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[Slayven]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/alleged-charleston-church-shooter-dylann-roof-defends-himself-judge/

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Dylann Roof, the suspect in the shooting deaths of nine parishoners of a black church in Charleston, was granted permission by a judge on Monday to represent himself in his upcoming trial.

CBS Charleston affiliate WCSC-TV reports that Roof, facing 33 charges including hate crime and murder, told U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel that he has reviewed the order that declared him competent to stand trial, and that he felt ready to represent himself.

Gergel told Roof in court that he felt the decision to be “strategically unwise,” but he ultimately granted Roof permission to represent himself at trial. Roof’s previous attorneys will now serve as stand-by counsel, the judge told the defendant in court.

Noted death penalty attorney David Bruck slid over after the decision and let Roof take the lead chair. The lawyers can stand by and help Roof if he asks.

Weird this is just now beginning to go to trail.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

What's the saying, only an idiot would have himself as his attorney.

 

[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

Kid is going to be torn apart...and nobody will weep for his guilty verdict.

 

[jph139]

What are the odds he still gets a light sentence?

 

[StarCreator]

Fully expecting it to turn out like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vN_PEmeKb0

 

[How About No]

That's a bold move Cotton

Should make it easier to put this trash away forever

 

[entremet]

What are the odds he still gets a light sentence?

Very low. Right now the issue is will if he gets the death penalty.

 

[Vermillion]

So... how does this work with trials like this, anyway? Couldn't it be more harmful to victims (or their parents, I guess) to be questioned/cross-examined by the person who directly ruined their lives?

 

[wenis]

What are the odds he still gets a light sentence?

This country?

High.

Especially with some control over his jury.

 

[Cesare Borgia]

What are the odds he still gets a light sentence?

1% maybe? He's finished...

The bigger question is whether he'll get the death penalty or life in prison.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

What's the saying, only an idiot would have himself as his attorney.

"anyone who represents himself/herself has a fool for a client"

granted, it's a saying said by lawyers that depend on people to hire them

 

[Grym]

I mean why...?

Is he just gonna grandstand his hate-filled rhetoric as much as he can and martyr himself to become a KKK hero?

 

[Linkyn]

Isn't this pretty much par for the course for shooters like this? Defend yourself so you get one last opportunity to share your 'message' with the world.

 

[Plum]

I could make some jokes about this but frankly he doesn't deserve it. Hope he goes away for a very, very long time and since he's his own attorney I don't see it going any other way.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

"anyone who represents himself/herself has a fool for a client"

granted, it's a saying said by lawyers that depend on people to hire them

I was about to edit in that I was not even close! Saved me the effort.

 

[wenis]

I mean why...?

Is he just gonna grandstand his hate-filled rhetoric as much as he can and martyr himself to become a KKK hero?

or go the other way and repent for your deeds.

 

[Tal Shiar Agent]

He gets a soapbox this way.

 

[Grym]

or go the other way and repent for your deeds.

You can probably do that better with a decent lawyer

 

[entremet]

This country?

High.

He's not a cop. He will get probably get life. I'm jaded too, but this was not a cop situation, nor could it be framed like a self defense situation a la Zimmerman.

 

[Darryl M R]

Is he going to read his manifesto out loud?

 

[TS-08]

What are the odds he still gets a light sentence?

What do you consider a light sentence?

 

[Lightning_Roller]

I hope they bury this sick fuck in his own shit. Bury his ass under the jail, even.

 

[zeemumu]

What's the saying, only an idiot would have himself as his attorney.

I don't know why the phrase "he won't give me the discovery" just flashed through my mind right now

Hopefully this guy gets put away forever

 

[TheYanger]

I mean why...?

Is he just gonna grandstand his hate-filled rhetoric as much as he can and martyr himself to become a KKK hero?

That was my thought. I mean, I'm glad he's going to be completely unable to effectively defend himself due to him being an idiot, but it just means he's going to spread bullshit - he was gonna be destroyed in court either way,but now he has more of a platform.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

The guy who shot a bunch of people on the Long Island Rail Road 20 years ago represented himself.

He was sentenced to 315 years to life.

 

[Slayven]

The guy who shot a bunch of people on the Long Island Rail Road 20 years ago represented himself.

He was sentenced to 315 years to life.

A similar example to this situation is Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, reports Reid. He chose to represent himself despite no practical legal experience, and rather than cause a scene, he simply did little work during his trial, asking few questions, presenting little evidence. He ended up being given the death penalty.

.

 

[Hazmat]

He gets a soapbox this way.

Yep. It's the only reason. He's insane and will take this as his last platform. It's best just to move along and ignore the trial, attention is what he wants. Either way, he's going to die in prison.

