Reuters/The Age, June 20, 2015
Charleston, South Carolina: Relatives of some of the nine black people gunned down while they studied the Bible at a historic South Carolina church offered tearful words of forgiveness on Friday to the 21-year-old white man charged with murdering their loved ones.
Dylann Roof, who sat for an hour with parishioners at the nearly 200-year-old Emanuel African Methodist Church before opening fire, stood quietly as he appeared in court via a video feed.
Dressed in a black-and-white prison uniform and flanked by two guards in body armour, Roof had no reaction as a judge ordered him held without bail.
“May God have mercy on your soul,” said Felicia Sanders, whose 26-year-old son, Tywanza Sanders, was the youngest person to die in Wednesday’s rampage. “You have killed some of the most beautiful people that I know. Every fibre in my body hurts.”
Roof looked down occasionally and showed no emotion as Sanders and four other family members spoke of how he had been welcomed to the church by the nine people he has been charged with murdering.
Roof could be sentenced to death if he is convicted and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, a Republican, urged prosecutors to seek capital punishment.
Still, family members offered words of mercy during the brief court appearance.
“I acknowledge that I am very angry,” said Bethane Middleton Brown, who said her slain sister, Middleton Doctor, would have urged love.
“She taught me that we are the family that love built,” Middleton Brown said. “We have no room for hating, so we have to forgive.”
“I forgive you,” said Nadine Collier, the daughter of 70-year-old Ethel Lance, as the accused, 21-year-old Dylann Roof watched on via a video link. “You took something very precious from me. I will never talk to her again, I will never, ever hold her again. But I forgive you. Have mercy on your soul.”
Anthony Thompson, the grandson of Myra Thompson, 59, told the court: “We would like you to take this opportunity to repent. … Do that and you’ll be better off than you are right now.”
Alana Simmons, whose grandfather Reverend Daniel Simmons, 74, was also killed in the attack, spoke of forgiveness and love. “Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof, that they lived in love.
“Their legacies will live in love so hate won’t win. I just want to thank the court for making sure that hate doesn’t win.”
As the hearing went on a shrine grew on the street in front of the Emmanuel African Methodist Church in downtown Charleston where the attack took place. In stifling heat mourners gathered to pray and lay flowers and notes of love and support.
One simply quoted the Gospel according to John, “This is my commandment, that you love one another.”
Charleston, South Carolina: Relatives of some of the nine black people gunned down while they studied the Bible at a historic South Carolina church offered tearful words of forgiveness on Friday to the 21-year-old white man charged with murdering their loved ones.
Dylann Roof, who sat for an hour with parishioners at the nearly 200-year-old Emanuel African Methodist Church before opening fire, stood quietly as he appeared in court via a video feed.
Dressed in a black-and-white prison uniform and flanked by two guards in body armour, Roof had no reaction as a judge ordered him held without bail.
“May God have mercy on your soul,” said Felicia Sanders, whose 26-year-old son, Tywanza Sanders, was the youngest person to die in Wednesday’s rampage. “You have killed some of the most beautiful people that I know. Every fibre in my body hurts.”
Roof looked down occasionally and showed no emotion as Sanders and four other family members spoke of how he had been welcomed to the church by the nine people he has been charged with murdering.
Roof could be sentenced to death if he is convicted and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, a Republican, urged prosecutors to seek capital punishment.
Still, family members offered words of mercy during the brief court appearance.
“I acknowledge that I am very angry,” said Bethane Middleton Brown, who said her slain sister, Middleton Doctor, would have urged love.
“She taught me that we are the family that love built,” Middleton Brown said. “We have no room for hating, so we have to forgive.”
“I forgive you,” said Nadine Collier, the daughter of 70-year-old Ethel Lance, as the accused, 21-year-old Dylann Roof watched on via a video link. “You took something very precious from me. I will never talk to her again, I will never, ever hold her again. But I forgive you. Have mercy on your soul.”
Anthony Thompson, the grandson of Myra Thompson, 59, told the court: “We would like you to take this opportunity to repent. … Do that and you’ll be better off than you are right now.”
Alana Simmons, whose grandfather Reverend Daniel Simmons, 74, was also killed in the attack, spoke of forgiveness and love. “Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, this is proof, that they lived in love.
“Their legacies will live in love so hate won’t win. I just want to thank the court for making sure that hate doesn’t win.”
As the hearing went on a shrine grew on the street in front of the Emmanuel African Methodist Church in downtown Charleston where the attack took place. In stifling heat mourners gathered to pray and lay flowers and notes of love and support.
One simply quoted the Gospel according to John, “This is my commandment, that you love one another.”
