Roof to Undergo 2nd Mental Evaluation

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CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — A federal court judge has ordered a second competency hearing for Dylann Roof, who was convicted earlier this month of killing nine black parishioners inside a Charleston church last year.

Roof’s standby attorney David Bruck filed a motion under seal questioning the Eastover man’s competency as they head into the sentencing phase of the trial.

Roof said on Wednesday he planned to give an opening statement but would not be calling witnesses or presenting mitigating evidence in the hopes of sparing his life.

U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel ordered the mental evaluation be completed this weekend with a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday morning.

According to the order, the push for a new hearing by Bruck stems from “facts dveloped since the competency hearing on Nov. 21-22, 2016.”

Gergel says he plans to make a ruling on Monday during the hearing with a written order following.

Much like the November hearings, Monday’s competency hearing will remain closed to the public “to protect [Roof’s] right to a fair trial and right to self-representation.”

Roof on Wednesday was concerned about the details of the previous competency hearing being released during the sentencing phase of the trial. Gergel warned him those details could be released, but said he was still trying to decide what’s in his best interest because of his pending state murder trial.

At present, the sentencing phase of Roof’s trial will continue as planned on Jan. 3. Roof is representing himself for that phase of the trial.

He faces the death penalty.