South Carolina death row inmate seeks to volunteer to die after friends are executed

COLUMBIA,S.C.—Afterhisbestfriendandfourotherofhisfellowdeathrowinmateshavebeenputtodeathinlessthanayear,aSouthCarolinainmatewantstobecomehisownattorneywhichwouldlikelymeanhisownexecutioninweeksormonths. Afederaljudgehasordereda45-daydelayinJamesRobertson’srequesttohaveadifferentlawyertalktohimandmakesurehereallywantstofirehisownattorneysanddealwiththelikelylethalconsequencesofhisdecision. Robertson,51,hasbeenondeathrowsince1999afterkillingbothhisparentsintheirRockHillhome.Hebeathisfatherwiththeclawendofahammerandabaseballbatandstabbedhismother.Hetriedtomakeitlooklikearobberyinhopeshewouldgethispartoftheir$2.2millionestate,prosecutorssaid. Robertsonhasfiredhislawyersbefore.Notlongafterhearrivedondeathrowhewantedtodrophisappealsafteracardplayingbuddyneverappealedhisdeathsentenceforsettingavanonfirewithhisdaughterinsideoutsidehisex-wife’shouse. Aone-pageletterfromRobinsonlandedinafederaljudge&#