{"id":17358,"date":"2016-12-16T05:06:37","date_gmt":"2016-12-16T05:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=17358"},"modified":"2016-12-16T05:16:02","modified_gmt":"2016-12-16T05:16:02","slug":"dylann-roof-found-guilty-on-all-counts-in-charleston-church-massacre-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/news\/dylann-roof-found-guilty-on-all-counts-in-charleston-church-massacre-trial.html","title":{"rendered":"Dylann Roof found guilty on all counts in Charleston church massacre trial"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dylann Roof found guilty on all counts in Charleston church massacre trial<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Dylann Roof found guilty on all counts in Charleston church massacre trial:-<\/strong> After nearly a week of painful testimony that vividly re-created the massacre at this city\u2019s famed Mother Emanuel church, it took jurors about two hours Thursday to convict Dylann Roof in his federal hate crimes trial.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roof was charged with 33 counts in his federal indictment. He was found guilty on every single one. Family members of the nine parishioners gunned down last year nodded silently as each charge was read aloud. Some held hands, their eyes shut tightly, as each guilty verdict was announced in the courtroom just a mile from the church.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Roof\u2019s guilt effectively unquestioned, this verdict was seen as likely, and the trial largely hinged on what happens next. Mirroring what happened during the Boston Marathon bombing trial last year \u2014 the last case that saw the Justice Department obtain a rare federal death sentence \u2014 there was no real question about guilt. Prosecutors played video footage of Roof admitting his guilt to FBI agents, and Roof\u2019s attorneys did not argue that he was innocent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, the larger question surrounding the trial has focused on the next portion of the case, which will deal with whether Roof is sentenced to death or life in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n

This sentencing phase is set to begin next month, and it remains far less clear what will happen there, as Roof said Thursday he still intends to represent himself. Federal death sentences are rare, but the government has opted to seek one in this case, even though this decision has caused some unease among relatives of the victims. It is also unclear when and if the government would be able to carry out such a sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel on Thursday dismissed the jurors until the next phase of the trial begins on Jan. 3.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\u2018Evil, evil, evil as can be\u2019: Emotional testimony as Dylann Roof trial begins]<\/span><\/p>\n

Federal prosecutors had used their emotional closing arguments earlier Thursday to paint a picture of Roof, the 22-year-old who confessed to the shootings, as cruel and calculated. Earlier on Thursday, they read lines from a journal found in his car and the manifesto he posted online, and they told jurors that Roof wanted to incite a race war.<\/span><\/p>\n

After being welcomed into Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church\u2019s bible study in June 2015, Roof sat among the parishioners and then \u201cexecuted them because he believes they are nothing but animals,\u201d Nathan Williams, an assistant U.S. attorney, told jurors.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sanders asked how she thinks Rev. Pinckney would feel after #RoofTrial<\/a> verdict: "He would feel the same way all of us feel, 'yes, yes.'"<\/p>\n

— Caitlin Byrd (@MaryCaitlinByrd) December 15, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n