A federal district court jury believed that life in prison would offer no chance of redemption for the 22-year-old who brutally murdered nine people at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in June 2015 — and chose the death penalty for him.

“Jurors took about three hours to make their decision after listening to closing arguments from prosecutors and Roof, who told the panel in a brief, disjointed statement that he continues to stand by” what he did almost two years ago, as USA Today reported.

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After the decision, Roof — who said nothing during the sentencing — asked the judge to appoint a new defense team “in preparation for a motion in which he will ask for a new trial,” noted the publication. The judge said he would review that matter after a formal sentencing hearing on Wednesday morning.

Roof served as his own attorney in the sentencing phase. He had been represented earlier by two attorneys who continue to serve as his standby counselors. “We want to express our sympathy to all of the families who were so grievously hurt by Dylann Roof’s actions,” a statement from Roof and his team read in part.

Roof briefly addressed jurors about his slaying of nine people, essentially saying, “I had to do it.”