No mistrial for Dylann Roof after church shooting survivor calls him 'evil'

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. | Thu Dec 8, 2016 | 1:47pm EST

No mistrial for Dylann Roof after church shooting survivor calls him 'evil'

By Harriet McLeod | CHARLESTON, S.C.

A federal judge on Thursday denied a mistrial for accused white South Carolina gunman Dylann Roof, who a day earlier was described as "evil" in testimony by a survivor of the deadly June 2015 attack on a historic black church.

Lawyers for Roof, 22, argued eyewitness Felicia Sanders had offered prejudicial and improper opinion about what penalty he should face.

During her testimony on Wednesday, the first day of Roof's trial, she called the defendant "evil, evil as can be" for appearing to sit innocently through a Bible study meeting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston before opening fire.

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On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel said he viewed Sanders' comments as a religious statement and not an opinion about sentencing. He refused to strike her testimony.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-south-carolina-shooting-roof-idUSKBN13X1ZY

[Lotusflower70]

1. Good vs. Evil

Can be interpreted as a religious statement but it is not exclusively a religious statement. Good vs. Evil goes beyond religion. I think it’s an premise that transcends religion.