Dylann Roof Bond Hearing; Victims Address Charleston Terrorist & Thug In Court

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Charleston County Magistrate James Gosnell Jr told the court on Friday: “We have victims, nine of them. But we also have victims on the other side. There are victims on this young man’s side of the family.”

Dylann Roof’s relatives released a statement through his attorney:
“Words cannot express our shock, grief and disbelief as to what happened that night. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those killed this week. We have all been touched by the moving words from the victims’ families offering God’s forgiveness and love in the face of such horrible suffering. Our hope and prayer is for peace and healing for the families of the victims, the Charleston community, and those touched by these events throughout the state of South Carolina and our nation.”

Family members in turn addressed Dylann in court:
Anthony Thompson, a relative of Myra Thompson: “I forgive you, my family forgives you. But… take this opportunity to repent. Repent. Confess. Give your life to the one that matters the most – Christ – so that he can change you and change your ways no matter what happened to you, and you’ll be OK. Do that and you’ll be better off than you are right now.”

The mother of 26-year-old Tywanza Sanders:
“Every fiber in my body hurts and it’ll never be the same. Tywanza Sanders was my son, but Tywanza was my hero.”

The sister of DePayne Middleton-Doctor:
“DePayne taught me that we are the family that love built. We have no will for hating… May God bless you.”

Chief Magistrate James Gosnell told Dylann that his next court appearance will be in October, followed by another appearance in February next year.

Pastor Clementa Pinckney, 41

Clementa Pinckney, 41, was the beloved pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the country’s oldest black churches, and had been a state legislator for 19 years.

He has been remembered as a giant and a legend by his peers.

Just one year after graduating from Allen University in 1995, Pinckney became, at 23, the youngest African-American elected to the South Carolina Legislature. In 2000, he was elected to the state Senate.

He earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of South Carolina in 1999 and studied at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary.

A native of Beaufort, Pinckney began preaching at age 13 and was first appointed pastor at 18. He was named pastor of Mother Emanuel AME Church in 2010, according to the state Democratic Party.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

Pastor Sharonda Coleman Singleton, 45
Reverend Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, 45, was a part-time minister at Emanuel AME Church and worked as a speech pathologist at Goose Creek High School, where she was also the girls track coach.

Principal Jimmy Huskey said she was so dedicated she was at work before 8am and typically didn’t leave until 8pm.

The mother of three had run track herself as a student at South Carolina State University, helping lead her team to a conference championship.

Also a speech therapist and ministerial staff member at the church, she was hailed as an ‘excellent role model’.

Ethel Lance, 70
Ethel Lance, 70, was a Charleston native who had been a member of the church for most of her life.

She retired after working for more than 30 years on the housekeeping staff at the city’s Gaillard Auditorium.

She had served as a sexton at the church for the last five years, helping to keep the historic building clean. She was also a lover of gospel music.

Lance had five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Susie Jackson, 87
Susie Jackson, 87, was a longtime church member and sang in the choir.

She and Ethel Lance were cousins.

Jackson had recently visited her son and grandchildren in Cleveland, Ohio.

Susie Jackson, who was fond of playing slot machines, was scheduled to go on a church-sponsored bus trip to Chicago on Sunday and was looking forward to going to the top of the Willis Tower, said Jean Jackson, an associate member of the church.

Tywanza Sanders, 26
The youngest person killed in the attack was Tywanza Sanders, who graduated from Allen University’s division of business administration in Columbia last year.

‘He was a quiet, well-known student who was committed to his education. He presented a warm and helpful spirit as he interacted with his colleagues. Mr. Sanders was participating in the Bible Study session at Mother Emanuel church at the time of the shooting,‘ according to a statement from Allen University.

His social media pages also indicate he worked at a barber shop.

Sanders posted his last Instagram picture before the meeting last night.

‘A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives,’ quoting Jackie Robinson.

DePayne Middleton-Doctor, 49
Whether she was working with college students or Charleston’s poorest residents, DePayne Middleton-Doctor wanted to be in a position to help people.

So co-workers weren’t surprised when she decided to become a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Middleton-Doctor, a 49-year-old mother of four daughters, just started her job as an enrollment counselor at the university in December, said Crawford, who worked with her as a student services coordinator.

Before that, Middleton-Doctor had been employed for several years by Charleston County, where she helped administer grants aimed at helping the county’s poorest residents with problems they couldn’t otherwise afford to fix such as repairing roofs or septic tanks, said J. Elliott Summey, chairman of the Charleston County Council. He said she left her county job in 2005.

Cynthia Hurd, 54

Cynthia Hurd, was the manager of one of the busiest branches of the Charleston County library system. In her honor, the system closed all 16 of its branches Thursday, the day after her death.

She grew up in Charleston, and her mother made sure they went Emanuel AME Church on Sundays, Wednesdays and any other time it was open, said her brother Malcom Graham, a former state senator from North Carolina.

Hurd’s husband is a merchant sailor currently at sea near Saudi Arabia. Graham was trying to help him get home.

Myra Thompson, 59

Myra Thompson, 59, was also killed at the church, her daughter confirmed but would not comment further.

Thompson was the wife of Rev Anthony Thompson, Vicar of Holy Trinity REC (ACNA) Church in Charleston.

Archbishop Foley Beach wrote on Facebook: ‘Please join me in praying for the Rev. Anthony Thompson, Vicar of Holy Trinity REC (ACNA Church in Charleston, his family, and their congregation, with the killing of his wife, Myra, in the Charleston shootings last night.’

Thompson’s daughter is reportedly a prominent figure in Atlanta’s Big Bethel AME Church.

Daniel Simmons, 45

Daniel L Simmons, 45, a retired pastor from another church in Charleston, also died.

He attended the church every Sunday for services and Wednesdays for bible study, his daughter-in-law said.

Unlike the other victims, he was rushed to hospital but he passed away on the operating table, the coroner said.

Mini Bio Source: Daily Mail