Judge Considers Releasing Church Shooting 911 Tapes

CHARLESTON, S.C. An attorney for the man accused of gunning down nine people at a historic black church in South Carolina said on Wednesday his client is willing to plead guilty to state murder charges if the move would spare him a death sentence.

Judge J.C. Nicholson said he first wanted to sit down with attorneys for the victims and the news media to review some of the more graphic evidence – including photographs of the crime scene – before deciding specifically what will be released. Nicholson indicated that releasing the transcripts of the 911 calls – not the audio tapes themselves – might be the best course.

“I see no benefit… for the news media to have access to those photos of people lying dead in a pool of blood on the church floor”, he said.

The State newspaper reported on Tuesday that a friend who gave Roof a place to stay in the weeks ahead of the killings is a “potential target” in the federal investigation.

A gag order issued earlier by the judge prevents attorneys from discussing the case and prevents the release of 911 calls, witness statements and coroner reports. He said he will look over everything and will render a decision on the release soon.

The say the material should not be released because doing it violates the victims’ rights to privacy.

In addition to the state murder charges, Roof faces dozens of federal charges, including some involving hate crimes and obstruction of the practice of religion. Prosecutors in that case also have not said whether they’ll seek the death penalty.

“We believe he understands the tremendous crime that he committed and the heinousness of it”, Eduardo Curry, an attorney representing the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the site of last month’s massacre, said outside the courtroom.

Meek also described how Roof, while drunk on vodka, complained that “blacks were taking over the world” and that “someone needed to do something about it for the white race” before he passed out in the yard.

Jury selection in the federal case has been set for November 3. That’s when a trial date on those charges could be set.

“Maybe they’ll be more honest with you if you’re fair with them up front”, Josey said.