Video of South Carolina police shooting inflames debate

It looks to me like Scott dared to defend himself from being tazed by a cop.

That is an automatic death sentence.

The cop will walk. Not that I agree. I do not. What I see is murder. But the cop will walk.

Oh, you say he planted the tazer? Oh, no. The defense will say the cop had to move the tazer to safe position lest some kid pick it up.

This is straight up murder by "color of authority". The cop & the entire dept. are pretty much screwed. That was the worst shooting modern law enforcement has seen.

Interesting and revealing stat:

111 people were killed by the U.S. police in March this year.

The UK police have killed 52 since the year 1900.

What was going through this officer's mind? Anything? Was this a hunting trip?

You're not dealing with an armed and dangerous felon in the course of any kind of violent crime where lives are in danger (other than the guy killed by the cop, apparently). It's a traffic stop for a broken tail-light. Prior to the shooting you have the suspect's car, you have his ID, you have his buddy handcuffed to question.

Where was this man going to run to you couldn't find him later?

He shouldn't have tried to run.

He shouldn't have tried to run.

He shouldn't have. But that in no way excuses the officer for shooting him 8 times in the back.

Or at least it doesn't morally. American law is messed up - he may get let off legally.

He shouldn't have tried to run.

Why's that? Running from a misdemeanor traffic stop is a capital crime now so egregious the police don't even have to offer due process? They can just execute you in the street, drop a taser next to you and say, "Shot while trying to escape," just like in those POW movies, huh?

He shouldn't have tried to run.

Of course not! There was no reason for him to fear for his life or safety!

Oh, no, wait a minute....

The cop deserves to be given the shaft. Let the man run away: you have his car and his license plates. You will find him. Let him run away. Shooting someone in the back has always been deemed cowardly.....and lets not even get started on his planting of evidence.....

There have been too many instances of police misconduct lately to blame a few misfits and to assuage public opinion by firing a few scapegoats. Besides cops who use their public positions to advance their personal interest, and cops who defy law and order, what other surprises are in store for a public whose confidence in the thin blue line is so badly shaken?

But that in no way excuses the officer for shooting him 8 times in the back.

Where did I say it did excuse him? Rather, I meant if he hadn't tried to run, he would still be alive today.

Completely inexcusable from where I sit. And impossible to fathom.

Shooting at someone 8 times for running away?! Power gone mad.

what other surprises are in store for a public whose confidence in the thin blue line is so badly shaken?

There are hoards of Americans whose confidence in the police has not been shaken at all.

I have seen many, many defenses of the poor behavior of Darren Wilson, who threw himself in harms way over walking in the street, Timothy Loehman who rushed and gunned down a 12 year old boy, and Daniel Pantaleo who strangled a man to death over illegal cigarette sales. There is even the George Zimmerman debacle and his supporters to show that a great, great many Americans are all for overbearing, gung ho behavior and deadly force just so long as its to crack down on misdemeanors and imagined infractions of the social order by Black males.

Then you have the shooting death of Oscar Grant who was literally face down on floor when a cop shot him to death. There is even the shooting death of Terence Walker, Jr. who actually did have a gun but was running from police. He dropped his gun and when he picked it up, the cop claimed it was pointed at him, so he shot to kill, in the back, several times.

If anybody has shaken confidence in the police, its Black males. I scarcely think they do anything or go anywhere without being scrutinized by cops whose trigger fingers suddenly get itchy.

Too many hours sat in front of first-person shoot-em-up games as a kid?

"I need to take this one down or it's Game Over."

The child psychiatrists warned us about this....

Rather, I meant if he hadn't tried to run, he would still be alive today.

Maybe. Or maybe he would have been shot in the chest instead of the back, buttocks and thigh. We can't know either way because we can only know what did happen. And that was he was running and a cop shot him multiple times in the back from about 30 feet away without once warning him or ordering him to stop. The one action-- the shooting-- is not absolutely necessitated by the first-- the running. This is why the cop's defense lawyer took one look at this video and dropped the case like he'd been burned and the police department went ahead and fired him without convening a shooting board or paid leave. And why the officer is now a murder suspect rather than a law enforcement official.

Mental rejects will consider this a problem with US society, when in fact this is a problem only because of firearms and a multicultural society. The cop has been charged with murder and justice will be served.

Sorry to disagree with you, scipantheist, but only the cop in this case had a gun. And I live in a city where the multicultural society does very well. I would bet --- were I a betting man --- that many other Americans who post here view things similarly as I do....

Mental rejects will consider this a problem with US society, when in fact this is a problem only because of firearms and a multicultural society.

Um, the US is a multicultural society with a whack of guns - so it sounds like a US problem to me.

The cop has been charged with murder and justice will be served.

Don't count on that. It's by no means a forgone conclusion.

The officer reported that he fired in self-defense after the suspect he pulled over Saturday for a broken brake light grabbed his stun gun.

Little did this cop know that someone was recording the whole thing...SMH

He did murder but will he be found guilty is a different story. This video looks like solid evidence to find him guilty though. And I hope he gets life without parole!!

I watched this video and what I found crazy was that the victim wasn't even running fast!! The cop could've chased him if he really felt the need to arrest him.

What aggravates me even more is that someone tried to set up a defense fund on gofundme.com for this racist murderer. What kind of callous person does this? At least gofundme had the decency to close down the account this time.

In Boston recently there was a high jacking of an elderly lady at a gas station. A man put a knife to the victims throat. Listening I assumed he was black... He later got caught a few miles down the road trying to do the same thing. It turns out he was white and when the police caught him they said that "We hope he gets the help that he needs". If he was Black, a doubt the police would say that. Moral of the story, white criminals need mental help, black criminals are shooting targets.

