Alleged church shooter’s friend pleads not guilty to lying

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – 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.

A day after the shooting, Meek told The Associated Press that Roof had drunkenly complained to him that “blacks were taking over the world” and “someone needed to do something about it for the white race.”

Meek, of Lexington, also said Roof told him that 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 his drunken rant but gave it back to him when he had sobered up.

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.