The Justice Department announced Tuesday that it plans to seek the death penalty against Dylann Roof, the white man accused of a gunning down nine black parishioners last year at a historically black church in Charleston, South Carolina.
“Following the department’s rigorous review process to thoroughly consider all relevant factual and legal issues, I have determined that the Justice Department will seek the death penalty,” Attorney General Loretta Lynch said in a statement. “The nature of the alleged crime and the resulting harm compelled this decision.”
Roof faces federal charges including hate crimes, weapons charges and obstructing the practice of religion.
Roof reportedly wanted to plead guilty to the 33 federal charges against him, but his lawyer wanted to wait until prosecutors said whether they would seek the death penalty. Roof additionally faces multiple state-level charges, including nine counts of murder.
Experts said Roof, who’d allegedly planned the attack for six months, appeared to have white supremacist leanings.
