Jury sentences Charleston gunman to death for killing 9

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Federal jurors sentenced Tuesday an avowed white supremacist to death for the brutal massacre of nine black congregants at a historic Charleston church.

Dylann Roof was convicted in December of 33 separate federal charges including hate crimes. Of the charges, 18 carried a possible death penalty.

The 12 federal jurors recommended the death penalty on all eligible charges Tuesday.

Their decision had to be unanimous, and after less than three hours of deliberations, not a single juror thought his life should be spared.

Roof entered the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston on July 17, 2015, and sat with his future victims before opening fire during a Bible study.

He made the fateful decision as the congregants closed their eyes for a concluding prayer, firing his Glock .45 until it ran out of bullets. He then reloaded the hollow-point ammunition and methodically repeated the process until his victims were struck at least 60 times.

In all, Roof fired 77 bullets in the church, fatally shooting nine black congregants.

Roof confessed to the crimes while speaking to investigators. He said he hoped to start a race war with his actions.

Instead of the war he hoped to provoke, the tragedy had the unintended consequence of removing the Confederate flag from the South Carolina courthouse grounds where it had flown for more than 50 years despite opposition from critics who view it as a racist relic.

Throughout the federal trial, Roof did not show any inkling of sorrow for his actions, reportedly telling jurors on Tuesday he felt like he "had to do it".

And when the jury's decision that he should face death was read aloud in court, Roof did not break from his past behavior as he stared emotionless in the courtroom, according to reports.

Shortly after sentencing was announced, outgoing Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the jury's decision "will hold him accountable for his choices".

"We hope that the completion of the prosecution provides the people of Charleston – and the people of our nation – with a measure of closure," she said in a statement.

Roof faces the possibility of a second death penalty in a separate state trial. That trial has been indefinitely delayed, and whether it proceeds after Tuesday's sentencing has yet to be decided.

If it does, Roof will face nine counts of murder.