Summary: A white man charged with shooting nine black church goers in South Carolina asked a judge for his defense team back for the guilt phase of his death penalty trial. Death Penalty cases are split into the guilt phase, and a sentencing phase where it is decided whether the defendant will be put to death or spend life in prison, during this portion, Dylann Roof would represent himself. Roof faces dozens of charges, including hate crimes and obstruction of practice of religion. The three people who were left alive at the shooting said that he was screaming racial slurs during the shooting and left them alive so that they could tell the world that the killings were because he hated black people. This request is coming a week after a judge granted Roof’s “very unwise” request to represent himself. Roof’s former defense team remained as his legal advisers, but wanted to have a larger role because they feared that Roof would not present evidence that could violate the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
Analysis: Although the shooting happened in June 2015, the case of whether or not Roof will receive the death penalty is what is currently going on. I remember when this happened how horrified I was that someone could have it in their heart to think this way or commit such a horrible act as this. Now that it is being decided whether or not he will receive the death penalty, I feel like this is a reminder of what happened because it is coming up in the news again. I think what is going on right now brings with it the issue of racism, as well as the debate on the death penalty. Because Rood’s legal advisers said that they had information that may make it unconstitutional to give him the death penalty, I would hope that he would be able to get his defense team back. However, he should have to suffer in prison for his whole life for the disgusting, and horrifying murders that he committed.
link: dylann roof case
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