One more thing before I turn off my computer for the night (it's smoking from so much use today ) :facepalm:
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Except for Bruck's unusual closing statement , more mitigation than closing, IMO, with Roof representing himself in the sentencing phase, Bruck not being able to speak, we probably won't hear about the psychological issues because, I believe, that Roof wants "death by jury"???
Bruck must be feeling very frustrated at this point. Wonder if he can/will convince his client to let him represent him again by Jan 3?
I also wonder if Roof will try to explain to the jury how his white supremacist beliefs justified killing African-Americans- crazy if he does try to, IMO; the jury will not like it.
if he does get the DP, his execution will likely never happen, but he will be put in solitary where no other inmate can kill him (which might happen if he was put in the general population). As one lawyer stated in an article I posted previously, Roof would be with the people who he hates ; they would probably hate him also and try to do him harm.
I have been trying to see if there was any info on roof's mental state; here's what I found (not much :sheesh:..)
Roofs mental state emerging as key issue in Charleston church killings
"JULY 18, 2016
...Evidence offered by defense lawyers against the death penalty is called mitigation evidence. Much of that, according to the discussion and filings, will revolve around results of current and future mental health tests of Roof.
Bruck agreed when Gergel asked Am I right to say they (Roofs mitigation defenses) would fall under the broad umbrella of mental health issues?
It is unknown what type of mental health issues will be presented at trial.
As part of the pre-trial jockeying by opposing lawyers, the timing of when to give mental health test results to the other side is a key issue.
Gergel ordered
mental health examinations to be videotaped, but said he will decide later whether to delete some sections of video as opposed to the audio if thought to infringe on Roofs right to a fair trial..."
http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article90401347.html
BBM guess we won't even hear about the tapes
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Is Dylann Roof intentionally hiding his mental state?
"...Capital cases such as Roofs are separated into two parts. In the guilt phase, jurors determine whether the defendant committed the crime or crimes in question. In the sentencing phase, they weigh aggravating and mitigating factors to decide what penalty is warranted....
Because
many of the cases records including those pertaining to Roofs mental health and competency are sealed or redacted, its impossible to fully understand the thinking behind firing ones counsel then hiring them back a week later. By choosing to represent himself in the latter phase, where evidence of past trauma and mental health issues could be put forth,
Roof may be attempting to dodge scrutiny about his psychological state.
Indeed, available court records show a keen interest from the defense on conducting psychiatric evaluations assessments that could be used to mount a mental state defense at trial or a mitigation case at the penalty phase. Roof, in representing himself at penalty, could effectively silence his lawyers attempts to paint a picture of him as unstable.
Impaired defendants dont like their frailties to be known, said Robert Dunham, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. And they especially dont like to be perceived as weak or mentally ill. But at this point we dont know whats going on in Dylann Roofs mind and we may never know...."
https://www.revealnews.org/blog/is-dylann-roof-intentionally-hiding-his-mental-state/
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Dylann Roof guilty in Charleston church shooting
"...Bruck said Roof did not get his feelings on race from family or friends.
"He didn't get this from anybody else he knew," he said.
Bruck portrayed Roof as a solitary figure who developed an obsession that a war existed between whites and blacks that required him to act and to even sacrifice himself, pointing to his statements to the FBI that he had intended to kill himself.
"There was something in him that made him feel he had to do it, and that's as close as they got to it," he said of Roof's motivation.
He said there was something wrong with Roof's perceptions, pointing to his being unaware he had killed nine people when questioned by the FBI.
Roof, he said, was an odd character, a loner who had hundreds of photos of his cat and wore sweats under his jeans.
Contrasting prosecutors' arguments that Roof had spent a lot of time planning the murders, Bruck said Roof did not plan much of what he did.
"He had no escape plan, no money, a car full of dirty stuff," he told the jury.
In discussing Roof's lack of remorse, he said, "you don't feel remorseful for what you felt you had to do."
Bruck concluded by asking jurors to "look beyond the surface."
"Is there something more to the story?" he asked...
That Roof intends to dismiss a premiere capital defense team, one that includes four lawyers, appears to stem from a conflict over their belief that Roof suffers from a mental defect or related condition, an assertion they have alluded to in court documents and statements.
No condition has been specified, but before resting his case on Wednesday, Bruck attempted to offer a psychologist and a psychiatrist as witnesses, a move blocked by the judge.
One, Dr. Rachel Loftin, is a clinical psychologist who specializes in autism disorders...
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ting-fate-charleston-church-shooter/95474302/
I thought this psychologist's specialty, "autism disorders" was very interesting as I have thought that he may be on the (high-functioning) autism spectrum in some way (nothing that I have found in my research to confirm this led me to this suposition- I just have a hunch).
I am not saying that he has some mental disorder. It does not mitigate what he has done, IMO, or that he is not responsible for what he has done because of this. I just think that there's something "off" about him.
It's too bad we won't be hearing about any mental conditions Roof may have. I'm just interested. or call it nosy. :facepalm:
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Dylann Roof trial: Jurors reach verdict
"...In the defenses closing argument, Bruck said Roof was just imitating what he saw on the internet.
Roofs mental problems led him to accept all the racist lies he read as truth, and give his life to a fight to the death between white people and black people
that only he could see and act on, Bruck said..."
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dylann-roof-case-trial-charleston-church-shooting-jury-deliberations/
And thsi from his manifesto:
" I have no choice. I am not in the position to, alone, go into the ghetto and fight. I chose Charleston because it is most historic city in my state, and at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country. We have no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the bravery to take it to the real world, and I guess that has to be me..."
BBM Maybe he's just some sort of narcissist?
I don't know :sheesh:
I feel sorry for his family. I have 2 sons. 'There but for the grace of God, go I"
