SC - Nine killed in Emanuel AME Church shooting, Charleston; Dylann Roof charged #2

[0101ABA]

Court papers: Friend of accused Charleston shooter to plead guilty

A plea agreement signed by federal prosecutors today shows that 21-year-old Joey Meek has agreed to plead guilty to lying to authorities and failure to report a crime.

Authorities have said Meek failed to tell investigators all he knew about Dylann Roof's plans to shoot nine black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church last June.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/court-p...ton-church-shooter-to-plead-guilty-joey-meek/

 

[0101ABA]

A friend of the white man accused of fatally shooting nine black parishioners in Charleston last year pleaded guilty Friday to lying to federal authorities during their investigation. He also revealed that the suspect told him he planned to kill himself after the slayings, which he allegedly planned for months.

(...)

Meek signed a deal with prosecutors under which he agreed to plead guilty to lying to authorities and failure to report a crime. He could face up to eight years in prison when he's sentenced later, although prosecutors say they will argue he deserves less time if he's helpful in their ongoing case.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/friend-of-alleged-charleston-shooter-pleads-guilty/

 

[0101ABA]

Defense attorneys for Dylann Roof, the 22-year-old white man accused of killing nine black parishioners during a Bible study at Emanuel AME Church, say they will allow state prosecutors to conduct their own mental evaluation of Roof.

In a hearing last month, the solicitor's office asked to conduct its own mental evaluation of Roof to rebut or confirm the findings from a pair of evaluations performed by the defense team's experts.

The state trial, originally slated to begin in July, has been pushed back to January 2017 to allow the defense's experts to complete six months of further exams and reports on Roof's mental state.

http://wach.com/news/local/dylann-r...ation-pushes-back-on-witness-lists-05-13-2016

 

[starviego]

The state trial, originally slated to begin in July, has been pushed back to January 2017 to allow the defense's experts to complete six months of further exams and reports on Roof's mental state.

Six months for a psych eval? Seriously? What is really going on here? There is no excuse for delaying the trial so long.

 

[rob]

He's sitting in jail. He's not going anywhere. What difference does it make.
I also think many may be disappointed if he doesn't get the DP. Many locals I have talked to, of all races, say that they don't think they could give it to someone so young. I personally think if anyone on earth deserves it, he does, yet I don't know myself if I could give it to him. People that age are so stupid.
I for one would have given him the LWOP deal for him to plead guilty. Just like Susan Smith, we may go thru all this, and he still not be given it.
All MOO.

I also think that all "deals" should come with the "no appeals" clause.

 

[Trvl4Lyfe]

Six months for a psych eval? Seriously? What is really going on here? There is no excuse for delaying the trial so long.

Sounds like a don't care/stall tactic...

 

[0101ABA]

A hearing in federal court for Dylann Roof has been set for June 8 in Charleston before U.S. Judge Richard Gergel.

(...)

Gergel especially wants federal prosecutors to decide whether they will seek the death penalty against Roof because if they do seek it, Gergel needs time to draw up plans. Death penalty trials are much longer, more complex and more expensive than most other kinds of criminal trials.

(...)

Meanwhile, Roof attorney David Bruck has publicly told Gergel at several hearings that Roof, 21, is ready to plead guilty and accept a life sentence without parole if the government does not seek the death penalty.

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article78669757.html

 

[borndem]

This is definitely a Death Penalty case, if one has ever existed, but take the plea and put his hate-filled (IMO) esso-bee in the slammer for life. He's not worth the dollars, sweat & heartache that would accompany this crime being tried. Shut him down and on to the next case, I say.

If the victims' families, however, want a DP trial, then do it as soon as possible, and hang him high.

I can't hardly breathe when I think about what Roof did. Let me stop now -- he ain't worth a T/O.

 

[rob]

In SC, the solicitor does usually ask the families what they want, I know they did in the Susan Smith case. She was willing to plea to avoid death, but the childrens father and his family wanted the DP. They didn't get it in the trial.

 

[0101ABA]

The Department of Justice notified a federal judge Tuesday that it will seek the death penalty against the man accused of killing nine people last year in a Charleston, South Carolina, church.

"The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision," said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Roof, 22, is already charged with murder in state court for the shooting rampage at the historically black Emanuel AME Church, and state prosecutors announced earlier that they would seek the death penalty. A South Carolina judge has ordered Roof to stand trial on the state charges in January.

Federal prosecutors will almost certainly wait until that case has concluded before deciding whether to seek a trial in federal court.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...alty-charleston-church-shooter-dylann-n579741

 

[borndem]

I hope that %(*@#*+& miscreant is shaking in his cheap jail-bird shoes. He offered to plead to LWOP, so this little development should worry the &%($ out of him.