The cop will walk...

I'd be willing to bet my next month's salary that he won't walk. Not from this.

An unarmed, older suspect jogging, not running, away from an officer who applies lethal force in what began as a simple misdomeanor taillight stop. No verbal command to stop or freeze. No verbal warning that the officer would shoot. And no evidence whatsoever that Scott was any threat to the officer in any way, shape, or form. Slager took careful aim as he squeezed off 8 shots into the back of man being stopped for a broken taillight.

And then Slager plants the dropped, **spent*** Taser next to Scott to create the appearance of a justifiable shooting.

No, Slager's not walking away from this. He's going to prison, a truth clearly supported by how quickly his first lawyer abandoned him when the video came to light.

I watched the video... he shot the guy about 5 times... or at least fired at least 5 times. Pretty horrific thing to watch to be honest.

@onanagamo,

I think this is a horrible crime. What was this officer thinking? Just think, he could have just let him run off. A broken taillight??? gimme a break. But you raise a good point and it concerns the trust of the police. You dont know how they will react. Its a big risk with gun happy police. Remember the man selling cigarettes who was choked to death? It`s excessive force, plain and simple.

Interesting that folks always have the presence of mind to film the bits that are the most damning against LEOs but they seem to be unable/unwilling to record the events that leads up to the incident: Did Scott attack officer Slager? Did Scott try to take officer Slager' gun away from him?

Officer Slager has been charged with murder of Scott. Here in America, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a jury; not public opinion.

In the meantime, the lesson to learn from all this: Don't run away from the police.

He ruined his whole life, and the life of others. And to think, he has a wife who's 8 months pregnant at home. The child will now have to grow up knowing his/her father is a cold blooded killer who shot an unarmed defenseless man in the back.

@Mirai: Only in your mind (and of others) he's guilty. Guess legal proceedures are different over there in Japan. Here in the U.S., he's yet to be convicted of a crime in a U.S. court of law.

@ Texas A&M Aggie

Interesting that folks always have the presence of mind to film the bits that are the most damning against LEOs but they seem to be unable/unwilling to record the events that leads up to the incident:

Most people don't bother recording mundane interactions between strangers and police officers. It makes perfect sense that there's only footage of when things got heated. It wouldn't be a problem if cops recorded themselves with dashboard cams, etc., but it's the cops in the US who are against having them.

Did Scott attack officer Slager? Did Scott try to take officer Slager' gun away from him?

If he did, he clearly failed. The video clearly shows Slager shot an unarmed man multiple times in the back as he was running away. It also catches him planting "evidence" and acting extremely callous after just killing a man.

Officer Slager has been charged with murder of Scott. Here in America, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a jury; not public opinion.

Hopefully, this video will ensure he faces punishment. Just imagine how many cops got away with murder before everyone had smartphones.

Did Scott attack officer Slager? Did Scott try to take officer Slager' gun away from him?

He was 30 feet away and running away when the shots were fired. So no, he was not attacking the officer, he was not trying to take his gun and he posed no threat whatsoever to the officer.

Here in the U.S., he's yet to be convicted of a crime in a U.S. court of law.

The same could be said of Mr. Scott. Yet he got the death sentence, summary execution.

How come the cop felt he needed to use a Taser? Surely the story starts back there somewhere.

Only in your mind (and of others) he's guilty. Guess legal proceedures are different over there in Japan. Here in the U.S., he's yet to be convicted of a crime in a U.S. court of law.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that when a man shoots another unarmed man in the back without as much as a warning, he's probably going to be guilty...of course unless there is something serious flawed with the justice system or if the jury is full of racist people.

What ever happened to "protect and serve?" Utterly shameful.

The police motto in America is SHOOT FIRST, make sure the black guy is dead, plant the evidence, go home and get paid leave of absence because of the trauma! The police unions are so strong its a good old boy fraternity! This is nothing new but now video is now starting to tell the real story and these cops still don't care!

Police in the US are among the most powerful people in society. They are held to higher standards and accountability than most in other careers.

This cop is done. In the wake of the Ferguson shooting and nationwide protests thereafter, aint' no way he'll be exonerated.

I'd be willing to bet my next month's salary that he won't walk. Not from this.

We shall see. What strikes me is that, given the corrupt situation with cops in America, that the murder charge (however valid it is in my mind) was over-reaching. I think they could have gotten him for aggravated manslaughter. Murder is going to be more much more difficult to prosecute. All it will take is one juror to find him not guilty, and he will walk.

Considering all the utter garbage that has seen cops skate scot free, I don't think this cop is going to be hung out to dry.

It bothers me that even in this day of age, there are no non-lethal substitutes to common bullets. I understand that projectiles must travel fast but do they have to tear into a man's flesh to incapacitate him?

Don't let it bother you too much. Criminals (hard core mexican / black / asian / skinheads) would never use non-lethal measures. Fight fire with Fire.

Fight fire with Fire.

You missed 'people with broken brake lights' out of your list of hard-core criminals who need to be taken down with lethal force.

I could comment on how three of your four categories are racial, but it's too late at night and I'm tired.

Oh no, u misunderstood me cleopatra. Broken tail lights aint' no crime. It is an "infraction". Not even an arrestable offense.

