Charleston County, S.C., Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images

Convicted terrorist Dylann Roof, who stormed into a Charleston, S.C., church and killed nine black worshippers, is asking for a new federal trial.




Roof, who was convicted in federal court of 33 counts, including hate crimes, and was sentenced to death in January for the 2015 massacre at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, is now asking through his attorneys for a new trial to save him from the death penalty, according to BuzzFeed.

Roof’s attorneys are arguing in a request made Friday that the white supremacist’s use of the internet, highways and a gun made out of state were not enough to bring federal charges.


Roof showed no remorse for the killings; in fact, in a videotaped confession to the FBI, Roof confessed to the murders, and during his trial’s closing, he told jurors that he would do it again.

However, Roof’s attorneys now argue that his case was solely based in South Carolina and involved incidental and everyday use of the internet and purchases made out of state, and therefore didn’t meet the commerce clause standard needed in order for federal charges to be filed.

Roof had attorneys during his trial but fired them during his sentencing phase to avoid news of his mental health being made public.

Read more at BuzzFeed.