Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report
A federal appeals court has denied white supremacist Dylann Roof's request to replace his Jewish and Indian lawyers who are appealing his death sentence for a racist massacre in South Carolina a day after he filed it.
The 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals issued a one-page, 11-word denial on Tuesday.
Roof's handwritten appeal was filed on Monday. He wrote: “It will be impossible for me to trust two attorneys that are my political and biological enemies.”
Show all 30 1 /30In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings The church held its first service since a mass shooting left nine people dead during a bible study
Reuters
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Parishioners embrace before services at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina
Reuters
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings The sun rises behind the historic Emanuel African Methodist Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Church elders decided to hold the regularly scheduled Sunday school and worship service as they continue to grieve the death of nine of its members and its pastor
Getty
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings A bicyclist rides in front of the Emanuel AME Church before the first worship service since nine people were fatally shot during a Bible study group, in Charleston
AP
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings People arrive for Sunday services at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The African-American church in the southern US city of Charleston where nine people were slain by a white gunman re-opened for services the same day. Dylann Roof, 21, was charged 19 June with murdering nine people during Bible study
EPA
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Church member Kevin Polite, right, helps members into the church, in Charleston, S.C
AP
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings A police officer and his tracking dog pass the memorial site outside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. The African-American church in the southern US city of Charleston where nine people were slain by a white gunman will re-open for services the same day, local media reported
EPA
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Television news crews set up temporary studios across the street from the Emanuel African Methodist Church before the Sunday service in Charleston, South Carolina. Church elders decided to hold the regularly scheduled Sunday school and worship service as they continue to grieve the death of nine of its members and its pastor
Getty
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Walter Jackson, left, holds a photo of his mother Susie Jackson, one of the nine people killed in shooting at Emanuel AME Church
AP
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings People attend a vigil at TD Arena for victims of the Charleston church shooting
GETTY
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Mourners gather outside of Emauel AME church
AP
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Hundreds rallied in support of the nine people shot dead at Emanuel African Methodist Church
Getty
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Mourners pray and lay flowers during a community service for victims of the shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Getty Images
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Gary and Aurelia Washington, center left and right, the son and granddaughter of Ethel Lance who died in the shooting, leave a sidewalk memorial in front of Emanuel AME Church comforted by fellow family members
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Curtis Clayton holds a sign protesting racism after the fatal shooting at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Mourners light candles for the nine victims of the shooting at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Charleston shooting suspect Dylann Storm Roof is escorted from the Cleveland County Courthouse in Shelby
AP
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Rev Al Sharpton holds a group prayer outside Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church where nine people were killed
Getty Images
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Worshippers in Charleston, South Carolina, across the street from Emanuel AME Church, where six women and three men were shot dead
AP
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings A passing motorist looks out her window as she stops at an intersection down the street from the Emanuel AME Church
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Surreace Cox, of North Charleston, holds a sign during a prayer vigil down the street from the Emanuel AME Church
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings A police officer uses a flashlight while searching the area following a shooting in Charleston
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Police talk to a man outside the Emanuel AME Church following a shooting
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings The steeple of Emanuel AME Church is visible as police close off a section of Calhoun Street following a shooting in Charleston
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings A visitor contemplates floral tributes close to the church where a white man shot dead nine black people at a Bible study class
AP
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings Charleston Police Chief Gregory Mullen, center, addresses the media while joined by Mayor Joseph Riley, right, down the street from the Emanuel AME Church, following a shooting in Charleston
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings A man reacts while talking to police officer near the scene of shooting at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings An armed police officer moves up Calhoun Street following a shooting
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings An impromptu prayer
Twitter/David Goldman/AP
In pictures: Charleston Church Shooting Charleston Church Shootings A man kneels across the street from where police gather outside the Emanuel AME Church following a shooting Wednesday
AP
Roof was sentenced to death in January after being convicted of hate crimes in the killings of nine black worshippers at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church in June 2015.
In denying Roof's requests, the judges wrote: “The court denies the motion for substitution of counsel on appeal.”
AP
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies