as jury selection proceeds," wrote the team, headed by capital defender David Bruck. 

"The Court's refusal to exercise the discretion granted it by the Supreme Court to provide the defendant reasonable, limited assistance from standby counsel is therefore thwarting rather than promoting justice."

Gergel has told Roof and his advisers that he wants Roof, not his legal team, to address the court.