Roof to have another mental health, competency hearing on Monday

The issue of Dylann Roof's mental status will be argued in court a second time on Monday, a day before a jury is to begin the process of deciding whether the Columbia-area man should be executed for killing nine Charleston church parishioners.

Roof’s lead attorney, David Bruck, filed a motion to hold another hearing on whether the 22-year-old is competent. Federal trial Judge Richard Gergel granted the request and set a hearing for 9 a.m. at the Charleston courthouse where Roof was found guilty earlier this month of all 33 counts, including hate crime offenses.

The hearing is likely to be closed to the public and witnesses as was a similar hearing before the guilty portion of Roof’s trial began.

An announcement by the United States District Court about the last-minute hearing states that the mental health issue should not delay the start of the sentencing phase on Tuesday.

This story was originally published December 29, 2016 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Roof to have another mental health, competency hearing on Monday."