Story highlights Dylann Roof writes in jailhouse diary, "I have not shed a tear for the innocent people I killed"

He claims too many witnesses are testifying and it is prejudicing the case against him

Charleston, South Carolina (CNN) A handwritten jailhouse diary by convicted Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof was read to jurors Thursday, with the panel that will decide Roof's sentence hearing his rambling opinions on topics from various ethnic and religious groups to movies.

The writings offered few revelations about the thoughts and actions of the man who opened fire during a Bible study at an African-American church in 2015, except for a chilling admission that was cited by prosecutors in their opening statement:

"I would like to make it crystal clear. I do not regret what I did," Roof writes. "I am not sorry. I have not shed a tear for the innocent people I killed."

The 42-page diary was discovered during a search of Roof's cell, and excerpts were read aloud by a Charleston County sheriff's investigator for jurors and relatives and friends of the nine people who died in the shooting. As federal prosecutors introduced his writings as evidence, Roof stood and objected but he was overruled by the judge.

His rambling writings -- mostly long paragraphs stretching across pages -- target Jews, Muslims. Hispanics, gays, feminists, African-Americans and white people. ("White people are pretending ... pretending we are all the same and equal, pretending that nothing bad is happening, and pretending like they have a future.")

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