Sleep well tonight, Defendant Roof.

 

[0101ABA]

A federal judge set Nov. 7 as the start date for Dylann Roof’s death penalty trial.

Roof, charged with killing nine worshipers at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston a year ago, had his court date set Tuesday afternoon.

On May 24, federal prosecutors announced they intended to seek the death penalty against Roof, who is charged with murder and hate crimes. That decision set the stage for the judge to set a trial date.

http://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article82294022.html

 

[rob]

Odd to me that the federal case would come before the state, but hopefully, if they find him guilty and give him the DP, the state won't have to try him.
what's funny is I am on the federal jury duty list this year and so is one of my co-workers. I was first called to Columbia in January for the Sherriff Mepps trial, but on the eave of the trial, he did a deal so it was cancelled. Now I have a summons for Anderson county in July, I don't know what case. I would not want to be on this one. I would not want to see the photos of the crime scene and I would have to, on what I currently know, vote for guilty and DP. I guess once I said that, I'd be out anyway.
Personally, I like to see them give him the deal, plead guilty, no DP, no appeals.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/no...on-church-attack/ar-BBtX7L6?ocid=ansmsnnews11

In the last line of this article, it says how long it's been since the Fed or the state of SC has actually followed thru with the DP.

from the article:
"Due in part to problems in obtaining lethal injection drugs, no one has been executed in South Carolina since 2011. The federal government hasn't put anyone to death since 2003."

He's sitting in prison, won't ever get out, and maybe never killed, either way. To save the money of the cases, I'd settle it. But I also strongly believe the families should have the final say, not me.
All MOO only

 

[bluesneakers]

RSBM

Odd to me that the federal case would come before the state, but hopefully, if they find him guilty and give him the DP, the state won't have to try
Personally, I like to see them give him the deal, plead guilty, no DP, no appeals.

Me too.

He's sitting in prison, won't ever get out, and maybe never killed, either way. To save the money of the cases, I'd settle it. But I also strongly believe the families should have the final say, not me.

All MOO only

I honestly can't say how I'd feel in the situation. I think I would not want to offer any input. I don't know. Honestly I can't imagine what they're going through.

Has there been anything in the news about how they feel? Sorry if this has been asked and answered.

 

[rob]

RSBM







Has there been anything in the news about how they feel? Sorry if this has been asked and answered.

I have read in the local news that some of the family members do want them to go for the death penalty, so I will leave it with them.

http://abcnews4.com/news/emanuel-am...cept-pursuit-of-death-penalty-for-dylann-roof

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other...-matter-what-victims-families-want/ar-AAbVrca

 

[bluesneakers]

I have read in the local news that some of the family members do want them to go for the death penalty, so I will leave it with them.

http://abcnews4.com/news/emanuel-am...cept-pursuit-of-death-penalty-for-dylann-roof

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other...-matter-what-victims-families-want/ar-AAbVrca

Me too. They've had a lot of time to think about their options even if they're only able to make a recommendation. One yes or no might make the difference.

 

[0101ABA]

Accused Charleston church hate crimes killer Dylann Roof has notified U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel that he does not want to be tried by a jury in his upcoming death penalty case.

In a filing Thursday in federal court, Roof’s lawyers said they do not want a jury to decide either phase of his upcoming trial. Prosecutors announced May 24 they will seek death.

If Gergel grants Roof’s request, that would mean Gergel would hear the entire case by himself. He would first preside over the guilt or innocence phase. If Roof were found guilty, Gergel would hear additional evidence then make the lone decision to sentence Roof to death or grant him a sentence of life without parole.

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/news/state/south-carolina/article82960702.html

 

[borndem]

Interesting -- his "no jury" call. Prolly the only wisp of a chance at LWOP/No DP. I feel sure the judge has been-there-done-that with other trials. It does say, IMO, that the defendant either is a bit smarter that I have given him credit, or, and more likely, his attorney(s) know it's the only way to go. Hmmmm.

 

[0101ABA]

Prosecutors have officially opposed a request by Dylann Roof that a judge, not a jury, decide his fate.

In court documents filed Monday, attorneys for the federal government point out that their consent is needed before a defendant can waive a jury trial.

http://wach.com/news/local/prosecutors-oppose-bench-trial-for-church-shooting-suspect

 

[0101ABA]

A jury, not a judge, will consider hate crimes and other federal charges against the man accused of gunning down nine parishioners at a South Carolina church, the judge overseeing the case ruled Monday.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel also ordered that jurors will hear arguments on a possible death sentence for Dylann Roof if he's convicted of capital crimes in his federal trial.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/13/prosecutors-oppose-bench-trial-for-church-shooting-suspect.html