Charleston AME Church Alleged Mass Murderer Competent to Stand Trial

In this Thursday, June 18, 2015, file photo, Charleston, S.C., shooting suspect Dylann Roo
AP File Photo/Chuck Burton

The alleged shooter in the murder of nine at Charleston’s Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church has been found competent to stand trial.

Dylann Storm Roof, 22, could be sentenced to death if convicted of the murders committed in June 2015, according to the Associated Press.

Breitbart News reported on June 20, 2015 that a manifesto was found that was believed to be Roof’s. The manifesto, which was registered in the alleged killer’s name, was reported to have revealed “deeply racist, anti-American, anti-Semitic, and white supremacist views.” It was created in February of the same year as the murders.

The mass-murderer defendant reportedly said in his manifesto with regard to his experience with blacks–“Ni—-rs are stupid and violent.” He added “Jewish agitation of the black race” is the reason blacks behave as they do.

His solution–“Segregation was not a bad thing … It existed to protect us from them.”

He also expressed the opinion that apartheid as in South Africa should be imposed to strip blacks of their rights.

Roof was equally racist as to his beliefs about Jews: “I think that if we could somehow destroy the Jewish identity, then they wouldn’t cause much of a problem.”

“If we could somehow turn every Jew blue for 24 hours, I think there would be a mass awakening” against the Jewish people, “because people would be able to see plainly what is going on.”

“Hispanics are obviously a huge problem for America,” but while he said he admired “White Hispanics,” “they are still our enemies,” he expressed.

Roof also said, “I hate the sight of the American flag. Modern American patriotism is an absolute joke.”

Roof concluded that he had “no choice” but to act. “We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet.”

Federal District Judge Richard Gergel made the ruling on Friday morning, according to USA Today. The judge made the competency decision after two days of hearings. Roof was present for the closed-door discussions. Various media outlets objected to the lack of public accessibility.

Prosecutors in the case are seeking the death penalty and jury selection begins Monday. Roof faces 33 charges for the mass murder of the worshipers at the church.

Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as a prosecutor and associate judge in Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2.

This article has been updated to reflect additional information.

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