The US Justice Department has delayed the sentencing of the man accused of killing nine African American members of a Charleston Episcopal church last year, as Attorney General Loretta Lynch considers whether to impose a death sentence or not.
This is the second time 22-year-old Dylann Roof's federal trial has been delayed, after his attorneys helped extend the trial date several months ago, as the decision on capital punishment was uncertain.
Roof is charged with hate crimes and nine counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder. One of the slain was Senator Clementa Pinckney, who also served as the pastor at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Roof's attorney David Bruck said the defendant will plead guilty if the justice department agrees to put off execution in exchange for thirty years to life in prison, and in that case, only a plea hearing and sentence hearing will be required in the federal court.
US District Judge Richard Gergel called on the federal government to decide speedily if capital punishment or life sentence is to be pursued against the accused.
"There are victims here. They have a right to put this behind them," Gergel said.
However, Gergel has agreed to the federal prosecutors' request to delay the trial, so that the attorney general can come to a decision on death sentence.
Roof faces separate federal and state charges. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has called for a death sentence for Roof in the federal court, as he already faces death penalty in the state. State prosecutors have pursued death sentence for him in the trial, and the next hearing is scheduled for July.
"This was the ultimate crime, and justice from our state calls for the ultimate punishment," Charleston County prosecutor Scarlett Wilson had said during a news conference in September.
But she said that she will meet the victims' families before deciding if death penalty should be pronounced for Roof.
Wilson did meet the families and said that it was "blessed to be in the presence of such wonderful people."
The family members of the victims offered him forgiveness in televised messages.
Daughter of victim Ethel Lance told Roof: "I forgive you. You took something very precious away from me. I will never talk to her again. I will never be able to hold her again. But I forgive you.... You hurt me. You hurt a lot of people, but God forgives you, and I forgive you."
A family member representing victim Myra Thompson, Anthony Thompson, said: "I forgive you and my family forgives you, but we would like you to take this opportunity to repent ... and confess."
Alana Simmons, granddaughter of Reverend Daniel Simmons Sr., told Roof: "Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof - everyone's plea for your soul is proof - that they lived in love ... so hate won't win."
