Summary: A federal judge on Monday granted Dylann Roof's motion to represent himself, and Roof is being permitted to object if he feels potential jurors are not fit to serve on the jury deciding his fate. Roof, who is accused of killing nine people at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in June 2015, was deemed competent to stand trial last week. The process of selecting a jury of Roof's peers resumed Monday. Federal court officials said 20 jurors were questioned during the deliberation, seven of those were found to be qualified and 13 jurors were excused. The court will continue questioning jurors until 70 qualified jurors are identified. At least one possible juror was asked if a person should face the death penalty for taking another life. The judge eliminated one juror who answered the question by saying the punishment should fit the crime. Prosecutors and Roof agreed to the judge's move. Another juror was pressed on the matter after saying in her questionnaire, "I'm Catholic, and I'm not sure I could decide on the death penalty." She told the judge during Monday's hearing that she had not followed the case so it was difficult for her to say what she would do theoretically. It would depend on "the facts on hand," she said, before concluding she could not impose capital punishment.
Synthesis: This trail could synthesize to the John Peter Zenger Trial in 1735, not because the crimes are similar, but that they are both important decisions in US history regarding our country's safety and independence.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/28/us/dylann-roof-to-represent-self-charleston-trial/index.html
No comments:
Post a Comment