I hope this cop goes down big time. As for the fight fire reference, I'm just sayin'- cops got real ammo, but so do the bad guys. Thats all-

@cleoAPR. 10, 2015 - 12:40AM JST Fight fire with Fire. You missed 'people with broken brake lights' out of your list of hard-core criminals who need to be taken down with lethal force. I could comment on how three of your four categories are racial, but it's too late at night and I'm tired.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I agree with you. The racist comment but maybe writers do not know some states do not classify people in such 4 categories. For instance, in Nevada, only two races on state residence ID. Race - only Black and White. So, I am white in Nevada. There is no Mexican or Asian in Nevada.

Very well. I stand corrected. Not mexican, "Hispanic" it is then.

Im from CA where "Asian" does apply.

Anyways, back to the topic. Black lives matter! This cop is going down!

Well, yes, in a sense you are correct in saying that legal procedures ARE different in Japan. I have yet to hear about a police officer chasing down a person and shooting him in in the back instead of arresting him and letting him have that much coveted US court of law. I am glad there are citizens like yourself who will, being State side, do what you can to make sure that that US court of law and the justice system is upheld for ALL. It would be a travesty if people were to get the wrong idea that one could be shot in the back at any given moment without having their day in court.

Here is a little something .......about 35 pages on the Miranda Rights from the Miranda vs. Arizona case ....1966

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=384&invol=436

Not many of will take the time to read it...I just copied it and will see if I can get through it. Probably not before the NEXT person is SHOT to DEATH without receiving their right to remain silent....in the sense of not talking not in the sense of,.....being too DEAD to talk!!

May all human beings residing in the USofA be legally tried of a crime in a US court of law with an appointed attorney if necessary and a jury of their peers (of a VARIETY of backgrounds!!!!) and not just be shot a multitude of times on an assumption!!!

This is a problem and even today, some 3rd graders asked me why Americans love guns so much..... I certainly was at a loss so I just said, "I really haven't the slightest idea."

Texas A&M AggieApr. 09, 2015 - 05:36PM JST

"@Mirai: Only in your mind (and of others) he's guilty. Guess legal proceedures are different over there in Japan. Here in the U.S., he's yet to be convicted of a crime in a U.S. court of law."

@Wc626APR. 10, 2015 - 01:27AM JST Very well. I stand corrected. Not mexican, "Hispanic" it is then. Im from CA where "Asian" does apply. Anyways, back to the topic. Black lives matter! This cop is going down!

In CA, when they changed to Asian? There were three races. Negroid, Caucasian and Mongoloid in Ca. Race, i am mongoloid in CA. Ca officials are not uneducated so they all know Asian is not a race. My resistration in Ca is Mongoloid, not Asian because Asian is not race. I believe entire CA has same way. I am writing about Orange County. My youngest daughter lives in Newport Beach so I will ask her if she is changed to Asian. Don't know midwest or North East.Too many mixed people that NV just use black and white, maybe.

The policeman was fired. Probably he is in jail.

What bothers me most is that cops seem to think they can just create whatever story they want to after the fact, and most of the time they probably win.

He was 30 feet away and running away when the shots were fired. So no, he was not attacking the officer, he was not trying to take his gun and he posed no threat whatsoever to the officer.

You are in possession of an entire video (one that shows what happened at the start of the incident; not this edited one of Scott running away from Officer Slager)? If so, please provide a link. Otherwise, you and the others whom have already convicted Officer Slager without a fair trial have no clue as to what Scott did or didn't do to make Officer Slager to shoot him. Who knows? Perhaps Scott wanted a suicide by cop.

As I wrote earlier, best way not to keep from getting shot is to not run away from the police.

@Texas A: As I wrote earlier, best way not to keep from getting shot is to not run away from the police.

Clever advise.

Here in America, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a jury; not public opinion.

As I wrote earlier, best way not to keep from getting shot is to not run away from the police.

So in your mind running from the police is one of those crimes where you don't have to have due process, summary executions are completely justified. But as long as the person doing the killing has a badge and a uniform and the person killed is African-American, we're not allowed even to have opinions until the cop gets the full benefit of the court system, something he denied this citizen of a country where "a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a jury." That's some sweet, sweet logic there.

Video of South Carolina police shooting inflames debate

The officer should be tried for first degree murder.

@ Shmidlap: Texas A's advice is right. Cops shooting unarmed persons in many places (Florida, etc). He did not stated AfroAmerican. Due process will be in court. Cops arrest. Cops arrest, and DA's office go on due process. We call Law and Order. He3 is telling to be alive is better than shot to death.

toshiko Apr. 10, 2015 - 05:55AM JST @Texas A: As I wrote earlier, best way not to keep from getting shot is to not run away from the police.

Why didn't plice give any warnings when he was running away? In the video you did not hear the white officer give any warning before he fired eight times at the back of a black man who can be seen in the footage running away before he falls to the ground.

It seems that policemen love shooting people. This is real America. I wonder about many other shooting incidents without video?

No, his advice is irrelevant. Running from a cop is not and never has been a capital crime that justifies summary execution. This guy was unarmed, the police had his car and his friend in custody, they could just as easily have picked him up later. There was no reason for this cop to be shooting at that man whether he was running or not. Pointing out other incidents where it has happened only shows there is a serious problem with cops using unjustified deadly force in the US.

People have been shot by police when actively complying with police commands, such as, "Show me your license." So what is the correct thing to do when stopped by police? Well, if you're a Texan, it's easy to say, "Just obey the cop." You will probably live to talk about it later. I've seen video of white people verbally abusing cops, ripping up traffic tickets and getting nothing worse than a "Yes, sir/No, sir" from the officer. I was with a friend when he got into an altercation with bar bouncers. After they finished beating him up in a big pile on the ground, the cops arrived and panicked, he ran. He wasn't shot. The cops simply ganged tackled him and beat him up again before taking him to jail where another friend bailed him out hours later. Alive and white.

