Prosecutors to Seek Death Penalty for Charleston Church Gunman

The prosecution team against Dylann Roof, the man accused of killing nine black churchgoers in Charleston, announced today that they will be pursuing the death penalty against him.

CBS reported that with the court papers filed on Thursday, the legal team decided to go for capital punishment on the grounds that Roof killed more than two people at the church, while also endangering those who survived his rampage. The prosecution intends to present evidence that includes Roof’s ties to various racist paraphernalia, his conduct and criminal record, and what has been described as an “apparent lack of remorse” for the murders.

Roof has previously been charged with nine counts of murder, as well as federal charges for hate crimes and obstructing religious practice. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has said the federal charges were necessary to establish the prosecutor’s suspicions of racist motives, which also render him eligible for the death penalty.

It has not yet been determined whether federal prosecutors will follow the South Carolina prosecution’s pursuit of execution.

[h/t NY Daily News]
[image via screengrab]

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