Convicted church shooter Dylann Roof wants new federal trial

Published February 12, 2017

Convicted Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof wants a new federal trial.

Roof's attorneys made that request Friday.

The 22-year-old Roof was sentenced to die earlier this year for killing nine black members of Charleston's Emanuel AME Church in June 2015.

Part of Roof's argument challenges the government's assertion that his crimes violated a federal commerce clause.

They argue Roof's actions happened in South Carolina and involved only "incidental and everyday use" of areas affected by the commerce clause, like the internet or purchases from another state.

Roof also faces a death penalty trial in state court.

___

Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP . Read more of her work at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/meg-kinnard/

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/convicted-church-shooter-dylann-roof-wants-new-federal-trial