On Monday, attorneys in Charleston, South Carolina, will be meeting with 250 potential jurors to narrow down the final twelve who will serve on the jury in Dylann Roof’s federal trial.
The process of narrowing down twelve jurors, with six alternates, will see attorneys sifting through 3,000 potential jurors, with hearings beginning on Monday to begin selection for those who have not presented excuses to the court to try to exempt themselves. About half of the potential jurors are expected to try to exempt themselves or to not return the questionnaire.
Four hearings will be held throughout the day with groups of 80 in each hearing, and those who are not dismissed during the hearings will be given a case-specific questionnaire. Those who are given the questionnaire will return in November for the final selection process, with the trial set to begin on Nov. 7.
The 22-year-old Roof is facing federal charges after he entered the Emanuel AME Church, a historically black church, and killed nine people there during a Bible study group. At the time, Roof states that his intention was to incite a race war.