U.S. judge rules South Carolina church gunman can act as own lawyer

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. | Mon Jan 2, 2017 | 6:55pm EST

U.S. judge rules South Carolina church gunman can act as own lawyer

By Harriet McLeod | CHARLESTON, S.C.

A U.S. judge on Monday ruled Dylann Roof was mentally fit to serve as his own lawyer in the penalty phase of his trial, when a jury will decide whether to sentence him to be executed for the 2015 massacre at a South Carolina church.

Roof, 22, an avowed white supremacist, was found guilty in December on all federal charges in the shooting deaths of nine black parishioners at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina in 2015.

The shooting where Roof had waited for members of a Bible study group to close their eyes in prayer before opening fire sent shockwaves across the United States.

The same jury that convicted him of 33 charges that included hate crimes resulting in death will meet on Wednesday for the penalty phase, where they will decide whether he should be executed.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel issued his ruling after hearing testimony from forensic psychiatrist James Ballenger, who examined Roof for five hours over the weekend.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-south-carolina-shooting-roof-idUSKBN14M0HT

[rug]

1. Assisted suicide.