After finding Dylann Roof guilty last month in the murders of nine parishioners attending bible study at Charleston’s Emanuel AME church the same jury will now decide whether Roof deserves the death penalty.
During opening statements the government revealed that Roof, in a journal he kept while held at the county jail after killings, wrote, “I would like to make it crystal clear I do not regret what I did, I am not sorry.”
Yet he goes on to ” . . . shed a tear of self-pity for myself.”
Acting as his own lawyer Roof made a three minute opening statement mainly to refute the idea that he acted out of insanity.
As the witnesses took the stand to testify about the loved ones taken from them the atmosphere in the courtroom turned emotional. Very moving testimony from, and about, some very good people.
With all due respect to your art and your abilities I find the Brittany Burke sketch showing the crime scene to be in poor taste. No offense. You’re extremely talented.
I appreciate your concern, J.J. But please understand I have a job to do which is to report what I see. I am not insensitive to this issue. When my own son was murdered I could not look at the photos shown to the jury. The sketches I provide are far less offensive than the actual crime scene photos which the media might otherwise be more tempted to show.