CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - The avowed white supremacist accused of killing nine black people at an historic South Carolina church told a federal judge on Sunday that he no longer wished to represent himself during the "guilt" phase of his murder trial in Charleston.

Dylann Roof, 22, sent a handwritten note to U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel saying that he now wished to bring back his defense team, at least temporarily, for a trial that began last week with jury selection.

15 PHOTOS Charleston SC shooting suspect. Dylann Roof See Gallery Charleston SC shooting suspect. Dylann Roof Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. Photos found on a website that allegedly belongs to church shooting suspect Dylann Roof. This image has been provided by the Charleston Police Department, Thursday, June 18, 2015. A man opened fire during a prayer meeting inside a historic black church in downtown Charleston, S.C., Wednesday night, June 17, 2015, killing nine people, including the pastor in an assault that authorities are calling a hate crime. The shooter remained at large Thursday. (Photo via Charleston Police Department) The Emanuel AME Church is viewed behind a police vehicle on June 18, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina, after a mass shooting at the Church on the evening of June 17, 2015. US police on Thursday arrested a 21-year-old white gunman suspected of killing nine people at a prayer meeting in one of the nation's oldest black churches in Charleston, an attack being probed as a hate crime. The shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in the southeastern US city was one of the worst attacks on a place of worship in the country in recent years, and comes at a time of lingering racial tensions. AFP PHOTO/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) A police officer holds up a tape in front of the Emanuel AME Church June 18, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina, after a mass shooting at the church on the evening of June 17, 2015. US police on Thursday arrested a 21-year-old white gunman suspected of killing nine people at a prayer meeting in one of the nation's oldest black churches in Charleston, an attack being probed as a hate crime. The shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in the southeastern US city was one of the worst attacks on a place of worship in the country in recent years, and comes at a time of lingering racial tensions. AFP PHOTO/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) A view ofthe Emanuel AME Church is seen June 18, 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina, after a mass shooting at the church on the evening of June 17, 2015. US police on Thursday arrested a 21-year-old white gunman suspected of killing nine people at a prayer meeting in one of the nation's oldest black churches in Charleston, an attack being probed as a hate crime. The shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in the southeastern US city was one of the worst attacks on a place of worship in the country in recent years, and comes at a time of lingering racial tensions. AFP PHOTO/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images) Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

"Can you let me have them back for the guilt phase, and then let me represent myself for the sentencing phase of the trial?" Roof wrote in blue ink on lined notebook paper. "If you would allow that, then that is what I would like to do."

Roof has not said publicly why he wants to defend himself against charges stemming from the shooting attack, carried out during a Bible study session at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in June 2015.

His lawyers previously said Roof wanted to plead guilty if federal prosecutors agreed to a sentence of life in prison without parole. They refused. Roof faces the death penalty in a state murder trial set to begin early next year.

David Bruck, Roof's former lead attorney, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Richardson could not immediately be reached for comment.