If you're not, it's like cop roulette. And this case is so egregious the cop's own defense lawyer took one look at that video and said, "No thanks, not worth the effort." A second video today makes it even worse because it now we know there wasn't even an altercation before the pursuit and shooting.

And using due process as an argument against people pointing that out in a case where a man was denied due process, judged guilty of a crime and blown away from the back? That is the very definition of absurdity.

Wc626

Criminals (hard core mexican / black / asian / skinheads)

So, the only plausible scenario in which a caucasian could be a "hard core" criminal is if he (or she) were a skinhead? You can't possibly mean this, can you?

In this money hungry society we live in, cops should realize that there could be a camera at any given moment. I am not sure of the payout the cameraman will get from selling his video to news agencies around the World but it will only keep pushing people to do the same.

I hope the officer is punished as any other offender accused of murder.

Probably the most surprising thing here is that Slager forgot to yell at the dead guy to stop resisting. All he said was "Put your hands behind your back!" several times, in an exasperated manner, seemingly truly surprised the dead guy would not obey instructions. He should have put his knee on his neck and yelled "Stop resisting, sir!". That is how so many cops get away with murder. You just accuse the dead guy of resisting, before and after dead.

If you are stopped by a cop, I still think people should not run because you never know he is a trigger happy cop.

no clue as to what Scott did or didn't do to make Officer Slager to shoot him.

Please, do elaborate. What possible reason could there be to shoot in the back a person who is unarmed and running away and suspected of no violent crime?

If you are stopped by a cop, I still think people should not run.

It depends on situation. If you stopped stayed there, more cops came and might be assaulted until death by kicks and punches of them. It seems the guy would be worried about it as it happened times before.

I wonder about many other shooting incidents without video?

This is precisely the looming elephant in the room that America is only now starting to contemplate. I think on some level, everyone just sort of assumes that there will be one or two horrific abuses of power out over every, say 10, 20, or 50 arrests. But the video demonstrates just how easy it is for a cop to just write up a report saying one thing, when the reality was something far different, a report that the powers-that-be simply accept at face value.

Considering how casually Slager picked up the Taser and tossed it next to Scott in order to shore up his manufactured account of a dangerous suspect taking a weapon, as well as the seeming nonplussed reaction of the arriving officer who watched as Slager very obviously tampered with a crime scene, I think it's a pretty safe assumption that false reports have been submitted in cases where people were wrongfully killed by a police officer far more often that would allow us to sleep comfortably at night.

What aggravates me even more is that someone tried to set up a defense fund on gofundme.com for this racist murderer. What kind of callous person does this? At least gofundme had the decency to close down the account this time.

Here you might want to read this op-ed about why defense lawyers defend criminals:

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2013/08/04/Why-defense-lawyers-defend-killers-and-rapists/stories/201308040170

Although the video is probably as good of evidence as you are ever going to get of a homicide, that person is still entitled to a defense in a court. That costs money, and the truth of the matter is that we already pay for such defense through our taxes that pay for public lawyers.

Slager appeared without a lawyer at his first court hearing Tuesday and was held without bond for murder, which could put him in prison for 30 years to life.

So Slager is in a jail mow.

Every cop I met off duty at my children's school or at some event was a pompous dirt bag who had a huge ego and like to throw the fact that he was a cop to impress people. I was at a party about 10 years ago with parents of my kids schoolmates and there was about five cops there drinking Tequila like iced tea. When they ran out they jumped in a car 4 or 5 of them and took off to a liquor store drunk as hell. I bet that if they had been pulled over, not one of them would get arrested on a dui or public drunkenness. It's their rules and our rules. At that same party I heard one cop talk about what he would do if someone was an a-hole to him,. He said that he would take the sob around the corner and execute him and get off scot free. At that point, I gathered my family and left and have never made contact with that family ever again. Dirt bags, 99% dirt bags and maybe 1% decent ones.

@Hawkeye: I live in different area. The city I live has been ranked safest city in USA every year. Every time I wait my daughter outside of store in a shopping center, a cop comes to me and says "Excise me. Can I help you" and wait until my daughter come out. Then the cop say "Hi, how are you" to my daughter and My daughter usually say :"She is my mother, Old but she can take care of herself Go get back to work" and that is the way our city police behaves. Citizens are stronger than cops here.Second largest city in NV but there are proportionally less cops. They know city ciyizens tax pay their salary.

What possible reason could there be to shoot in the back a person who is unarmed and running away and suspected of no violent crime?

Well, first of all, people are usually shot in the back while running away.

As for the issue of not being "suspected of no violent crime", Scott's criminal record says differently. He was arrested in 1987 on an assault and battery charge, and Scott was convicted of possessing a bludgeon in 1991. Chances are great that Officer Slager was provided Scott's past legal issues via his in car computer system.

Bottom line: Scott had an offical history of violence. Officer Slager was undoubtedly reacting to information provided to him.

Bottom line: Scott had an offical history of violence. Officer Slager was undoubtedly reacting to information provide

Well said.

Texas A&M Aggie,

He was arrested in 1987 on an assault and battery charge...

For one thing, a charge of assault does not pop up in an NCIC data request. Only crimes one is successfully convicted of do. Also, the charge of assault was from 28 years ago, a charge for which Scott was never convicted. So, not Slager was in all likelihood not reacting with some sort of nervous anticipation that he was facing a mad-dog brawler.

