US v. Dylan Roof Indictment

8/20/2019 US v. Dylan Roof Indictment

1/15

IN

THE UN I TED STATES

DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT

OF

SOUTH CAROL I NA

CHARLESTON DIVISION

UN

I

TED

STATES

OF

AMERICA

CR.

NO.:

18 u.s.c.

§

249 a)

1)

V .

18 u.s.c.

§

247

a) 2)

18

u.s.c.

§

247

d) 1)

18 u.s.c.

§

247{d)

3)

DYLANN STORM

ROOF

18 u.s.c.

§

92 4 {c) 1) A)

18 u.s . c .

§

924 c) 1) C)

18 u.s.c.

§

924

j

18 u.s.c.

§

3591

18

u.s.c.

§

3592

INDICTMENT

THE GRAND JURY

CHARGES:

1.

Defendant DYLANN STORM ROOF i s

a wh

i t e male who,

on

June 17,

2015,

was twenty-one

years

old .

2 . In

Apri l

2015,

Defendant DYLANN STORM ROOF

purchased a Glock,

model 41,

.45 c a l i be r

p i s t o l

.

3 . In the mo

nths

before June 17, 2015, Defendan t

DYLANN STORM ROOF

decided

to

a t t ack

Afr ican

- Ame r i cans

because

of

t h e i r

race . He

fu r the r

decided

to

a t tack

African-American worshipers

in

an

African-American

church

in order to make hi s a t t ack

more notor ious

.

4 .

Pr ior

to

June 17, 2015,

Defendant

DYLANN STORM

ROOF

obta ined

and

used

the

websi te

l a s t rhodes ian . com. He

1


2/15

placed on t ha t websi te

a manuscript

and photographs

express ing h i s r a c i s t be l i e f s . In the

manuscr ip t ,

DYL NN

STORM ROOF

uses

r ac ia l s lurs

to desc r ibe

African-Americans,

expresses h i s be l i e f t ha t white people a re super io r

to

African-Americans,

and

decr ies in teg ra t ion . The

photographs

on

las t rhodes ian

com

inc lude

DYL NN STORM ROOF

wearing a

j acke t with f l ags of two former apar the id Afr ican nat ions

displaying

h i s

Glock

.45

ca l ib e r p i s t o l and holding

a

confederate f lag .

5 .

On the

evening of June

17,

2015,

Defendant DYL NN

STORM ROOF drove

to

the

Emanuel Afr ican

Methodis t

Episcopal

AME)

Church in Char les ton ,

South Carol ina

commonly

re fe r red

to

a s Mother Emanuel, to a t t ack African-American

par i sh ioner s

engaged in

re l ig ious

a c t i v i t i e s .

He se lec ted

Emanuel

ME

Church because t had

a

predominate ly Afr ican

American membership, and because t was s ign i f i can t

to

the

people of Charleston, o f

South

Carol ina, and o f the Nation.

6 By

a t t ack ing

African-American

par i sh ioner s

Defendant DYL NN STORM ROOF wanted

to

increase

r ac i a l

t ens ions across the Nation,

and

sought

r e t r i bu t i on for

perceived

wrongs

he

bel ieved

African-Americans

had

committed

aga ins t

white people .

2


3/15

7.

On

the

evening

of June 17, 2015, African-American

par i shioners

a t Emanuel

ME Church were par t i c ipa t ing in

a

re l ig ious worship and Bible s tudy group

led

by Reverend

Clementa

Pinckney a for ty-one-year -old African-American

man)

and at tended by Reverend Sharonda Coleman-Singleton a

for ty- f ive-year-old

African-American

woman), Cynthia

Hurd

a

f i f ty - four -yea r -o ld

African-American woman),

Susie

Jackson an

e igh ty-

seven-year-old African-American woman) ,

Ethel

Lee

Lance a

seventy-year-old African-American

woman), M

an eleven-year-old

African-American

g i r l ,

Reverend

DePayne

Middleton-Doctor a

for ty-nine-year-old

African-American woman) , Fel ic ia Sanders a

f i f ty -e igh t

-

year-old African-American woman) ,

Tywanza

Sanders a

twenty-s ix-year -old African-American man), Reverend Daniel

Simmons,

Sr.

a seventy- four-year -old African-American

man) ,

Pol ly Sheppard a seventy-year-old African-American

woman),

and

Myra

Thompson

a

f i f ty -n ine -yea r -o ld

African

American

woman) .

8.

