A white police officer in North Charleston, S.C., was charged with murder Tuesday after shooting and killing a black man following a routine traffic stop over the weekend.
The decision to charge the officer, Michael Thomas Slager, came after graphic video footage emerged depicting Slager firing a volley of bullets into the back of Walter Scott, who was running away.
Officers rarely face criminal charges after shooting people, a fact that has played into nationwide protests over the past year over how the police use deadly force. Yet this case took a swift, unusual turn after a video shot by a bystander provided authorities with a decisive narrative that differed from Slager’s account.
“It wasn’t just based on the officers’ word anymore,” said Chris Stewart, an attorney for Scott’s family. “People were believing this story.”
Authorities on Tuesday also pointed to the video as a turning point in this case and apologized to the family for the shooting.
“When you’re wrong, you’re wrong,” North Charleston Mayor R. Keith Summey said at a news conference. “If you make a bad decision, don’t care if you’re behind the shield…you have to live with that decision.”
What a horrible situation. A routine traffic stop ends up with a death. A man is dead. A cop could face life in prison.
What would possess a police officer to repeatedly shoot someone in the back? The behavior is inexplicable. Thank goodness there was a witness with a cell phone.
There will be deniers. It’s just a sign of the times.
About time one of these officers is arrested and prosecuted. The rash of police killings of unarmed black must end now.
Sending several shots at a man running away!
This is spectacularly awful !
Try him. If the video proves to be un-doctored, Convict him.
This brings up my previous inquiry.
In this situation, the guy was running away. The police officer didn’t want him to run away. In a situation like this, can we come up with another way to stop the fleeing man without shooting him five times?
“There will be deniers. It’s just a sign of the times.” – who would deny this? This officer should be and was charged with murder.
Oh someone will make up something. Never fear.
The video shows portions of many of the claims that have been made in the recent past –
planting/modifying evidence
telling a story different from the facts
officer clearly not in danger
victim unarmed and shot in the back
filing false reports
Disgusting. Reminds me of this incident – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/25/sean-groubert-fired-arrested_n_5879694.html
Unfortunately, the actions of a few taint the majority of police officers who are good people doing good things. The reports filed before the video was released tell a story different from the time line of the video.
The difference between this and Ferguson is that the police officer had to tell his version before they got all the witnesses version of events. I bet if they had this video before the officer wrote his report they would have been able to spin this. Maybe they still will convince a jury that the officer thought the deceased was armed but it will be difficult to say the witnesses are lying as they did in Ferguson.
This is not just one rouge officer. That is the lie that prevents reforming how police officers treat the public, especially minorities.
There are localities that have unprofessional police officers. There are other localities that pride themselves on a professional staff. It starts at the top and nothing is taken for granted.
Additionally, even on the best forces, occasionally crud slips through and you just get a bad cop.
I certainly don’t like painting all police and all police forces with the same broad brush.
I believe Prince William County has a particularly professional police department.
If everyone starts the camera rolling as soon as any police action starts we can document and then prevent some of this abuse of the public trust. The secret is not to rush out and get the video on the news until the officer has filed his report.
I think that happened in this case.
This looks to be a seasoned officer, making the video all the more surprising.
The difference here as compared to other recent events is that he has been arrested and charged. I, for one, cannot see what started this whole affiar – but maybe all of you can – all of you who were so very sure and would have hung officer Wilson need to take a big step back and let the process work its course and just say — Hmmmm. And yes, I understand that if there was an assult on the officer by an individual with a warrant out for his arrest (anybody know why yet) running away can never – ever – be the justification for shooting, nor would any attemp to take the officer’s gun or tazer.
As in so many cases like this, we don’t know what really happened before the video started – and yes, it does matter. But wait, lets not let any facts get in the way of the narrative – I can see all I need to see with my own eyes. And here we go, lying bad racist officers this and bad racist lying officers that.
Blue, I am not sure who you felt was ready to hang officer Wilson. I certainly wasn’t and I cant think of anyone else who was ready to do that.
I think you get confused and think you are some place else.
“As in so many cases like this, we don’t know what really happened before the video started – and yes, it does matter.”
Not really, I don’t think. When you’re entrusted with a badge and gun, it’s under a presumption that you’re to follow rules. Not do what you want and fake evidence later. You pick up that taxpayer-funded gun and start shooting people in the back, who don’t have weapons, it’s murder.
The proliferation of cameras in cellphones will presumably do more to curb police abuse than any series of protests ever could.
Nod. I agree. I believe the protests have hurt the cause in fact.
I found myself screaming at the TV today for them to shut up. What else can the City of Charleston do? Nothing.
What are they protesting?
Once again Rick your law enforcement and legal background and sense of justicie speaks volumes. I am so comforted by the knowledge that nobody here was wrong about the “Hands up don’t shoot” narrative either.
Again, no one here really discussed the ” hands up don’t shoot” narrative.
Blue, I find you are just making crap up about the users here.
What started this reportedly was a broken taillight. Traffic stops for minor infractions should be eliminated from police procedures. Instead they should use a camera to document the infraction and mail the ticket. The abuse starts with selectively choosing who to stop either by profiling the vehicle or the neighborhood. (Come on, how many of you play the game of guessing details about the driver based on the make and model of car and the decorations. Police can’t help but do it too.)
