#DylannRoof Federal Death Penalty Trial | Opening Statements

Posted on December 7, 2016 by SouthernGirl2

dylann-roof-trialThe judge in the Dylann Roof federal death penalty trial has denied a motion by attorneys to delay the trial.

Roof’s attorneys wanted to delay the trial because of the publicity surrounding the mistrial in a former police officer’s case. Roof’s lawyers filed the request Tuesday.

“The Court cannot respond to every breaking news story or development in the local court system by continuing a trial that has been scheduled since June 2016 or reopening comprehensive and completed voir dire,” US District Judge Richard Gergel stated Tuesday night.”The Court must maintain the orderly process of criminal trials.”

Jury selection is expected to start Wednesday in Charleston, where a mistrial was declared earlier this week for former North Charleston police officer Michael Slager.

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The motion states the Slager mistrial, “declared less than 48 hours before the scheduled start of the trial in this case, is highly likely to create undue pressure on the jury to compensate for the judicial system’s apparent failure to punish Mr. Slager by imposing a harsher punishment here.”

Attorneys cite recent news articles and interviews that mention the Roof trial seemingly right along side the Slager trial, adding, “With the widely-held view that justice has not been served in the Slager trial…we have grave doubt whether the defendant can receive a fair trial.”

An order also filed on Tuesday states U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel denied a defense motion to strike the jury panel that has already been qualified. In the order, Gergel states on the same day he granted a defense motion to allow Roof’s standby counsel to be reinstated as his attorneys, the defense team filed a motion to strike the panel and redo individual voir dire, or interviews for prospective jurors, Roof’s attorneys made the request, the order states, because they felt Roof should not have been able to represent himself during the voir dire process and “frequently ignored the advice of his experienced [standby] counsel.”

“The argument essentially repackages the same arguments defense counsel previously raised while acting as Defendant’s standby counsel that the Court rejected,” Gergel said. “The jury selection process in this case has been searching, thorough, and fair.”

Roof’s attorneys say if U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel goes forward, he at least needs to question the jury pool extensively about their opinions in the Slager case.

Race plays a central role in both cases. Slager, who is white, shot and killed a black driver who fled a traffic stop.

Roof is charged with killing nine people at an African-American church in June 2015.

About SouthernGirl2

A Native Texan who adores baby kittens, loves horses, rodeos, pomegranates, & collect Eagles. Enjoys politics, games shows, & dancing to all types of music. Loves discussing and learning about different cultures. A Phi Theta Kappa lifetime member with a passion for Social & Civil Justice.
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222 Responses to #DylannRoof Federal Death Penalty Trial | Opening Statements

  1. rikyrah says:
    December 7, 2016 at 7:15 pm

    I remember first hearing about this case. I could not wrap my mind around someone going into a church and killing 9 people. It was beyond comprehension.

    Reply
  7. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2016 at 5:19 pm

    I’ve had to block so many eggs trolls from following me since the Roof trial started. Nothing but sock puppet trolls. When they out themselves & they will…I’m going to block them too.

    Reply
  10. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2016 at 4:34 pm

    I don’t believe a jobless, 9th grade drop out carried out and funded this massacre by himself or with his birthday money. Nah Nah Nah! Who made the bomb threat? Defense said it had nothing to do with Dylann Roof. And police didn’t investigate? How can that be?

    Reply
  18. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2016 at 3:44 pm

    Did police ever find out who made the bomb threat?

    https://twitter.com/BBonTV/status/806611819443998727

    Reply
  33. yahtzeebutterfly says:
    December 7, 2016 at 2:58 pm

    Sending prayers and supportive thoughts to all of the loved ones on the Emanuel Nine.

    Reply
  38. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2016 at 2:32 pm

    I have family members and a young daughter who are devoted to attending Bible Study. My grandmother attended AME. My parents attended Baptist. My paternal grandpa (I never knew him) founded the AME church my maternal grandmother attended.

    Reply
  62. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2016 at 1:34 pm

    OMG! What? A victim can’t show emotion? Cry for her child? *tears

    https://twitter.com/KRBolster/status/806581698683092996

    Reply
    • eliihass says:
      December 7, 2016 at 2:13 pm

      Insane..

      These heartless racists even want to control the natural emotions and grief …and stop their victims relatives grieving for the loved ones they murdered..

      Reply
    • eliihass says:
      December 7, 2016 at 1:39 pm

      ‘You’re ‘raping’ our women…taking over *our* world’…

      Aren’t those the exact sentiments that powered Trump…the slowly being normalized and mainstreamed and media-justified posture and rankings of Richard Spencer, Steve Bannon and his people at Breitbart, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand and the racist murderer Ronald Gasser he tried to get off…and mainstream racists like Joe Scarborough et al..

      Reply
  128. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2016 at 11:17 am

    I believe with everything in me someone radicalized him. Where’d he get the money to fund the massacre? He had no job. A 9th grade drop out.

    Reply
  129. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2016 at 11:09 am

    I saw my dad take his last breath after a heart attack & the image stayed in my mind. So painful. I can’t imagine seeing these gruesome pics.

    https://twitter.com/CarterCoyleWCSC/status/806542070152384512

    Reply
  152. SouthernGirl2 says:
    December 7, 2016 at 10:17 am

    God help me deal with my emotions. Dylann Roof is a savage beast from the pit of hell.

    Reply

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