You're stretching pretty desperately here and it's not just a little bit offensive that you're working so actively to try and disparage the victim in order to justify his murder.

Well, first of all, people are usually shot in the back while running away.

And in what backwater would this be true ? Consider moving.

Officer Slager was undoubtedly reacting to information provided to him.

Undoubtedly, eh? Got anything to back that up or are you "undoubtedly" just guessing?

Scott had an offical history of violence. Officer Slager was undoubtedly reacting to information provide

BS. A police officer has no right to shoot an unarmed man who is running away, even if he did get in a fight once 28 years ago.

Scott was wanted for child support arrears. That is not a capital offence.

He was driving a car with a broken taillight. That is not a capital offence.

people are usually shot in the back while running away

Not in civilised countries with a responsible police force, they aren't.

@gcbel & cleo

Much as I disagree with Texas's general thrust, I think that the "usually shot in the back" comment is suggesting that they aren't shot in the front.

@Texas A: LFRA explained well on NCIC database.

How about Slager's work history?

in police shooting civilian cases, the cop is usually placed in desk job, not fired. Unlike other cases, he is fired from his job. Don't you think Slager has violent encounter with civilians? Just check and write here instead of phony NCIC data.

"The officer, who has been charged with murder" - article

Debate? Police Officer or Citizen, shooting a fleeing threat in the back eight times is murder. What debate?

It seems there are more video taken by citizens.

Fox news this morning. One guy who took video on his dash camers was explaining that he was scared so he did not come out. He had a video of stopped car and officer walking along the car beside other video. So, I guess there were more videos of the cop shooting a man who had his both hands up.

Emotions running too high again to make objective or dispassionate judgment here.

You are in possession of an entire video (one that shows what happened at the start of the incident; not this edited one of Scott running away from Officer Slager)? If so, please provide a link. Otherwise, you and the others whom have already convicted Officer Slager without a fair trial have no clue as to what Scott did or didn't do to make Officer Slager to shoot him. Who knows? Perhaps Scott wanted a suicide by cop.

Very desperate arguments, Texas. I think you would still be supporting the cop whatever the full video showed.

To shoot a lumbering fat man in the back, running at the speed of a small child, the only thing I would need to justify it is if he had recently killed someone and was running to kill another, who was just out of shot. If he had assaulted the officer it would in no way justify the shooting. It does look like there was some sort of scuffle, but once he was running away, and it was obvious he was unarmed, he should not have been shot.

Suicide by cop? Don't make me laugh.

The video in this case seems to show pretty clearly that the cop was in the wrong. Still, why turn this into a race issue? The cop would be in the wrong if the skin colors were reversed. I take it the only difference is that in that case nobody would care, and it would not be an issue.

@WilliB: I believe this is the case of a cop chased a citizen and shot and killed. Yesterday, in CA, a horse thief was chased by sheriffs and fell down, then sheriffs caught him and beaten up with more sheriffs came out to join beating. This one, videos were from copters in sky. News was that 11 sheriffs did that and all desiplined. Thief and sheriffs were all white, but news did not say white sheriffs beaten up white. Unlike midwest, Western states use helicopters, I found you can not say Asian or Oriental in CA, either so White and Black are also considered racial in West, or so I guess. Imported rug, not Oriental rug. You can say Japanese , Chinese, etc as these are not race. It seems that midwest still call people black and white.

a charge of assault does not pop up in an NCIC data request.

Heh, you've been watching too many U.S. television crime drama shows. Here in America, once a person is processed for any crime, it becomes a part of his/her criminal record; and all infractions -- even those that have been resolved in the charged's favor -- come up on in-car police computer systems.

Back on Topic: What Scott did was gamble. Complying with Officer Slager's instructions would have been the best way to prevent an incident of this type. Disobeying police instructions and then fleeing from an officer is akin to playing a game of Russian roulette. Scott chose to try his luck by running from Officer Slager and lost. I don't have sympathy for Scott.

Back on Topic: What Scott did was gamble. - comments

Accurate. Stupid goes 360.

Of course no one is saying that exonerates Slager. It does raise an important point; had Scott complied the Taser wouldn't have been deployed.

Scott created the drama that Slager used to commit murder and plant evidence that would support his claim that Scott represented a threat.

It is still unclear why Scott ran, why the Taser was deployed and what in god's name was Slager thinking.

Lesson? Don't gamble with your life for a broken brake light.

The video in this case seems to show pretty clearly that the cop was in the wrong. Still, why turn this into a race issue? The cop would be in the wrong if the skin colors were reversed. I take it the only difference is that in that case nobody would care, and it would not be an issue.

This incident itself may or may not have been a race issue. But it highlights the issue that black men in the US are significantly more likely to be shot and killed than white people. While it's unknown whether or not this specific incident was racially motivated, there is no denying that there is an issue of race between the police and citizens in the US.

And it's easy as a white person to say 'why turn this into a race issue', because we don't have to live with our race being an issue. It's not so easy for those for whom race is an issue.

Here in America, once a person is processed for any crime, it becomes a part of his/her criminal record; and all infractions -- even those that have been resolved in the charged's favor -- come up on in-car police computer systems.

Umm... No.

"Family members say Scott was so fearful of returning to jail over late child-support payments that he tried to outrun the law. And the officer (Slager), amid the adrenaline of a short foot chase, fired a fatal volley of eight bullets at the back of a fleeing suspect who appeared to pose no immediate threat." - Associated Press

Details of this needless tragedy should inspire real change in American law enforcement. Officers face awesome risks everyday and serve the public with the intent to preserve order and safety.