 

[SomeRandomWeirdGuy]

I think I've seen this episode on SVU

 

[Kyuur]

In America, I wouldn't be surprised if someone on the jury would give him a free pass simply because he was "sticking it to the man" by representing himself instead of hiring a lawyer.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Weird this is just now beginning to go to trail.

There was a lot to coordinate between SC officials and federal officials, and although they came up with a guilty -> life without parole plea, prosecutors don't want to accept it because they want death. Death penalty prosecutions are vastly more complex. This is about the normal amount of time a case like this takes.

What are the odds he still gets a light sentence?

He will either get life without parole or death, and I'd guess 80-20 towards death.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

He'll deliver some claptrap about how America let him down and Trump supporters and their defenders will eat it up. He'll get a relatively short sentence and be treated like a star by the Aryan brotherhood in prison, then kill again after he gets out.

 

[Stone Ocean]

Fully expecting it to turn out like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vN_PEmeKb0

Hopefully the judge is not an idiot

 

[Imperfected]

Honestly, even if you could do a competent job defending yourself the judge would probably still slam you just to maintain the status quo.

 

[titiklabingapat]

I would say this shouldnt be allowed but whatever, it's constitutional. He will try to make a spectacle of it all, exactly like he wanted.

I hope the judge orders a complete media blackout other than public record stuff.

 

[NandoGip]

What kind of defense could he even use?

Let's not forget all the black-people killers that were let go.... I wish I could say I truly believe that he's going to get what he deserves. Such an open and shut case, but let's see what happens.

 

[Furyous]

In America, I wouldn't be surprised if someone on the jury would give him a free pass simply because he was "sticking it to the man" by representing himself instead of hiring a lawyer.

Yeah he should find a way to get 30 years or a life sentence due to the jury. If those people that took over the wildlife refuge can get off then the possibilty exists for Roof to get off.

 

[TS-08]

That was my thought. I mean, I'm glad he's going to be completely unable to effectively defend himself due to him being an idiot, but it just means he's going to spread bullshit - he was gonna be destroyed in court either way,but now he has more of a platform.

The judge can shut this stuff down though. The judge can hold him in contempt and can probably even revoke his right to self-represent if he decides to just spew irrelevant, racist rhetoric. The court doesn't have to tolerate his attempts to turn his pro se status into a platform just because he has a right to represent himself.

 

[smokeymicpot]

He gets a soapbox this way.

This. He gets to say what he wants and people have no choice to listen.

 

[Velcro Fly]

He's going to be found guilty and sentenced to death but will die as an old man in prison because of all the appeals. And part of it is going to be because he represented himself.

 

[entremet]

He'll deliver some claptrap about how America let him down and Trump supporters and their defenders will eat it up. He'll get a relatively short sentence and be treated like a star by the Aryan brotherhood in prison, then kill again after he gets out.

Seriously doubt he gets a short sentence. I mean, he killed 8 people.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Like, I know we're all super jaded and the world's ending now and everything, but no, mass murderers who represent themselves don't get out of prison. Or off of death row.

 

[squidyj]

shitshow.

 

[badcrumble]

I'm glad his white supremacist website/manifesto was found and his insanity plea was ruined. White supremacists on Twitter were piiiiiiissed about that.

 

[Imperfected]

Yeah he should find a way to get 30 years or a life sentence due to the jury. If those people that took over the wildlife refuge can get off then the possibilty exists for Roof to get off.

The jury can't really do anything to reduce his sentencing. They can only decide whether he's guilty or not, they have no power to even recommend punishment. So, they would have to go full moron and find him innocent of the charges.

 

[CrocMother]

I'm glad his white supremacist website/manifesto was found and his insanity plea was ruined. White supremacists on Twitter were piiiiiiissed about that.

This is a thing? Burn twitter to the ground.

 

[QuantumBro]

Really wish the justice department would've accepted his guilty plea and let him rot with a life sentence. Especially when the victims did not want him to get it.

 

[FlowersisBritish]

Upon some thoughts, all I can think is that he wants to use this as an excuse to go on a racist rant in front of an audience no sensible lawyer would ever let him do.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Seriously doubt he gets a short sentence. I mean, he killed 8 people.

Relatively short. Could get time knocked off for good behavior once in as well.

Don't have much faith.

 

[Kinyou]

He's going to be found guilty and sentenced to death but will die as an old man in prison because of all the appeals. And part of it is going to be because he represented himself.

I can see that happening but I'm not sure he could have that many appeals since it's unlikely that any kind of profound evidence would show up that casts doubt on his guilt.

 

[fr0st]

its gonna be like that scene in law abiding citizen

well in his head at least