Dylan Roof’s Trial Postponed

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The trial of Dylan Roof, the 22-year-old white man who killed nine people Charleston’s oldest black church last year, has been postponed for an indeterminate amount of time. The trial was supposed to enter into jury selection on November 7, 2016, but Judge Richard Gergel postponed it in order to hold hearing with Roof and his attorneys, to which neither the state (the prosecutor in this case) nor the public was allowed, in order to protect attorney-client privilege. No one close to the case has yet spoken about what happened during that hearing.

Roof faces 33 federal hate crime counts, as well as state murder charges. The Justice Department is seeking the death penalty, but many who oppose the death penalty feel that applying it to Roof, though it may fee appropriate to many, will serve no real purpose. The death penalty is disproportionately applied to black defendants and the national movement to end it has been gaining in strength over the last decade or so.

When the trial does resume, it is safe to assume that the jury selection process will be difficult. Finding 12 peers of Roof’s who do not already have preconceived notions about him will be difficult, especially as there is no real question of his guilt.

To make matters worse, the Charleston Police Department is investigating a number of letter sent to Emanuel AME Church, where the killings took place, as well as a number of local public parks and hotels, which urge the killing of African Americans and praising Roof.

A second high-profile, racially charged trial was entering its second week as the judge in the Roof trial made the announcement of the delay in jury selection. That trial is of Michael Slager, a former Charleston police officer who was accused of killing an unarmed black motorist.

Considering the current political climate following the election of Donald Trump, it may be necessary to let things “cool off,” as racist attacks have ramped up considerably following Election Day. With many people feeling that his election is a free pass to attack their neighbors of different races, religions, gender, or sexualities, ensuring that Roof’s constitutional right to a fair trial is upheld may be difficult.