Judge: Dylann Roof competent for sentencing

A federal judge ruled Monday that Dylann Roof, a white supremacist found guilty of killing nine people in a historically black church in Charleston, S.C., is competent to represent himself in the next phase of his trial.

Judge Richard M. Gergel of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina said Roof could not be ruled as incompetent to represent himself throughout the rest of the trial, The New York Times reported.

“After fully considering all of the evidence presented, the court ruled from the bench that Defendant remains competent to stand trial and to self-represent,” the judge wrote in an order.

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The next phase of Roof’s trial will begin Wednesday, where he could be sentenced to death, CNN reported.

CNN reported Dr. James Ballenger examined Roof’s mental competency in Charleston over the weekend.

Roof was convicted last month of all 33 charges he received for murdering nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. The charges included nine counts of hate crime resulting in death.

In December, Roof told the judge he would not put up any evidence to avoid the death sentence.