On

the

evening

of

June

17,

2015,

Defendant

DYL NN

STORM

ROOF

en te red Emanuel ME

Church

with hi s

Glock, model

41,

.45

ca l ibe r p i s to l

and

eight magazines

loaded

with

hollow-point bul le t s , with

the

in ten t of k i l l i n g African-

3


4/15

Americans

engaged l . I l

the

exerc ise of

t he i r

re l ig ious

be l ie f s .

9. The par ishioners welcomed Defendant DYL NN STORM

ROOF in to the r

Bible

study group and

ROOF

sa t

next

to

Reverend Clementa Pinckney.

10.

While

the par ishioners

were

engaged in

re l ig ious

worship and Bible s tudy

Defendant

DYL NN STORM

ROOF

drew

his pis to l and

opened

f i r e on the pa

r

i sh ioners

ki

l l ing

Reverend

Sharonda

Coleman-Singleton Cynthia Hurd

Susie

Jackson

Ethel Lee Lance Reverend DePayne Middleton-

Doctor Reverend

Clemen

t a

Pinckney Tywanza

Sanders

Reverend Daniel Simmons Sr . and Myra Thompson; and

attempting to

k i l l K.M.

Fel ic ia Sanders

and

Pol ly

Sheppard.

OUNTS 1-9

Hate

Crime Act Result ing n Death)

THE GR ND JURY FURTHER CH RGES

:

11. The

a l l

egat ions se t for th in

paragraphs through

10 are repeated and rea l leged as i f se t fo r th fu l ly herein.

12.

On or

about June 17 2015 in the

Dis t r i c t

of

South

Carol ina Defendant

DYL NN STORM

ROOF

will fu l ly

caused bodi ly in jury to the below-l is ted vic t ims

because of

t h e i r

actual and perceived race and color:

4


5/15

OU T

VI

TIM

1

Reverend

Sharonda

Coleman

- Single ton

2

Cynthia Hurd

3

Susie

Jackson

Ethe l

Lee

Lance

5

Reverend

De

Payne

Middleton-Doctor

6

Reverend Clementa

Pinckney

7

Tywanza Sanders

8

Reverend Daniel Simmons, S r

9

Myra Thompson

The offenses re su l t ed in the death of each o f the

vict ims

in Counts

1

to 9.

All

in v i o l a t i on

of

Ti t l e

18,

United

Sta tes

Code,

Sect ion

249

a)

1) .

OUNTS 10-12

Hate

Crime

Act Involving An Attempt to Kil l

THE

GRAND

JURY

FURTHER CHARGES

13. The a l l ega t ions

se t fo r th

in paragraphs

1

through

10

are repeated and

rea l l eged as i f se t

fo r th

fu l ly here in

14. On

or about

June 17, 2015

in the Dis t r i c t

of

South Carol ina,

Defendant

DYLANN STORM

ROOF

through the

5


6/15

use

of

a f i rearm a Glock, mode l 41, .

45

ca l iber p i s to l

attempted to cause bodi ly in jury to the below-l is ted

vict ims

because

of t he i r

ac tua l and

perceived race

and

color:

OUNT

VI TIM

10

K.M.

11

Fel ic ia

Sanders

12 Pol ly Sheppard

The

offenses

included an

attempt

to k i l l

each of the

vict ims in counts

10

to

12 .

All

in

v io la t ion

of

Ti t l e

18,

United Sta te s

Code,

Section 249 a) 1).

OUNTS 13-21

Obstruction o

Exerc i se

o f Relig ion Resu l t ing

in Death)

THE

GR ND

JURY FURTHER CHARGES:

15. The a l lega t ions

se t

for th in paragraphs 1

throu

gh

10 are repeated and rea l leged as

i f

se t

fo r th fu l ly here in .

16.

On

o r

about

June

17, 2015,

in the Dis t r i c t of

South Carol ina, Defendant DYL NN STORM

ROOF

in ten t iona l ly

obst ructed

by

force

each

vic t im

l i s t ed

below in the

6


7/15

enjoyment

of

t ha t v i c t im s

f r ee

exerc i se

of r e l i g i ous

be l i e f s :

U T

VI TIM

13 Reverend

Sharonda

Coleman-Singleton

14

Cynthia Hurd

15 Susie

Jackson

16 Ethel

Lee

Lance

17 Reverend

De Payne Middleton-Doctor

8 Reverend Clemen

a

Pinckney

19 Tywanza

Sanders

20

Reverend Daniel Simmons, Sr .

21

Myra Thompson

The

ac t s

of

Defendant

DYL NN

STORM

ROOF

re su l ted in

the

dea th of each

vic t im l i s t ed

in Counts 13

to

21 and were in

and a f fec ted i n t e r s t a t e commerce.

