The man accused of murdering nine black members of a South Carolina church wants his federal charges dismissed.
Dylann Roof is charged with slaughtering the black parishioners during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
His attorneys argue that the nearly 36 charges against him should be thrown out and handled in state court instead. They also asked the government to not pursue the death penalty in exchange for a guilty plea.
"The motion is being made only because the statutes at issue form the basis of the government's request for the death penalty," Roof's attorneys wrote in a motion. "Should the government's death notice be withdrawn at any point in the future, the defendant will withdraw this motion and plead guilty as charged to all counts in the indictment."
Roof's federal trial is set to begin in November of this year. State prosecutors plan on pursuing the death penalty in court in January of next year.
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