Dylann Roof Pleads to State Murder Charges

(CN) - Convicted Charleston church gunman Dylann Roof will plead guilty to state murder charges to avoid a second death sentence.

Roof will enter his guilty plea at a hearing in Charleston Circuit Court April 10, according to Solicitor Scarlett Wilson.

She said he will enter the plea in exchange for a sentence of life in prison.

Roof was convicted in federal court in December for the murder of nine black parishioners and wounding of three others at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church in June 2015.

Roof was awaiting trial on state murder charges for the same crimes, and Wilson had consistently maintained she too would seek the death penalty.

She said the plea deal will allow Roof to be transferred to federal custody.

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