Charges revealed against Charleston rampage suspect's pal
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Dylann Roof's friend knew about his plans to shoot black church members during Bible study in Charleston and lied to investigators when they interviewed him a day after the massacre, according to an indictment unsealed Friday.
Joey Meek, 21, hung out with Roof off and on in the weeks before the June 17 shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal and failed to let authorities know that Roof was planning a racially motivated attack, the indictment said.
On Friday, Meek stood before a federal magistrate in handcuffs, shackles and an orange jumpsuit and pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to investigators and concealing information. He answered "yes" to questions about whether he understood the charges and the possible sentences.
According to the indictment, Meek knowingly lied to an FBI agent when he said "that he did not know specifics of Dylann Roof's plan to shoot individuals on a Wednesday, during Bible Study, at an AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina." The indictment does not specify how the government knows Meek was lying.
If convicted, Meek faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for lying to investigators. The maximum penalty for concealing information is three years.
His bond was set at $100,000. It wasn't immediately clear whether he would be able to make bail.
Meek's brothers and his girlfriend, Lindsey Fry, sat behind him in court. Meek's mother blew him a kiss as he was led out of the courtroom. She was red-faced and teary eyed as she left. None of them wanted to talk with reporters after the hearing.
Meek's attorney and prosecutors also refused to comment.
Meek has said Roof stayed with him before the shootings. Meek previously told CBS News that Roof had complained that "black people was taking over the country."
Meek said that Roof told him he wanted to "start a civil war."
"It was a plan," Meek told CBS News about the attack. "He said that he was planning it for six months."
Meek, of Lexington, told The Associated Press that Roof said he used birthday money from his parents to buy a .45-caliber Glock semi-automatic handgun. Meek said he took the gun away from Roof the night of a drunken rant in which he complained that "blacks were taking over the world" and "someone needed to do something about it for the white race." Meek gave the gun back to Roof when he had sobered up.
Meek also said he called authorities after recognizing Roof from surveillance footage from the church.
Roof is in jail, facing federal hate crime charges and nine counts of murder in state court.
On Aug. 6, Meek received a letter that he was the target of an investigation. He was arrested Thursday while working at his air conditioning repair job.
Meek is on probation, having pleaded guilty earlier this year to possessing a stolen vehicle, according to Lexington County court records.
No other family or friends who spent extensive time with Roof at the mobile home have received target letters, Fry said.