The horror that Mr. Scott, an ordinary citizen driving to the auto parts store to have his twenty-five year old car in for some repairs, was so fearful of prison that he ran is heart breaking.

Obviously, Officer Slager has no excuse just as Mr. Scott could have made the traffic stop a non-event. All the regret, all the anguish and all the tears are for no reason if nothing changes in the environment of fear and punishment rampant in the American culture.

Surly the NRA will use this disaster to sell more guns and law enforcement will bear the burden of one Officer's inexcusable decision to use deadly force. Others will blame and never take even one moment to stop, think and feel before they condemn and judge. This cycle of rage and fear also has excuse and apparently no end in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.

@LFRAgain: Here in USA, NCIC database has been updated ever year. Too many that just arrested types are not entered. A person has to be convicted in order to get entered in the list. Here in USA, ca AND nv), Residence ID does not say race. Eye color, hair color. Years ago, black and white only but now there is nothing like that as many people said black and white are not race but color. So I am no longer white and just a person here. I tried yellow years ago but yellow has too many spelling. In many cities, police chiefs could be black or white or any race. NCIC is not updated by every police dept all over in USA..

The police vehicle camera shows Scott fleeing a traffic stop (a misdemeanor). Why did Scott chose to flee? Maybe the passenger in Scott's car can explain it? Everyone else can only guess.

Officer Slager pursued Scott, and eventually fired his non-lethal Taser at Scott. The Taser seems to have been ineffective. The eyewitness video shows Scott then attacked Slager (a felony) and disarmed Slager by knocking the Taser out of Slager's hands (another felony). Scott began running away, again, prompting Slager to fired 8 potentially lethal pistol rounds at Scott. Reports vary as to whether Scott was struck 4 or 5 times, but the wounds proved fatal. The official autopsy has not been released.

Slager assumed a shooting position similar to the one he would have been trained to do. There was nothing special about Slager's shooting stance, in spite of what some media outlet's have reported.

Slager was not facing imminent danger when he fired. But he was trying to detain a fleeing felon. I don't know how South Carolina law treats that fact. I suspect Slager will be facing manslaughter charges.

The eyewitness video shows Scott then attacked Slager (a felony) and disarmed Slager by knocking the Taser out of Slager's hands

Not in the video I saw. Are you just making that up? Or have you seen some other video the rest of us didn't?

There are several different video by different bystanders. All had Scot running with his both hands up and he kept running until he fell down and became motionless. The officer picked up something he dropped and then he went to scot's body and dropped this something near Scot's upper body. Scot's hands were still on top of his head. No channel showed police camera video. The way police chief explained, 100 body camera will be given to street cops now so I guess there was no body camera there? I have DVR that I can copy 2 channels same time that I copied 2 news for many times and none of their video shows anytime that Scot fought Slager. There are about 400 channels in our area and so I had to copy all news to ensure what I watched.

Strangerland - Not in the video I saw. Are you just making that up? Or have you seen some other video the rest of us didn't?

I have no idea what you have, or haven't, seen. I'm not sure if JT forum rules allow the posting of a video depicting the death of a human being. Therefore, I'm not going to post it. On YouTube, there is an AP raw video capture of SC officer shooting available if anyone wishes to view it.

The video taken by eyewitness Feidin Santana starts with blurry trees, moves left to show a large tree trunk on the left side of the screen, and settles on Scott and Slager. Scott (green shirt) is bent over at the waist with his right arm extended. Officer Slager is shown leaning forward, and his left hand appears to be holding Scott's right hand.

Next, Scott breaks free of Slager, turns to his left, and begins to run. At the same time, Slager is reaching for his firearm with his right hand. You can see a black object behind Slager, sliding towards screen-right, along the ground.

As Scott disappears behind the tree, and Slager's arms are fully extended, pistol in hand, you can see the Taser wire(s) coming from Scott's direction draped up and over Slager's elbow. The black object behind Slager has stopped moving.

As Scott reappears from behind the tree, Slager begins firing.

At no time on the video does Scott put his hands in the air, or over his head.

The police cam video of the original stop can be found on YouTube at - Raw: S.C. Dash Cam Video Shows Chase

That's the same video I've seen, but where does it show this:

The eyewitness video shows Scott then attacked Slager (a felony) and disarmed Slager by knocking the Taser out of Slager's hands (another felony).

I don't see Scott attacking Slager, or Scott knocking the taser out of Slager's hands.

Texas A&M,

I owe you an apology. You are correct. Even non-convictions and dropped charges will appear on some police criminal databases (however, not NCIC or NICS).

However, even had that information been available to Officer Slager, that only leads us to uestion even more closerly Slager's underlying competence as a police officer.

The data as it is displayed, if we're still talking about Scott's 28-year-old assault arrest, would have included details such as it being a non-conviction, as well as being a 28-year-old charge.

Additionally, a criminal history would have also included the three prior and most recent arrests for failure to pay child support, a crime which is merely a non-violent misdemeanor under the North Carolina criminal code. This does not paint a picture of a raging, out-of-control violent offender intent on doing the police or public harm. Rather, it creates a portrait of a supposed professionally trained police officer unable to process provided data in a manner that protects the public good.

Ultimately, if Slager did not possess the professional or innate faculties to incorporate this sort of information into his decision making process in the course of a foot pursuit stemming from a broken-tail light stop, then his qualities as a police officer are no better than those of an untrained amateur.

