Attorneys for white supremacist mass assassin Dylann Roof are nonetheless working at overturning the killer’s dying sentence, which, after all, is extra of an opportunity than Roof gave the 9 Black folks he shot and killed at Mom Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, on June 17, 2015.
For the reason that day of that tragic, mindless and horrifically racist killing, Roof’s bids to vacate his dying sentence have been rejected by the U.S. Fourth Circuit Courtroom of Appeals in 2021 and the U.S. Supreme Courtroom in 2022. Then, in 2024, Roof was one in every of three federal dying row inmates who have been excluded from having their sentences commuted by then President Joe Biden as one in every of Biden’s final acts in workplace.
It’s unclear what Roof’s authorized group expects to be completely different now that they’ve filed once more with the U.S. District Courtroom of South Carolina, however their case seems to be predicated on the argument that Roof shouldn’t have been allowed by a choose to symbolize himself “throughout jury choice and the sentencing part of his 2017 federal capital trial to dam proof that portrayed him as autistic,” ABC 4 reported. (As a result of precisely what we want proper now beneath the present White Home administration is extra stigmatizing of individuals with autism.)
From ABC 4:
Now, his present authorized group suggests his trial attorneys lied to him concerning the proof they sought to current within the case.
The newest submitting additionally claims Roof had a communication dysfunction that rendered him incompetent to symbolize himself. It was amid the sentencing part of the trial, Roof, representing himself, didn’t present any mitigating proof. His authorized counsel now posits that the motion violated his rights beneath the Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Amendments.
Roof’s authorized group additionally claims Choose Gergel was mistaken for permitting him to symbolize himself throughout proceedings, regardless of the choose expressing it was unwise for him to take action. Attorneys additionally attempt to paint Gergel as biased towards Roof, claiming the choose “had disdain” for the protection. Additionally they declare Gergel believed Roof ought to “be put to dying,” in accordance with authorized filings.
Look, don’t get me improper, judicial bias within the justice system must be challenged, but when you’ll find a choose that lacks “disdain” for a person who shot and killed 9 folks whereas they have been at church for no different discernible purpose than they have been Black, I is likely to be much more anxious about that choose’s functionality to ship justice, notably, to Black folks.
As for now, Roof remains to be being held on dying row at Terre Haute Federal Jail in Indiana. Hopefully, he’ll keep there, however, once more, beneath the present federal administration — the place civil protections and settlements for Black folks are being overturned on the day by day — who actually is aware of?
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GOP Rep Massive Mad At President Biden For Not Commuting Demise Sentences Of Dylann Roof, Others