Dylann Roof Thinks It’s Unfair To Hear Testimonies From Victims’ Families

Dylann Roof admittedly killed nine people in a Charleston, SC church and he doesn’t regret it. In fact, as he awaits the verdict on his sentencing, it is Roof who thinks he isn’t getting a fair trial.

Thursday marked the second day of the penalty phase of Dylann Roof’s trial.  In the penalty phase, jurors are to determine whether Roof should be sentenced to death. According to Roof, the emotional and detailed testimony of the victims’ families is prejudicing the case against him, so he has asked the judge to stop the “excessive” testimony from friends and family members of his victims.

Roof believes there are too many witnesses and their testimonies are too in depth and go far beyond just giving a small snapshot into the lives of a victim.

“I also object to the extent and depth of the testimony, which is excessive and goes far beyond the ‘snapshot’ that the prosecutor claimed to be providing,” Roof wrote in his motion in federal court. “A victim’s talent as a preacher may be described without showing a video of a prayer.”

Roof goes on to say, “This part of the trial can be easily prejudiced by so much victim-impact evidence, and I think the limits of due process have already been passed.”

He then says that these types of testimonies would be best suited after he’s sentenced, not before.

“The question is not whether every family member who wishes to be heard will speak, but only when,” Roof says. “Examples such as these would be better shared at my formal sentencing, than at my capital trial.”