You are right about the minor infractions. Its just an excuse. I have had it happen to me before. Lone woman leaving a bar is an easy way of making quota. Plus you probably are going to get tears rather than having some drunk dude try to beat the crap out of you. In my case, I was coming from elsewhere and had dropped a friend off at her car which was parked in the restaurant parking lot. Joke was on them but it was still a huge pain in the ass to me, especially because I cannot do 2 of the requirements on a field sobriety test.
Its also done to kids a lot. Always that tail light. Oh such bull-snort.
@blue
As in so many cases like this, we don’t know what really happened before the video started
it does not matter what happened before the video started – the officer was Clearly Not in any danger. What is clear to me though, is that the officer followed the unsanctioned procedure of making sure that the victim is dead with that final delayed shot, as the victim was falling to the ground and then arming him with the taser.
And telling a man close to death to put his hands behind him.
I am not trying to make Walter Scott a paragon of virtue. Obviously someone who has been arrested multiple times for not paying child support and who is driving a Mercedez is hardly a prince. Nevertheless, it doesn’t warrant being murdered.
There are people like blue who want to live as slaves in a police state.
Blue expects to be the slave master and that is why he advocates a police state.
Lies to further an agenda? Never happens. Just differences of opinion…regardless of what the evidence (conclusive in this case) shows…
I have already talked to someone who has a completely different narrative other than what is shown on the video. I am ashamed to tell you who that certain someone is.
He had a history of not paying child support. There was an outstanding warrant on him for that. The officer could see both hands and there was no indication that Mr. Scott was a threat to the officer or anyone else. The officer appeared to move his taser next to the body. It appears that the officer did not attempt any CPR but just stood there looking. As stated, not All the facts are available but I find the lack of lifesaving attempts chilling and insightful into the person of Officer Slager.
In my experience, cops don’t see race as much as the media would like to make people think; they see good guy or bad guy. That’s the “us” and “them” in their view.
@El Guapo
Even if we don’t, you cannot shoot a fleeing SUSPECT. PERIOD.
This appears to be murder to me.
There are circumstances where it is appropriate to shoot a fleeing suspect. This doesn’t appear to be one of those circumstances though.
You might if there is compelling evidence that the bad guy plans to do serious harm to others or has.
Absolutes are tough to live by.
Shooting an unarmed man in the back is cowardly and barbaric.
Again, absolutes are difficult to live by.
word is out that this officer has had at least one previous incident of using a taser for no apparent reason – he was cleared by the department who did not even talk to the victim nor witnesses…..the victim was also released from arrest as he was mistaken for his brother
Officer Slager – as CNN is quick to point out in an effort to stoke racial anger and ratings, is a white South Carolina police officer, who is claiming that he killed Walter Scott in self-defense. Its a good thing we have that video, which even the guy who took the video says begins after he saw them fighting on the ground. He is clearly guilty of murder, we can all see that, so now all we need to do is hang him – as many of you seem prepared to do.
The problem is justice. The Supreme Court held in 1989 that the appropriateness of use of force by officers “must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene,” rather than evaluated through 20/20 hindsight. Hmmm. That standard takes into account that police officers are frequently asked to make split-second decisions during fast-evolving confrontations, and should not be subject to overly harsh second guessing. Hmmmm.
In 1985 the Supreme held that the police may not shoot at a fleeing person unless the officer reasonably believes that the individual poses a danger to the officer, other officers or others in the community. What then was Officer Slager thinking? What did he know and when did he know it. It would seem then that the fight – on the ground – before the shooting is relevant — at the very least as a mitigating circumstance.
Look, I don’t know if he crossed the line or not yet. Nobody does. His being charged and fired without an investigation was political, predjudicial and probably illegal. It will all come out in time. In the interim can we refrain from calling it murder.
He was charged with murder.
What danger do you think Slager was in?
Oh, blue. Come on. You’re walking out onto a plank here that cannot support weight.
@blue
we must be watching a different video of the event.
The officer lied about events. The officer said he performed CPR. The officer moved the Taser from where it had been dropped. The mans hands were visible. His outstanding warrant was for child support.
You’re correct, we don’t have the “fight on the ground”. But I don’t think that’s needed. All it will prove is the adrenaline surge experienced by the officer.
There is a second video – from the officers car. There was also a passenger in the car. The police also confiscated the phone of Walter Scott’s brother after he took photo’s of the scene. Multiple officers filed reports that they performed CPR – false.
Totally disgusting what this department did – a complete coverup – and not just the one officer.
There are 340 officers on this force. It is obvious there are recruitment and selection issues, training isses and internal investigative issues. Wow! New Chief and new Command Staff in the immediate future for sure. But there are 340 officers – scary to think what would have happened without the tape from the citizen.
Here is another – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KIKUEjn3Z0
Did they really need to use this amount for force to handcuff this guy – I do understand adrenaline and the rush to punish someone fleeing – but come on.
Officer Slager is represented by Andy Savage. Andy was a JAG in the Air Force Reserve (he retired years ago). He and I were co-counsel for an airman accused of selling drugs at Charleston Air Force Base back in the late 80s. He’s a good attorney with a lot of experience in high profile cases (he represented Ali al-Marri who was held in solitary at the Charleston Naval Brig as an enemy combatant).
Slager is going to need a high profile good attorney. He also seems to have a decent mother. Thanks for the info Moe.