Attorneys for accused Charleston church shooter ask judge to let them out of other cases

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Attorneys representing the man accused of killing nine people at a historic black church say they need to focus solely on his case until it goes to trial.

Attorneys for Dylann Roof want a judge to protect them from having to appear in any other cases.

Roof is represented by Charleston County Public Defender Ashley Pennington and Bill McGuire, who handles only capital cases. Roof's case is set to go to trial next summer, and both lawyers say they need to focus only on his case until then.

The motion doesn't specify whether the attorneys' cases should get new lawyers or be delayed until after Roof's trial.

Prosecutors haven't said whether they'll seek the death penalty Roof also faces federal charges that could carry a death sentence.

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Kinnard can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP