Dylann Roof Attorneys Argue His Delusional Beliefs Prove Incapacity

Roof, who shot nine members of a Black South Carolina congregation, believed he'd be saved by white nationalists if he kept mental health evidence out of...

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The man on federal death row for the racist slayings of nine members of a Black South Carolina congregation was wrongly allowed to represent himself during a critical phase of his trial, his attorneys argued Tuesday, saying Dylann Roof’s continuing “delusional belief” he’d be saved by white nationalists — but only if he kept mental health evidence out of his defense — should have shown his trial judge he wasn’t competent. Before a three-judge panel, Roof’s attorneys argued that an appellate court should vacate his convictions and death sentence, or remand his case to court for a “proper competency evaluation,” something they argue wasn’t done during his trial in 2017. That year, Roof became the first person in the U.S. sentenced to death for a federal hate crime. Authorities have said Roof opened fire during the closing prayer of a 2015 Bible study at Charleston’s Mother Emanuel AME Church, raining down dozens of bullets on those assembled. He was 21 years old at the time.