By Dena Leichnitz

Dylan Roof has now been moved to a death row penitentiary in Indiana according to the Associated Press.  Dylan Roof is the young man who shot up a Black church  in South Carolina back in  June 2015. The church was the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. Nine people were killed during the closing prayer of church services on a Wednesday evening. Roof had no remorse for his crime stating “he wished to start a race war.” At the time of his sentencing, he was given life without the possibility of parole. However once the state had its turn, the federal authorities came after him.

“A federal jury convicted Roof on 33 federal charges, including hate crimes, in December and sentenced him to death in January.” His victims were: Cynthia Hurd, 54; Susie Jackson, 87; Ethel Lance, 70; Rev. DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49; Hon. Rev. Clementa Pinckney, 41; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., 74; Rev. Sharonda Singleton, 45; Myra Thompson, 59.

According to that same UPI article, Roof is the first person to put to death for federal hate crimes.  Dylan will have the ability to appeal the death penalty. Given that he pleaded guility and had ulterior motives for killing those nine people in the church, the likelihood that he will appeal is probably miniscule.

Dylan Roof was transferred to Terre Haute Minimum Security Prison in Indiana on April 23, 2017. May his nine victims and their bereaved families finally receive their justice.