Dylann Roof Lawyer Wants Evidence Kept out of Church Trial

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Dylann Roof Lawyer Wants Evidence Kept out of Church Trial

By BRUCE SMITH, ASSOCIATED PRESS CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jul 21, 2016, 12:06 PM ET

A lawyer defending the man charged in the Charleston church shootings wants a judge to keep some video and other evidence out of his federal hate crimes trial, and says explaining why in public could harm prospects for seating an impartial jury.

Dylann Roof, a 22-year-old white man, faces the death penalty if convicted in the shootings of nine black parishioners who welcomed him into their Bible study at the Emanuel AME Church in June 2015. Authorities said Roof posed with the Confederate battle flag before the killings and talked of trying to start a race war.

Assistant U.S. Public Defender Sarah Gannett says the evidence she wants blocked includes videos, transcripts and other documents affecting Roof's constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable searches and self-incrimination.

In a court filing Wednesday, she asked to be allowed to file the motion under seal, arguing that "their public disclosure could affect the court's ability to select an impartial jury and conduct a fair trial in this high-profile Federal Death Penalty Act case."

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/dylann-roof-lawyer-asks-evidence-church-trial-40770043

[JustAnotherGen]

1. You think the little monster

Will get his way on this?

[alcibiades_mystery]

2. That's his job

[Glassunion]

3. This is pretty standard in a case like this.

[Aristus]

4. No surprise. Her job is to defend her client and win an aquittal.

I don't think he's going to get one, though.

[lapislzi]

5. It's going to be very difficult to seat an impartial jury

Much of the photographic evidence has been all over the internet for over a year. It's going to be hard to find people who haven't seen it and/or don't have an opinion on it.

Unfortunately, this raises the likely specter of a mistrial.

[Iggo]

6. Of course she does. Vigorous defense is vigorous.

[linuxman]

7. "This just in: Lawyer defends client. More at 11."