No trial delay for Dylann Roof after officer's mistrial

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Lawyers for Dylann Roof said the publicity surrounding the mistrial of a police officer in a murder trial across the street from where Roof's trial is set to begin Wednesday should delay the start of his case, but a judge refused the request in just hours calling it illogical and farfetched.

Roof's lawyers filed the motion Tuesday, about 18 hours before jury selection begins in Roof's death penalty trial.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel denied what he called the "utterly farfetched and illogical" request, saying the shootings are completely unrelated and that a 45-item questionnaire and extensive in-person questioning last week assured him all 67 people in the jury pool are fair and impartial.

Roof is charged with federal hate crimes and obstruction of justice in the nine shooting deaths at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church on June 17, 2015.