JUSTICE

Dylann Roof Found Competent for Sentencing

To represent himself in front of the same jury that unanimously found him guilty.

A judge ruled Monday that convicted mass murderer Dylann Roof is competent to represent himself in the sentencing phase of his trial in Charleston, and he will on Wednesday stand in front of the same jury that unanimously convicted him of 33 charges related to the killing of nine black churchgoers at Emanuel AME. The 22-year-old has said he does not plan to present any evidence or call any witnesses in his defense. Prosecutors plan to present 38 witnesses related to the June 2015 massacre. After Roof’s standby counsel questioned his mental ability in another sealed motion, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel ordered a second competency evaluation last week. The transcript and content of the competency hearing have been sealed by Gergel. Roof said last week: “I know this is not a legal argument, but the unsealing of the competency hearing defeats the purpose of me representing myself.” The judge promised to release a transcript after Roof is sentenced. “This is an incredibly sensitive moment in this proceeding,” he said. “We are putting in the hands of 12 people the life and death of a person.”