South Carolina church massacre trial delayed as death penalty mulled

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

World | Tue Apr 5, 2016 3:11pm EDT

South Carolina church massacre trial delayed as death penalty mulled

CHARLESTON, S.C. | BY HARRIET MCLEOD

A judge on Tuesday granted U.S. prosecutors' request for trial delay as it considers whether to seek the death penalty for a white man accused of killing nine parishioners last summer at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina, in what prosecutors say was a hate crime.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel urged the federal government to make a decision soon on whether they would pursue the death penalty for Dylann Roof, 22, who plans to plead guilty if he will not be facing the possibility of execution. Gergel said he could set a trial date at some point in the interest of a speedy trial.

"There are victims here," Gergel said. "They have a right to put this behind them."

Roof, who faces 33 federal hate crime and firearms charges, is accused of opening fire during a June 17 Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in a crime that sparked a fierce social debate about race and gun control in the United States.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-south-carolina-shooting-idUSKCN0X22FS

[Yo_Mama]

1. I don't understand why this is still going on. It seems like the gov should

have made the decision one way or another. Usually it is the defense that tries to delay a case like this one.

[gratuitous]

2. The U.S. Attorney may want to pursue a death penalty case

But the surviving victims may not want to pursue the death penalty for Mr. Roof. At least, that's my guess, based on nothing more than a hunch.

[Yo_Mama]

3. Ah. Thank you! n/t

[rickford66]

4. SC hasn't hesitated to execute AA's

23 to 19 since 1976 per a quick Google.