Dylann Roof will represent himself in the Charleston church massacre trial

Dylann Roof will be allowed to act as his own attorney against the charge that he massacred nine parishioners during a Bible study at a historically black Charleston, South Carolina church last June, a judge ruled on Monday.

The judge approved Roof’s motion to represent himself in court, though he advised Roof that it would be “wise” for him to retain the counsel of professional attorneys, according to local media reports.

After a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, Roof was ruled competent to stand trial on Friday. He has plead not guilty to 33 federal charges ranging from hate crimes to gun charges.

Roof and the prosecution were set to begin combing through a pool of nearly 500 prospective jurors for the trial, which could begin as early as mid-December, KFDM reported.