All in

v i o l a t i on

of Ti t l e 18, Un

i t e d

Sta tes Code,

Sect ions 247 a)

2)

and 247

d)

1).

7


8/15

OUNTS 22-24

Obstruction o f Exercise o f Relig ion Involving An

Attempt

to i l l and

Use o f a Dangerous Weapon

THE GRAND JURY FURTHER CHARGES

17.

The

a l l ega t ions se t fo r th in paragraphs 1 through

10

are repeated and rea l leged as

i f

se t

fo r th fu l ly

here in .

18. On o r about

June

17, 2015, in the

Dis t r i c t

of

South Carol ina , Defendant

DYLANN

STORM

ROOF i n t en t iona l ly

obst ructed by force and t h rea t of force

each

vic t im l i s t e d

below in the enjoyment of tha t

v i c t im s

f ree exerc i se of

re l ig ious

be l i e f s , and

attempted to do

so:

OUNT

VICTIM

22 K.M.

23

Fe l i c i a

Sanders

24

Pol ly Sheppard

The ac t s

of

Defendant DYLANN

STORM ROOF included an at tempt

to

k i l l each of the

vic t ims

in Counts 22

to

24; involved

the use of a dangerous weapon a Glock, model

41,

.45

ca l ibe r

p i s t o l ) ; and were

in

and a f fec ted i n t e r s t a t e

commerce.

All i n v io l a t ion of Ti t l e 18, United Sta tes Code,

Sect ions

247 a)

2),

247 d) 1), and 247 d) 3)

8


9/15

COUNTS 25-33

Use o f a

F irearm to Conunit

Murder During and

In

Rela t ion

to a

C ri

me of Violence)

THE

GRAND

JURY

FURTHER CHARGES

19. The

a l l ega t ions

se t fo r th in paragraphs

1

through

10 are repeated and rea l leged as i f se t

fo r th fu l ly

here in .

20. On o r

about June

1

7, 2015, in

the Dis t r i c t

of

South Carolina,

Defendant DYLANN

STORM

ROOF knowingly

used

and

discharged a f i rearm Glock, model 41,

.45 ca l ibe r

pis to l

dur ing

and in re la t ion to

a

crime of violence for

which he may be prosecuted

in a cour t

of the

United

Sta tes

viola t ions of 18 u.s.c. §

249

as

charged in Counts

1

to

9, and vio la t ions of 18 U.S

. C.

§ 247 as charged in Counts

13 to 21 and caused the

death

o f each

vic t im

l i s t ed below

through

the use

of t

he

f i r e

arm in

such a

manner

as to

cons t i t u t e murder as def ined in 18 u.s .c.

§

1111, in tha t

the

Defendant,

with malice aforethought ,

did unlawful ly

k i l l each

vic t im

wi th the f irearm

.

COUNT VICTIM

25

Reverend

Sharonda

Coleman-Singleton

26 Cynthia

Hurd

27 Susie Jackson


10/15

28 Ethel

Lee Lance

29 Reverend

De

Payne

Middleton Doctor

3 ff

Reverend Cl ementa Pinckney

31 Tywanza Sanders

32

Reverend

Daniel

Simmons, Sr .

33

Myra Thompson

All in

vio la t ion

of Ti t l e 18, United Sta te s

Code,

Sect ions

924

c)

1)

A),

924

c)

1)

C), and

924

j )

1).

NOTICE OF SPECIAL FINDINGS

PURSUANT

TO

TITLE 8

UNITED

STATES

CODE

SECTIONS 3 59 AND 3592

THE GRAND JURY FURTHER FINDS:

21. The

a l lega t ions

se t

fo r th i n

para9raphs

1 through

20

are

repea ted

and

r e a l

l

eged

as

i f

se t fo r th fu l l y

here in .

22 . As to Counts

13-21

and 25-33, the Defendant DYLANN

STORM ROOF

a) was 18 years o f age o r

o lde r

a t the t ime of

the offense ;

b)

i n t en t iona l ly

k i l l e d

Reverend Sharonda

Coleman Single ton, Cynthia Hurd,

Susie

Jackson,

Ethe l Lee

Lance,

Reverend DePayne Middleton-

Doctor,

Reverend

Clemen

a

Pinckney,

Tywanza

10


11/15

Sanders , Reverend

Danie l Simmons,

Sr .

,

and Myra

Thompson

18

U.S.C . §

3591

a)

2) A)) ;

c) i n t e n t iona l ly

i n f l i c t e d se r ious

bod i ly

in ju ry

t ha t

r e s u l t e d

in the dea ths of Reverend Sharonda

Coleman-Single ton , Cynth ia Hurd,

Susie

Jackson ,

Ethe

1

Lee

Lance,


Doctor ,

Reverend Clement a Pinckney,

Tywanza

Sanders , Reverend

Danie l

Simmons

,

Sr .

