CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) – It wasn’t just the family members of the nine people Dylann Roof killed in a Charleston, South Carolina, church who suffered. Their church family grieved too.
Along with the 32 family members of victims, three people connected to Emanuel AME Church spoke as Roof was formally sentenced to death Wednesday in federal court.
“When you have attended nine wakes and nine funerals, it is heartbreaking,” said Ruby Martin, the most senior member of the church who admitted it took her several weeks after the 2015 shootings before she could go back.
There were laughter and tears; love and hate; anger and forgiveness; despair and hope at Wednesday’s hearing. Some shouted at Roof, wishing him to be condemned to hell. Others offered forgiveness and one said she would visit him in prison as he awaits execution for the slaughter.
A jury sentenced Roof to death Tuesday on hate crime and obstruction of religion charges. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel couldn’t change it, but his words left little doubt he felt death was justified. “This hate, this viciousness, this moral depravity will not go unanswered,” he said.