Friend of alleged church shooter to appear in court

An official says a friend of the white man who shot nine black churchgoers to death has been arrested.

A friend of the alleged Charleston church shooter has been arrested and is expected to make his first court appearance.

Meek is now on probation, having pleaded guilty earlier this year to possessing a stolen vehicle, according to Lexington County court records.

Meek, of Lexington, also said Roof told him that he used birthday money from his parents to buy a.45-caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun.

At Roof’s federal arraignment in July, his attorney said Roof wanted to plead guilty to those charges, but his defense team was waiting until prosecutors decided whether they would seek the death penalty in their case.

Before the shootings at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr Roof occasionally stayed with his school friend at his mobile home in Red Bank, about 20 miles from Columbia, the state capital.

In the days after the shooting, Meek spoke with reporters with CNN and other media outlets, recounting how Roof had drunkenly vowed one night “to do something insane “. He said that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents subsequently questioned him about what Roof had told him, and his own possible involvement.

Meek was a “potential target” in a federal investigation into the shootings, the State reported on Tuesday, but he denied committing any crimes.

Meek’s two brothers, mother, and Fry also live in the trailer; The Washington Post profiled the family on Sunday.

On August . 6, Meek received a letter that he was the target of an investigation.

Joseph Meeks, 21, who was Roof’s roommate for a brief time before the shootings took place, was taken into Federal Bureau of Investigation custody in Red Bank, South Carolina where he lives.

“He’s really anxious “, Ms. Fry said. “He knows he didn’t do anything wrong”. He gave authorities Roof’s license plate and what he was wearing.

Nicholson did not rule on Wednesday but indicated he would likely release some materials.

” ‘He just said, “They want to talk to me, but I think I’m going to jail”, ‘ Frye told The State”.

Roof also faces dozens of federal charges including hate crimes and obstruction of the practice of religion.