Jury selection starts in S.C.-deaths trial

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The jury-selection process is getting underway in the federal death-penalty trial of Dylann Roof, the white man charged in the deaths of nine black parishioners who were gunned down during a Bible study at a Charleston church.

Roof, 22, is charged with hate crimes, obstruction of religion and other counts in the June 17, 2015, shootings at Emanuel AME Church. Prosecutors allege he talked of starting a race war, posed with the Confederate battle flag before the killings and used the Internet to scope out Emanuel and other historically black churches.

The first of hundreds of potential jurors report to the courthouse in Charleston’s historic district today. Testimony in the case being heard by U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel is not anticipated until after Thanksgiving.

Three thousand potential jurors from the Charleston area were summoned over the summer and asked to fill out a standard questionnaire about education, employment and other things. When jurors report today, they will be sworn in and introduced to the defendant and attorneys, and then the court will hear from any who want to be excused.

Those not excused will then fill out a second questionnaire asking specifically about the Roof case, a questionnaire the judge has sealed. Once 700 potential jurors have filled out the questionnaires, they will return Nov. 7 to be individually questioned by the judge.

AP/The Berkshire Eagle/GILLIAN JONES Families walk through the piles of pumpkins at Whitney’s Farm Market and Country Gardens in Cheshire, Mass., during Pumpkinfest. While the nation experienced a shortfall in its pumpkin crop last year, the crop has bounced back this year.