Prosecutors seek death penalty for Charleston church shooter

Prosecutors decided to pursue the death penalty for the 21-year-old Charleston church shooting suspect Dylann Roof, The Daily Mail reported. 

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - On the court documents filed last Thursday, prosecutors stated that they intended to present evidence on Roof's mental state, his other records and conduct and the apparent lack of remorse in committing the crime he allegedly fully understood.

Roof has yet to enter an official plea and is expected to appear in court again by October.

The suspected white supremacist faces 9 counts of murder after the shooting spree on June 17 at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, which resulted in the killing of nine black churchgoers. Roof also faces federal charges, making him eligible to receiving the death penalty. The charges include hate crimes and obstruction of the practice of religion. 

Such charges, according to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, are due to the prosecutors' belief that the crime was committed due to racial hate. Currently, South Carolina has no state laws for hate crimes.

Evidence presented shows Roof targeted his victims "because of their race and in order to interfere with their exercise of religion," said Lynch.

Outside the courtroom, Attorney Eduardo Curry said, "We believe he understands the tremendous crime that he committed and the heinousness of it." Curry represents the AME Church.

Roof appeared in photos waving the Confederate flag and even burning the U.S. flag. The photos began circulating the internet after he reportedly shot the churchgoers during a bible study at the historic church.

Federal officials stated that the suspect had used a personal manuscript decrying the integration. 
After the shooting, an online website revealed a manifesto Roof wrote where he used racial slurs and shared his thoughts on blacks, Hispanics and Jews.

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