At the end of the day, what we have is a police officer firing 5 out of 8 shots into the back of a fleeing, unarmed, non-felon under what is increasingly starting to look like a manufactured justification that the suspect had taken his Taser.

As it turns out, the suspect was not holding the Taser and Slager had in fact picked it up from where it had dropped near him and placed it right next to where Scott had fallen some 40 feet away. This action alone, willful evidence tampering, is inexplicable and unfathomable from a law enforcement professional, not to mention a felony at both the state and federal level, police officer or not.

I just turn on a CNN chsnnel news and there was a news on second officer disciplined with video scene of Slager dropping taser on the side of Mr Scott whose hands were top ground of his dead body's head, An official who attended Mr Scott's funeral answered questions, It semns that officials dpes not believe dead Mr Scott placed taser on his side of body and placed his hands back on ground and so they have been interogating another officer who yelled two sentences that include "incriminating comments, So, Charleston is still investigating. .

Stangerland - That's the same video I've seen, but where does it show this:

The eyewitness video shows Scott then attacked Slager (a felony) and disarmed Slager by knocking the Taser out of Slager's hands (another felony).

I don't see Scott attacking Slager, or Scott knocking the taser out of Slager's hands.

Slager would have been attempting to detain Scott. Scott was resisting arrest. That's an attack on an officer performing his job/duty.

CNN interviewed a 2nd eyewitness, a woman (who's name escapes me), who stated that she saw Scott and Slager fighting.

I suppose it's possible that Slager threw his Taser behind himself, with enough force that it slid some 8 to 12 feet, but I doubt it.

I find it interesting that Scott owed more than $18,000 in back child support but he was shopping for/buying/had purchased a Mercedes Benz???? What's wrong with a Honda, or a Toyota? Those would have been cheaper, and the money saved could have gone to Scott's children.

Scott owed a total of $18,104 in back child-support, the documents obtained by NBC News show. His last payment was on July 20, 2012, according to the paperwork. The bench warrant for his arrest had been active since a January 16, 2013, court hearing. At that time, Scott had owed $7,836 but the amount had increased to more than $18,000 at the time of his death.

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/walter-scott-shooting/walter-scott-shooting-warrant-over-child-support-court-records-show-n339151

On the video at stop, Scott's car looked like an old beaten up used car you can see in junk yard .Is that Benz?

Slager would have been attempting to detain Scott. Scott was resisting arrest. That's an attack on an officer performing his job/duty.

That's speculation. You don't know if Slager was attempting to detain Scott, and you don't know if Scott was resisting arrest, because contrary to your earlier claims, this cannot be seen in the video.

And for the sake of argument, even if a suspect runs away, that is NOT attacking a police officer, no matter which way you want to try to cut it.

CNN interviewed a 2nd eyewitness, a woman (who's name escapes me), who stated that she saw Scott and Slager fighting.

Link please. That hasn't made any other news I've seen.

I suppose it's possible that Slager threw his Taser behind himself, with enough force that it slid some 8 to 12 feet, but I doubt it.

I'm not sure where you got the taser going behind slager, at any distance, as that could not be seen in the vide.

I find it interesting that Scott owed more than $18,000 in back child support but he was shopping for/buying/had purchased a Mercedes Benz????

It's completely irrelevant. Even if he was driving a Ferrari, with $500,000 in back child support, it's not justification for being shot in the back while running away.

CNN interview of eye witness who took her video was a worker in a place opposite of the street Scott was running. There are more people who watched fiasco but all of them were scared. The last man was the man who took victure on his dash cam. These are civilians. The last one is a cop who was with Slager but he did not join Slager, Cnn interview with a police official played some kind of conversation recorder (Did not say if it was with old fashioned tape recorder or newer voice recorder on i phone, etc) I asume some recorder in the police car. There was nothing else near corpse. Did not look like dead Scott went to get taser and placed beside his dead body. The last video was funeral scenes. Anyway, there was no video that has Scot fighting against Slager. Channels I copied are3 : 3 CNN, FOX, CBS, ABC, WGN, and several more plus local (about 40) News hours. The car was the type you see in junk yard.

arrestpaul,

lager would have been attempting to detain Scott. Scott was resisting arrest. That's an attack on an officer performing his job/duty.

No, that's called "resisting arrest." "Assaulting a police officer" is and entirely different charge.

CNN interviewed a 2nd eyewitness, a woman (who's name escapes me), who stated that she saw Scott and Slager fighting.

No, Gwen Nichols did not say that Slager and Scott were "fighting." She said the following (a verbatim quote):

“Before what you saw on that video tape, there was like a little tussle over there at the end of that gate down there. It wasn’t on the ground rolling. It was like a tussle like, ‘what do you want?’ or ‘what did I do?’ type of thing.”

Details matter. Facts matter. Changing a word here and a word there in order to massage a narrative that pleases you most helps no one and only serves to exacerbate an already difficult situation.

I find it interesting that Scott . . . was shopping for/buying/had purchased a Mercedes Benz???? What's wrong with a Honda, or a Toyota?

Seriously? You can't find a legitimate argument for shooting a fleeing man in the back, so you attack his choice of car purchase? A 1991 Mercedes goes for anywhere between US$1500 and $6000, not exactly a champagne wishes/caviar dreams sort of bank-breaker, child support payments in arrears or not. .

It's offensive that you would so blatantly try to justify Scott's murder by calling into question child support delinquency and questionable money management skills, as if either or both were perfectly acceptable reasons to be shot in the back by a police officer.

