South Carolina church shooting defendant begins role as own lawyer

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The white man accused of gunning down nine black parishioners in a bid to start a race war showed no signs of a racial agenda Tuesday, taking a calm, businesslike approach to selecting a jury that ultimately will decide whether he's put to death.

A judge ruled this week Dylann Roof, 22, could begin representing himself in his federal trial on dozens of charges for the June 2015 mass shooting at a South Carolina church.

Against his lawyers' advice, Roof sought and won the judge's approval Monday to act as his own lawyer. The defendant gave no reason except the constitutional provision governing defendants' right to a speedy trial.

With his defense lawyers demoted to advisers, Roof eased into the role Tuesday of making arguments before the judge as jury selection got underway.

Police say Roof sat through nearly an hour of prayer and Bible study at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church before pulling a gun and firing dozens of shots.

Roof sat in the lead chair at the defense table Tuesday, wearing a striped jail uniform but no handcuffs or shackles. Much of the time, he traded notes back and forth with David Bruck, a noted capital defender who was his primary lawyer until Monday.

At Tuesday's hearing, Roof participated more than the previous day, sometimes conferring with Bruck and other lawyers but also consistently standing to address U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel. At one point, he suggested the judge explain to prospective jurors the trial will have two phases, guilt and penalty, an idea with which the judge agreed.

Roof objected to some juror candidates, including one who answered differently on his questionnaire than he did in court.

"He marked 'yes' for every single one ... and then he told you 'no,"' Roof said. "So I think he should be struck."