Dylann Roof’s second conviction wrapped up yesterday in the state court. He pleaded guilty to nine state murder charges and was sentenced to life in prison. This means that the trial is over and victims’ families were spared a second trial.
Roof was sentenced to death in the the federal trial in January (read our coverage here.) Roof, who was convicted of killing nine black parishioners at Charleston’s AME Church in 2015, represented himself during the trial and didn’t bring any witnesses. This was the first time the federal government has carried out a death penalty since 2003.
While it’s unusual to have both state and federal convictions, the prosecutor said this charge would serve as a “‘insurance policy’ in case the federal conviction and sentencing hit a snag on appeal.”
