Lawyers gag guilty plea
According to his lawyers, Roof wants to plead guilty to all the crimes he has been charged with, but they have advised him not to enter a plea until prosecutors inform the court on whether or not they’ll seek the death penalty.
Roof has told us he wishes to plead guilty. Until we know whether the government will seek the death penalty, we cannot advise Mr. Roof.
The Magistrate enters a not guilty plea for Roof.
Evidence request
Roof’s lawyers file motions in federal court seeking access to any statements their client has made to authorities, as well as physical evidence and summaries of any proposed expert witnesses expected to testify.
Charged with federal hate crimes
Roof is charged with 33 counts of hate crimes by a federal grand jury. The indictment says he targeted the victims on the basis of race, in a house of worship, “in order to make his attack more notorious”. Attorney General Lynch says the federal government has not decided if it will seek the death penalty if Roof is convicted and that officials will consider factors including the wishes of the families of the shooting victims. Lynch:
The parishioners had Bibles. Dylann Roof had his .45 caliber Glock pistol and eight magazines loaded with hollow point bullets.
Three attempted murder charges
South Carolina prosecutor files attempted murder charges against Roof. A state judge already has been appointed. Federal authorities have not said whether they will pursue hate crime charges against Roof.
Weapons charge bond set at $1m
Appearing on video link, Judge Gosnell sets Roof’s bail at $1 million for the weapon-possession charge. A superior court judge must set bail for the murder charges.
Relatives of the shooting victims also speak at the hearing, with the daughter of victim Ethel Lance sobbing as she says, “I forgive you.” The mother of Tywanza Sanders tells Roof that “every fiber in my body hurts.” “Their legacies will live in love, so hate won’t win,” says Alana Simmons, the granddaughter of Rev. Daniel Simmons.
Confesses, charged
Roof confesses that he is responsible for the shootings, and is charged with nine counts of murder and one count of illegal weapons possession. Roof tells police that he almost didn’t go through with the shootings because everyone was so nice to him, but he decided he had to “go through with his mission.” Roof’s cell at the detention facility is next to Michael Slager, the white South Carolina officer charged with murder for shooting Walter Scott, an unarmed black man.
Arrested
Police arrrest Roof in Shelby, North Carolina, almost 250 miles (400 km) – about three and a half hours’ drive – away from Charleston, when local police stop his car after a citizen called in about suspicious activity. Police say Roof was “cooperative” with the officer who stopped him.
Tresspassing arrest
Roof is arrested for tresspassing after showing up in the parking lot of the Columbiana Center Mall. His ban from the mall is extended to three years.
Drug arrest, banned from mall
Security guards at Columbiana Centre mall call police after Roof asks employees at a shoe store and a Bath & Body Works about how many people worked at the stores, their closing times and when the employees typically leave, according to an incident report. Roof tells the police that he was asking questions because his parents were pressuring him to get a job. The officer asks Roof is he had gotten any applications from the stores and he said he had not. When asked whether or not he has anything illegal in his possession, Roof says “no,” however a search reveals an unlabeled white bottle containing orange strips, which Roof identifies as Listerine Strips. The officer, however, does not believe him and asked again. Roof says the strips are actually Suboxone, a schedule III narcotic for which he does not have a prescription. According to the FDA, Suboxone contains the active ingredient, buprenorphine hydrochloride, which works to reduce the symptoms of opiate dependence. The officer arrested Roof and had his 2000 Hyundai Elantra towed. He is banned from the mall for a year.