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Dylann Roof Addresses Court During Sentencing, Denies Claims That He Is Mentally Incompetent

By Jennifer Deutschmann
Published on: 05:08 PST, Jan 5, 2017

Dylann Roof addressed the court for the first time during a sentencing hearing on Wednesday. Although he appeared timid while reading his statement, the message was crystal clear. The convicted killer denied his attorneys claims that he is, or ever was, mentally incompetent.

On December 15, 2016, the 22-year-old man was convicted of 33 criminal counts associated with the June 2015 Charleston church massacre. Although he could be sentenced to death, the law provides defendants with an opportunity to plead for a lesser sentence.

During the federal trial, Dylann Roof’s court-appointed attorneys petitioned to have their client declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. Despite the fact that their petition was denied, they requested another competency hearing prior to the sentencing phase.

On January 3, 2017, Judge Gergel denied the attorneys petition and the sentencing phase of the trial proceeded as planned. However, as reported by CNN, Dylann Roof insisted on personally addressing the court to reiterate the fact that he is not, in fact, mentally ill.

“My lawyers forced me to go through two mental competency hearings… I am not going to lie to you. Other than the fact that I trusted people I shouldn’t have… There’s nothing wrong with me psychologically. Anything you heard from my lawyers… I ask you to forget it.”

In addition to hearing the statement from Dylann Roof, the court heard impact statements from people who lost loved ones in the devastating attack.

On the evening of June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof attended a Bible study group at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. At approximately 9:05 p.m., which was one hour after the meeting began, the then-21-year-old inexplicably pulled out a gun and opened fire.

The victims were later identified Pastor Clementa Pickney, 41, Pastor Daniel Simmons, 74, Pastor Depayne Middleton, 49, Pastor Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45, Cynthia Graham, 54, Susie Jackson, 87, Ethel Lance, 70, Tywanza Sanders, 26, and Myra Thompson, 59. Although a 10th victim was injured, but ultimately survived, their name was never released.

As reported by CBS News, the sole suspect in the massacre, who was identified by authorities as Dylann Roof, was arrested the next morning at a traffic stop.

Following his arrest, Dylann openly confessed to shooting the attendees of the Bible study group. He also admitted that the massacre was racially motivated.

“This was an attack on a race of people and an attack on the Christian church and an attack on humanity… I had to do it because somebody had to. Blacks are raping and killing white people on the streets every day… What I did is still minuscule to what they’re doing to white people every day.”

During his confession, which lasted more than two hours, Dylann Roof also revealed he planned to shoot himself after committing the heinous crime. However, he “changed his mind” and decided to flee the scene.

Dylann estimated he killed five people during the Charleston church massacre and appeared to be stunned that he actually killed nine people and injured one other. Although he said it made him “feel bad” to know he took so many lives, prosecutors later argued that Roof did not express any remorse.

In addition to the federal convictions, Dylann Roof is facing even more charges, which were filed by the state. If convicted, he could also be sentenced to death under South Carolina law.

Although he was not expected to speak on his own behalf, Dylann Roof made a point to inform the court that he is not, and never has been, mentally incompetent. He insists he planned and executed the massacre due to his own personal prejudices and that he was not influenced by any mental illness.

[Featured Image by Charleston County Sheriff’s Office/File/AP Images]

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