Trial date set for Charleston shooting suspect Dylann Roof

Charleston, S.C., shooting suspect Dylann Roof, last month. His trial date has been set for July 11, 2016.
Charleston, S.C., shooting suspect Dylann Roof, last month. His trial date has been set for July 11, 2016.
Chuck Burton

A judge in South Carolina set a trial date of July 11, 2016, for Dylann Roof, the man accused of killing nine people in a shooting at the Emanuel AME church in Charleston, S.C., in June.

NPR's Carrie Johnson reported last week that Roof faces state charges, "including murder and a weapons offense. Federal authorities are investigating whether Roof, who posted a hate-fueled manifesto online and posed with photos of the Confederate battle flag, committed a hate crime, as well." This was his first court appearance since an initial bond hearing after he was arrested, NBC News writes:

"Circuit Court Judge J.C. Nicholson asked about Roof's competency evaluation. One of this two public defenders responded that he has an 'online GED, he can read, he writes, he understands. I don't see any issue with competency at this time.' "

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