CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - The Latest on the trial of Dylann Roof, the white man accused of fatally shooting nine black parishioners at a Charleston, South Carolina, church (all times local):
4:50 p.m.
More than two dozen potential jurors have been qualified in the trial of a white man accused of fatally shooting nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church.
Twenty potential jurors were picked Tuesday for the federal death penalty trial of Dylann Roof, who faces dozens of charges related to the June 2015 attack at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. Seven were qualified on Monday. More than two-dozen more will be called to court on Wednesday.
A judge on Monday approved Roof’s request he be allowed to act as his own lawyer. Roof’s defense team is still advising him, and he consulted with them throughout Tuesday’s hearing. He made several suggestions to the judge and asked him to make inquiries to several jurors.
Once 70 potential jurors have been qualified, that pool will be whittled down to 12 jurors and six alternates.
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12:15 p.m.
Ten more potential jurors have been qualified in the trial of a white man accused of fatally shooting nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church.
The process started Monday in the federal death penalty trial of Dylann Roof, who faces dozens of charges related to the June 2015 attack at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.
Juror qualification initially began Nov. 7 but was halted after Roof’s lawyers requested a competency hearing, which was closed to media and the press. The judge deemed Roof was competent, and qualification began anew Monday.
Many of those questioned say they’re aware of the hearing but said that knowledge wouldn’t sway them as jurors.
Once 70 potential jurors have been qualified, that pool will be whittled down to 12 jurors and six alternates.
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11:45 a.m.
Many potential jurors for the trial of a white man accused of fatally shooting nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church say they’ve heard about the defendant’s competency hearing.
U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel is questioning prospective jurors one by one for the federal death penalty trial of Dylann Roof. He faces dozens of charges stemming from the June 2015 attack at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston.
Many of those questioned so far Tuesday say they’re aware that a hearing was held to determine Roof’s competency to stand trial.
Juror qualification initially began Nov. 7 but was called off after Roof’s lawyers requested a competency hearing, which was closed to media and the press. The judge deemed Roof was competent, and qualification began anew on Monday.
Once 70 potential jurors have been qualified, that pool will be whittled down to 12 jurors and six alternates.
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10 a.m.
A federal judge has made clear he wants to hear directly from the white man representing himself in the fatal shooting of nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church.
U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel said Tuesday he wants Dylann Roof to address him directly in court, not via his standby counsel.
The judge on Monday approved Roof’s request to act as his own lawyer while keeping his defense team ready to advise him.
Capital defense expert David Bruck said he wants to act on Roof’s behalf at times, particularly when dealing with prosecutors’ motions.
But the judge said that might enable Roof to complain on appeal that the lawyers he fired had done too much.
The exchange came before Gergel began questioning two dozen more prospective jurors.
Roof faces the death penalty if convicted of dozens of charges in the June 2015 attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.
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4 a.m.
The slow process of picking a jury for the federal death penalty trial of the white man accused of fatally shooting nine black parishioners at a South Carolina church continues with the defendant now in charge of his own defense.
A judge on Monday ruled that Dylann Roof could represent himself during the trial, which is expected to last into next year.
Roof faces dozens of charges including hate crimes and obstruction of religion in connection with the shooting. Police say Roof hurled racist insults at the six women and three men he’s accused of killing and the three people he left alive in the June 2015 attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.
So far, seven people have been qualified to possibly serve on the jury.
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