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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 13 december 2016

Accused shooter had list of other black churches in his car

MEG KINNARD tors agree not to seek the
Associated Press death penalty against him.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — In his videotaped, two-
When he was arrested, the hour confession played for
man accused of killing nine jurors last week, Roof told
people during a Bible study FBI agents he left bullets
in a Charleston church had in a magazine so that he
a list of other area black could kill himself after the
churches in his car, law en- slayings but changed his
forcement officials testified mind when he didn’t see
on Monday. any police immediately af-
During roughly two hours ter the shooting.
on the stand, former State “Oh no. I was worn out,”
Law Enforcement Division Roof said, when an agent
agent Brittany Burke testi- asked if he thought about
fied that names of a hand- killing more black people.
ful of other churches and Evidence shown in photo-
their addresses were found graphs introduced Mon-
on a handwritten list in a day showed Roof was es-
backpack in Dylann Roof’s sentially living in his car.
car. Recovered from his black
Also on papers found in sedan were multiple items
Roof’s car were phone of clothing, food, bever-
numbers for the State- ages and an empty liquor Homeland Security patrol the streets outside the Federal Courthouse in Charleston,S.C., during
house complex in Colum- bottle. There were also Dylann Roof’s trial. Roof, a white man, is accused of killing nine black people at a church.
bia, as well as the name of multiple travel brochures, (Grace Beahm/The Post And Courier via AP)
Denmark Vesey, one of the a cellphone, laptop com-
founders of Charleston’s puter and a burned Ameri- he came in to buy a Glock background checks. States ings that a jail clerk had en-
Emanuel AME Church. can flag. .45-calibur handgun in April can add more time onto tered incorrect information
Vesey led a failed 1822 Prosecutors also ques- 2015, two months before that window, but no such that wasn’t ever fixed in a
slave rebellion that drove tioned a witness who the shootings. efforts have passed the state database.
the church underground. detailed the process of At that time, Thrailkill testi- state Legislature. When Roof sought to buy
After the plot was reported, Roof’s gun purchase. Ron- fied, Roof filled out the stan- Roof had been arrested for the gun, an FBI examiner
Vesey was hanged and nie Thrailkill, manager of dard paperwork required drugs two months earlier, spotted the arrest, but be-
the church was burned. Shooter’s Choice in West by federal law and left to but Lexington County Sher- cause of the error, called
The church was rebuilt, but Columbia, testified that a wait out a three-day wait- iff Jay Koon told The Associ- the wrong agency to get
in 1834 all black churches typical background check ing period to allow time for ated Press after the shoot- his record. q
were banned and mem- was done on Roof when
bers worshipped “under-
ground” until 1865, when Dad who received video of lifeless son headed to trial
Emanuel AME Church was
formally reorganized. JOE MANDAK Press that the boy’s mother, awaiting trial on homicide, Price planned to be with
Burke is one of the state
agents who processed Associated Press Christian Clark, had made attempted homicide, as- another woman. Sheets
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A man similar, but empty, threats sault and endangerment contends Price went to his
evidence found in Roof’s
car when he was arrested accused of not calling 911 before to kill the boy and charges. sister’s after work to avoid
when the mother of his tod-
the couple’s 2-year-old Raiford previously said his rekindling an argument he
after the June 2015 shoot-
ings at the church known dler son sent him videos of daughter, Angel. client waived her prelimi- had with Clark.
“Ya kids ain’t safe here I
“This is the little boy who nary hearing so testimo-
the boy’s lifeless body dur-
as Mother Emanuel. A jury
began last week hearing ing hours’ worth of angry cried wolf,” Sheets said, ny about the grisly case don’t want them here” and
text messages is headed referring to Clark. “On any wouldn’t be amplified in “Answer me or im going
testimony against Roof, 22,
who is on trial on 33 federal to trial on child endanger- number of occasions Miss the media and prejudice to jail for child endanger-
Clark had threatened the future jurors.
ment charges.
ment” were among dozens
charges, including hate
crimes and obstruction of Andre Price Jr., 24, of McK- life of his children, and he Sheets said he had similar of texts listed in the crimi-
had family members or concerns in waiving Price’s nal complaint. Then came
eesport, waived a prelimi-
the practice of religion.
Roof has formally entered nary hearing Monday. friends check on them and hearing. a message about an hour
Defense attorney James they were fine.”
Allegheny County police into the rant that said, “I’m
a not guilty plea to all the
charges in federal court. Sheets said Price is still Clark’s attorney, Milton Rai- contend Clark sent a bar- killing them,” followed by a
mourning the death of his ford, didn’t immediately rage of angry texts, threats, laughing emoji with tears
But his attorneys have said
he’s willing to change 17-month-old son, Andre III. return a call seeking com- photos and videos Nov. coming from its eyes, po-
that to guilty if prosecu- Sheets told The Associated ment. Clark remains jailed 1 because she believed lice said.q