Brandon Bernard was executed on Thursday, December 10, at the Federal Correctional Center in Terre Haute, Indiana. The 40-year-old received the death penalty for his role in the 1999 murders of Todd and Stacie Bagley, in which he was accused of disposing of evidence. Bernard became the ninth execution by the justice department this year.
Bernard’s case became a cause celebre among several high-profile figures and notable Democrats — all demanding a stay of execution. According to Newsweek, among those who supported his case were reality TV star Kim Kardashian West and Democrat Senators Richard Durbin (IL) and Cory Booker (NJ). Meanwhile, over half a million people signed a change.org petition calling for the death sentence to be commuted to life in prison. However, the Supreme Court rejected a stay of execution and proceeded to put him to death.
Following the execution, several prominent figures on social media began comparing the treatment of Bernard, who was involved in a double homicide, and the treatment of Dylann Roof, who shot and killed nine members of a Black congregation in Charleston, South Carolina.*
In this image from the video uplink from the detention center to the courtroom, Dylann Roof appears at Centralized Bond Hearing Court on June 19, 2015, in North Charleston, South Carolina. (Getty Images)
Roof was apprehended on June 18, 2015 — one day after he opened fire at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. Five Shelby (NC) police officers surrounded Roof’s vehicle after he pulled off the highway and took him into custody.
When the killer said he was hungry, officers reportedly brought him food from a nearby Burger King. Shelby Police Chief Jeff Ledford told the Charlotte Observer that Roof did not show remorse and expressed racist views while confessing to the murders, but was “very quiet, very calm. He didn’t talk.”
Now, several social media users have alleged that Roof is getting preferential treatment as compared to Bernard.
“Trump denied clemency for #BrandonBernard. He was 18, shot no one, but was with a group that did. Trump praised Kyle Rittenhouse. He murdered 2 #BlackLivesMatter protesters. White ‘Christians’ raised him $1 M. Police took Dylan Roof to Burger King. He murdered 9 Black ppl,” Bishop Talbert Swan wrote on Twitter on December 11.
“Dylan Roof was taken to Burger King by police after he massacred 9 people while they were praying in Church. Dylan Roof a White Supremacist is still alive. Brandon Bernard who wasn’t the shooter in his crime is dead. The justice system varies depending on one’s color,” actor Kirk Acevedo added.
“Dylan Roof trending. To underscore there are 2 systems of justice. 1 for Black people. 1 for white. It’s true. But Roof was also condemned to die & even if you think he should be murdered by the state, you cant just have death penalty for one person. Must abolish it for all,” lawyer Scott Hechinger wrote.
Dylan Roof was taken to Burger King by police after he massacred 9 people while they were praying in Church.
Dylan Roof a White Supremacist
is still alive.
Brandon Bernard who wasn’t the shooter in his crime is dead.
The justice system varies depending on one’s color. pic.twitter.com/JDjUQqXoZ5
— Kirk Acevedo🇺🇸 (@kirkacevedo) December 11, 2020
Dylan Roof trending. To underscore there are 2 systems of justice. 1 for Black people. 1 for white. It’s true. But Roof was also condemned to die & even if you think he should be murdered by the state, you cant just have death penalty for one person. Must abolish it for all. pic.twitter.com/zaCvTkCUfv
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) December 11, 2020
However, some of those on the right have lambasted the comparison. “Dylan Roof is trending because extremely low IQ leftists are claiming it’s racist that Brandon Bernard was executed but Dylan Roof was not executed. Please note: Dylan Roof was sentenced to death and will be executed. Please do not embarrass yourself by making this comparison,” political pundit Matt Walsh chimed in.
“I see some misinformation spreading.. just letting you know Dylan Roof was sentenced to death by lethal injection but it usually takes around 30 years for it to happen,” another Twitter user added.
Dylan Roof is trending because extremely low IQ leftists are claiming it’s racist that Brandon Bernard was executed but Dylan Roof was not executed. Please note: Dylan Roof was sentenced to death and will be executed. Please do not embarrass yourself by making this comparison.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) December 11, 2020
i see some misinformation spreading.. just letting you know dylan roof was sentenced to death by lethal injection but it usually takes around 30 years for it to happen… https://t.co/HRVglWYnYt
— cassandra ⁷ 🇵🇦 (@fkacassandra) December 11, 2020
