Last month Dylann Roof was found guilty on all 33 counts of federal hate crimes after killing nine at a church in Charleston -- nine counts of hate crimes resulting in death, three counts of hate crimes involving an attempt to kill (there were three survivors), nine counts of obstructing the exercise of religion resulting in death, three counts of that charge with an attempt to kill and nine counts of using a firearm to commit murder during a crime of violence.
Today, Roof said in his closing argument, "I think that it's safe to say that no one in their right mind wants to go into a church and kill people...In my confession to the FBI, I told them that I had to do it...But obviously that's not really true. I didn't have to do it, and no one made me do it...What I meant when I said that was I felt like I had to do it, and I still feel like I had to do it."
After about three hours of deliberation, the jury of nine whites and three blacks returned their unanimous verdict to sentence Roof to death. Roof insisted on "denying any psychological incapacity, called no witnesses, presented no evidence in his defense and mostly sidelined his court-appointed lawyers," the NY Times reported.
Roof insisted on representing himself and sat impassively at the defense table, and showed little to no interest or expression when his own words were read aloud. Technically, Roof also faces separate capital prosecution for murder in South Carolina, but that has been postponed indefinitely. He will be formally sentenced on Wednesday.