Federal hate crimes trial for accused S.C. church shooter set for November

CHARLESTON, S.C., June 7 (UPI) -- An accused white supremacist who allegedly shot nine people dead at a South Carolina church a year ago will stand trial for federal hate crimes this fall, a judge ruled Tuesday.

A federal judge scheduled the federal trial of Dylann Roof to start on Nov. 7, at which he will be prosecuted for multiple hate crimes stemming from the June 17, 2015, massacre.

Roof, 22, faces two trials for the shootings -- the federal proceeding and a state prosecution that is scheduled to begin in January. However, state officials may reschedule the second trial since it's set for just a few weeks after the first.

Prosecutors in both cases will seek the death penalty.

Roof is accused of entering the historically black Emanuel AME Church in Charleston and shooting 10 people. Just one survived. Prosecutors argue that he is a white supremacist who carried out the rampage believing it would be a victory for Caucasians in a race war against African Americans.

The Justice Department accuses Roof of perpetrating hate crimes by executing people based on their race. The charges also say he shot the victims as they were exercising their religious freedom.