A federal jury found Dylann Roof guilty on all 33 counts of hate crimes, religious obstruction, and firearms violations, reports the Post and Courier.
According to the Post and Courier:
The verdict came nearly two years from the day when Roof began scouting out Emanuel for his attack, making the 90-minute drive from his Eastover home to Charleston six times to prepare for the June 2015 mass shooting.
Roof confessed to the killings, and his legal team readily acknowledged his guilt. Offering no defense, they instead sought to portray the 22-year-old gunman as a disaffected, delusional loner who was set on a twisted path to murder by racist rantings he found online.
...In the government's emotional closing argument, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Williams said hatred had no place in the sanctuary of Emanuel, but Roof brought it just the same. He turned his .45-caliber Glock pistol on innocents and peppered them with a barrage of bullets when they were at their most defenseless, their eyes shut for closing prayer, he said.
According to ABC News, the decision of the jury — comprised of nine white people and three black people — came fewer than two hours after convening to deliberate.
The jury will return Jan 3. to deliberate whether Roof's charges warrant the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Follow the developing story here.
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