Dylann Roof was responsible for the death of nine people in a massacre at a black church in 2015 in South Carolina. The young self-proclaimed white supremacist was sentenced to death for the crime. He faced 33 charges and represented himself in court.
The crime
Roof opened fire in the African Methodist Episcopal Church Mother Emanuel on the night of June 2015. Nine people died including the pastor of the Church, in action that was considered a hate crime against blacks. He was arrested the next day in South Carolina.
The trial
During the final phase of the trial, Roof decided to represent himself in court.
He was found guilty for the 33 charges against him, among them a hate crime. In his defense, Roof said that hate sense against him by the victim's families, people in general, and the Attorney is similar to the feeling that he had to with the faithful of the Church. And he added that his attitude was a natural impulse.
"I believe we can say that nobody in their right mind wants to go to a church to kill people. What I mean is that anyone who hates someone has a good reason to do this." he said. He also mentioned that he has the right to ask you for a life sentence, "but I don't know how it would serve out. Only one of you needs to be at odds with the rest of the jury."
The defendant said in a confession written after his arrest, that the attack was a reprisal for the alleged crimes committed by blacks against whites.
"Someone had to do it because, you know, blacks are killing whites all the time on the street and are raping white women." said Roof to the FBI officer interrogated him.
Three people survived the massacre in the Church that was the symbol of the black struggle against slavery.
"He killed them because he believed they were not more than animals," said the Assistant District Attorney, Nathan Williams, in his closing arguments, this Thursday in a federal court in Charleston. "Your actions in the Church are the reflection of the immensity of his hatred".
In the final statement of his argument Roof said: "I still feel like I had to do it".
