Church-slayings suspect Dylann Roof wants to plead guilty in federal hate-crime case, lawyer says
Photo of Dylann Roof from the Berkeley County Government Twitter account.
Dylann Roof, the white suspect accused of gunning down nine parishioners at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, last month, wants to plead guilty to federal hate-crime and firearm charges, his counsel said at a Friday hearing.
However, “until we know whether the government will seek the death penalty, we cannot advise Mr. Roof,” lead counsel David Bruck told U.S. Magistrate Judge Bristow Marchant.
Marchant entered a temporary “not guilty” plea that can be changed at a later date, Reuters reports.
Prosecutors in a separate state-court murder case against Roof also have not said whether they will seek the death penalty, the Associated Press reports.
The Charleston Post and Courier also has a story.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Charleston shooting trial set for 2016; judge extends gag order despite media objections”