, and

Myra

Thompson {18 u .s.

c.

§ 3 5 91 a)

2

B} ) ;

d

i n t e n t iona l ly

pa r t i c ipa t e d

in

an

a c t

contemplat ing

t ha t the l i f e of a person would be

t aken

and

in tending t ha t

l e t h a l

force

would

be

used in

connec t ion

with a person o the r

than

one

of the

pa r t i c ipa n t s

in the of fense and Reverend

Sharonda Coleman -

Single ton

Cynthia Hurd,

Susie

Jackson,

Ethe l Lee

Lance,

Reverend DePayne

Middle ton-Doctor ,

Reverend

Clemen

t a Pinckney,

Tywanza

Sanders ,

Reverend

Daniel Simmons, S r . and

Myra Thompson

d i ed a s

a

d i r e c t

r e s u l t

o f

such

ac t

18

U.S.C . §

359l a ) 2) C));

e) i n t e n t iona l ly and

spe c i f i c a l l y engaged in an

ac t of v io lence knowing

t ha t

the ac t c rea ted a

11


12/15

grave r i s k of death to a person, other

than one of

the

pa r t i c ipa n t s

in the offense ,

such tha t

pa r t i c i pa t i on

in

the a c t

cons t i tu ted

a reck less

di s regard fo r human l i f e and

Reverend

Sharonda

Coleman-Singleton, Cynthia

Hurd,

Sus ie Jackson,

Ethe l

Lee Lance,


Doctor ,

Reverend

Clement a Pinckney,

Tywanza

Sanders ,

Reverend Daniel

Simmons, Sr .

, and Myra

Thompson d ied

as

a d i r e c t r e s u l t

of

the ac t 18

U.S.C.

§

3591 a )

2)

D) ) ;

f)

committed the

offenses

charged

in Counts

13-21

and

25-33

a f t e r

s ubs t a n t i a l

planning

and

premedi ta t ion to cause the

dea th

of a person 18

U .S .C . § 3592 c)

9) ) ;

g) committed the of fenses

in

Counts 15 and

27

for

k i l l i n g

Sus ie Jackson who was

e ighty-seven

years old) , Counts

16

and 28

fo r

k i l l i n g Ethel

Lee Lance, who

was

seventy

years

old) ,

and Counts

20

and

32

fo r

k i l l i ng

Reverend

Daniel

Simmons,

Sr .

, who was seventy- four

years

old) on vict ims

who were pa r t i c u l a r l y vulne r ab l e due to old age

18 u . s .c . § 3 s92 c ) 11 ) ) ;

and

12


13/15

h) in committ ing the of fenses in Counts 13-21 and

25 -33 , i n t en t i ona l l y k i l l ed and a t tempted to k i l l

more

than one person in a s ing le cr iminal

episode

18 u.s.c.

§ 3592

c) 16 ) ) .

WILLI M

N.

NETTLES

jnr )

UNITED ST TES TTORNEY

CIVIL RIGHTS

DIVISION

TTORNEY GENER L

13


14/15

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT

OF SOUTH

CAROLINA

CHARLESTON DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF

AMERICA §

v

s

s

s

s

CRIMINAL

NO.

DYLANN

ROOF

s

s

CERTIFICATE

OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

I, Loretta E. Lynch, hereby certify that in my

judgment

prosecution by the United States

of

Dylann

Roof

for

vio

lating Title 18, United States

Code §

249(a){l), is in the public interest

and

is necessary to

secure

substantial justice and the state lacks jurisdiction to bring a hate crime

prosecution. This certification is

made

pursuant to Title 18, United

States

Code § 249

<

Signed this1.t -·day o f ~ 2015.

r t

ta

F.

Lynch

Attorney General


15/15

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICTOF SOUTH CAROLINA

CHARLESTON DIVISION

UNITED

STATES OF AMERICA

§

§

V

CRIMINAL

NO

DYLANNROOF

CERTIFICATEOF

THE

ATTORNEY GENERAL

I, Loretta E. Lynch, hereby certify that in my judgment, prosecution

by

the United States

of ylann Roof

for violating Title 18, United States Code, § 247(a)(2),

is

in the public interest

and is necessary to secure substantial justice. This certification is made pursuant to Title 18 ,

United States Code, § 247 (e).

Signed this

J c

'--day of July, 2015.

Loretta

E

Lynch

Attorney General

US v. Dylan Roof Indictment

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