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Community reacts to Roof death sentence

Tim Smith
tcsmith@greenvillenews.com

CHARLESTON -- Melvin Graham said he believes the jury's sentence of death Tuesday in the murders of his sister and eight others at Emanuel AME Church constituted justice.

But the sentence brought no joy to him, he said, "because my sister is still gone."

"He just took them away from us because he wanted to," he said of Roof. "He decided the day, the hour, the moment, my sister was going to die. And now someone is going to do that for him."

Graham was the sole family member to speak publicly in the immediate aftermath of Roof's death sentence as the Charleston community grappled with the end of a months long trial and its meaning.

The Rev. Thomas Dixon, founder of a Charleston social justice group called The Coalition, told The Greenville News that while he believes the jury's decision was just, he said it remains difficult for the community to heal.

Not only are appeals likely in Roof's case, he said, but a state trial for Roof is still scheduled. And each time there is a hearing, family members of victims must relive the tragedy.

"It's still extremely difficult to move on from June 17," he said, referring to the date in 2015 of the racially motivated shootings." The community is still experiencing pain. Healing is not always an easy process."

He said he would like to see changes to the system to streamline hearings or appeals in cases like Roof's to keep family members and victims from reliving the tragedy.

State Sen. Marlon Kimpson, a Charleston Democrat, said he hopes Roof's sentence will close a "horrific chapter in the lives of the families and the survivors and the Charleston community."

"Many believe by the most stringent penalty being recommended by the jury, many are  satisfied," he said. "Having said that, it will not bring back the lives back of those who we lost and we have to move forward in honoring their lives by continuing the work that they did while on earth.

"While justice has been served, there is so much more work to do in terms of improving the racial climate in this state."

U.S. Senator Tim Scott said in a statement that Roof was "rightly" sentenced to die.

“Nineteen months ago, a heartless murderer attempted to start a race war," he said in a statement. "He believed the damage his racist hands wrought would undo Charleston, South Carolina, and maybe even the nation"

Scott said the survivors and family members of victims left him in awe.

"Hearing firsthand recollections of that night, learning even more about how much the families of those killed loved and cared for them, I am sure I am not the only one overwhelmed with emotion," he said. "While we can never bring back the Emanuel Nine, we can ensure their legacy will live on forever. We will continue to stand behind the families, and their message of unity.

"Today is a pivotal moment in their road towards some sort of closure, and we will all be there with them on that journey."

Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone of the Charleston Roman Catholic Diocese, said in a statement that the church opposes the death penalty.

"The Church believes the right to life is paramount to every other right as it affords the opportunity for conversion, even of the hardened sinner," he said. "Sentencing Dylann Roof to death conflicts with the Church’s teaching that all human life is sacred, even for those who have committed the most heinous of crimes.

"Instead of pursuing death, we should be extending compassion and forgiveness to Mr. Roof, just as some of the victims’ families did at his bond hearing in June 2015."

Graham, brother of Cynthia Hurd who died at Roof's hands, said he has not yet forgiven Roof. He said he lost a friend and confidant. His other sister had to go through cancer without her sister. Graham said he is "a work in progress" in the process of forgiveness.

"It's a hard thing to know that someone is going to lose their life," he said of the death sentence. "But when you look at the totality of what happened, it's hard to say this person deserves to live when the nine others don't. How do you justify saving one life when he took nine and in such a brutal fashion."

He said he supports the death penalty in certain circumstances.

"This case was so obvious, it was so blatant," he said. "This wasn't a killing. It was an execution. And he admitted to it, and he was proud of it."

Graham said unlike in his sister's case, Roof has another chance.

"He's in God's hands now," he said. "And if he makes a humble confession to God, then he can join my sister and the other eight because God said I will forgive you no matter what you do. But it's up to him."

The courtroom was filled with about 40 friends and family members of victims, while family members of Roof, who had appeared periodically throughout the proceedings, were not on hand to watch as the jurors sentenced the 22-year-old to death.

But a man identified as Roof’s spiritual advisor, one who had testified at a closed door hearing to determine if Roof was competent to stand trial, was in the courtroom gallery and issued a brief statement after the sentence was read.

"I denounce Dylann's unspeakable crimes. I pray fervently for the victims, their surviving family and friends, and for the faithful of Mother Emanuel,” wrote Father John Parker, of Holy Ascension Orthodox Church in Mount Pleasant. “As an Orthodox Christian, I serve Dylann in imitation of the Lord Jesus Christ, who instructed us to visit the imprisoned and to bless those who curse us."