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Racist Church Shooter 'Competent' to Be His Own Lawyer

CBN

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The Charleston church shooter Dylan Roof has been declared competent to be his own lawyer at his sentencing hearing.

Roof murdered nine black people at a Bible study at Emanuel AME Church in 2015.

He will face the same jury that found him guilty of 33 federal charges.

On Wednesday the jury will determine if he should be sentenced to death or get life in prison.

Roof will act as his own lawyer, but cannot approach witnesses or the jury. He will also be sitting in a chair farthest from the jury and victims' family members.

The 22-year-old plans to provide no evidence and call no witnesses. Prosecutors plan to call up to 38 people related to the nine people killed and three who survived the June 2015 slaughter.

Roof will also face nine murder charges in state court, where prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty in a trial likely to begin later this year.

Whether he's sentenced to death or not, it's unlikely Roof would be executed anytime soon, in either jurisdiction. The federal government hasn't executed anyone since 2003, and there are years of appeals between a death sentence being levied and carried out.

South Carolina's death chamber hasn't been used since 2011, due at least in part to a lack of availability for the drugs the state uses for lethal injection.

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