COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Defense lawyers for Dylann Roof said the Charleston church shooter was adamant about not being ruled mentally impaired because it might prevent him from getting a high government position if white nationalists took over the country.
A judge Tuesday unsealed hundreds of pages of documents concerning Roof’s mental status. They included a letter from Roof to prosecutors just before his trial saying his lawyers were liars and the sneakiest people he ever met.
Roof eventually fired his lawyers and acted as his own attorney during parts of his trial. He didn’t want evidence of any mental problems made public.
Roof’s lawyers say he never communicated with the white nationalists he wanted to keep his standing with.
Roof was sentenced to death for killing nine people in the 2015 racist attack.
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