Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof sentenced to death

Dylann Roof.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dylann Roof, who was convicted in December on all charges related to the 2015 killing of nine black worshipers at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, was sentenced to death Tuesday.

Roof, who represented himself during the sentencing phase of the trial, told the jury, "I felt like I had to do it, and I still do feel like I had to do it," but still asked jurors to spare his life. "From what I've been told, I have a right to ask you to give me a life sentence, but I'm not sure what good that will do anyway," he said during his closing statements. "But what I will say is only one of you has to disagree with the other jurors."

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Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.