Is this what passes for an argument when Slager's evidence tampering and flagrant lying can't be explained away?

Strangerland - That's speculation. You don't know if Slager was attempting to detain Scott, and you don't know if Scott was resisting arrest, because contrary to your earlier claims, this cannot be seen in the video.

And for the sake of argument, even if a suspect runs away, that is NOT attacking a police officer, no matter which way you want to try to cut it.

Link please. That hasn't made any other news I've seen.

Slager pursued Scott, and eventually fired a Taser at him. Of course he was trying to detain Scott. Running away is not the same as attacking a police officer in order to resist arrest. I see a black object sliding along the ground, behind and away from Slager. In the direction of screen-right.

The woman's name is Gwen Nicols. CNN says they had an exclusive interview with her. She claims that Slager and Scott were having a "tussle".

LFRAgain - Seriously? You can't find a legitimate argument for shooting a fleeing man in the back, so you attack his choice of car purchase? A 1991 Mercedes goes for anywhere between US$1500 and $6000, not exactly a champagne wishes/caviar dreams sort of bank-breaker, child support payments in arrears or not. .

It's offensive that you would so blatantly try to justify Scott's murder by calling into question child support delinquency and questionable money management skills, as if either or both were perfectly acceptable reasons to be shot in the back by a police officer.

Seriously, I have not justified, or attempted to justify, Slager's shooting of Scott. I believe Slager will be charged with manslaughter, and will be found guilty. You must have mistaken me for someone else.

I still find it interesting that Scott would buy a Mercedes while Scott still owed a total of $18,104 in back child-support.

Your personal attack against me is both unwarranted, and unwelcome.

The news stated (yesterday) that slager was sued by a person for his aggressive arrest on a man (looked large and black) and lost case. I did not catch what was charge. This c ase, he was charged with murder by areaDA's office, not manslaughter. The car does not look like Mercedes . Look at color of the car and door shape. Compare your neighbors' old Benz. Just a junk car.

I still find it interesting that Scott would buy a Mercedes

According to his friend, a 1990 model, best he could afford on his $12-14/hr job was a 25-year-old car.

@cleo: I thought that is a very old car. 25 year old car explains. And child support payment is not one time only. Every month it increases. Scott was running scared of cop. Cops supposed to tell You can remain silence. Anything you say may be used against you ..... first. Another conversation tape has been played in which another officer and Slager has conversation in which Slager was laughing after he said I shot .....

Shot eight times in the back because of a broken brake light? Unbelievable.

Look at the video closely and the jury (if this case indeed goes to a trial) will see the wires from the taser was stuck to Officer Slager. Scott shot Officer Slager with his own taser. At that point in the attack, Scott became a felon, a fleeing felon.

If Scott didn't want to get shot, he shouldn't have assaulted Officer Slager and then try to run away.

If Scott didn't want to get shot, he shouldn't have assaulted Officer Slager and then try to run away.

There is nothing anywhere to indicate he assaulted the officer. Running away isn't an assault. And the police do not have the right to shoot fleeing suspects in the back unless they have reason to believe there is a threat to themselves or the public, and in this case there was nothing to give reason to believe that.

There is nothing anywhere to indicate he assaulted the officer.

You're believing what the race-baiting MSM is telling you. Good for you. Wait until if/when there is a trial. You can then stamp your feet in anger when it is proven Officer Slager was in the right to use deadly force to stop a person who assaulted him and then tried to run away.

Wait until if/when there is a trial. You can then stamp your feet in anger when it is proven Officer Slager was in the right to use deadly force

IF it turns out that there is evidence Slager was shot with his own taser, that might reduce his sentence. But it does not change the fact that he took cold and careful aim at an unarmed man who was running away from him and posed no threat to himself or any member of the public, and shot him dead, without even warning him to stop. Nor does it explain why he tampered with the scene by jogging back away from the body, picking up an object that appears to be the taser and dropping it beside the body.

it does not change the fact that he took cold and careful aim at an unarmed man who was running away from him and posed no threat to himself or any member of the public, and shot him dead, without even warning him to stop. Nor does it explain why he tampered with the scene by jogging back away from the body, picking up an object that appears to be the taser and dropping it beside the body.

Absolutely on the mark.

Cool wannabe muscle car with some aftermarket modifications, (rims, tires, etc.) sadly must have caught Slager's attention.

Uuuum, If this cop is found guilty, I would not fancy his chances in prison. there was a notice on Facebook that the local police in the USA were/are trying to in force a "non filming of police men on duty". i wonder why this is?.

This is in USA and there will be criminal court hearing as DA's office charged Slager with Murder. There will be jurors. Only DA and his attorney can call witnesses. If a witness lies, he/she will be charged with perjury. Jurors sit on their section/ Observers such as family members sit on other section. Tex A, don't make any noise in court. You can not stamp your feet. You will be arrested. If an arresting officer did not say "You can remain silence, If you say anything, it might incriminate you . blah blah blah", the officer loses case. Wires from taser? A loaded taser gun will be used and if you want to use taser gun, you have to unload taser gun from an officer's hip, then aim at an officer. So accurate in aiming and shooting that if Scott took out from Slager's hip and shot, Slager should be on the ground. .Texas A: Have you ever sat in court to watch procedure? Have you inspected Taser gun? .

Walter Scott doesnt know it but his death will not be in vain and will result in the lives of many innocent people from minority groups being saved. Same goes for the man that shot the video. He is a hero because this video will save a lot of innocent lives in the future. Lets see justice take its course. Finally.

Both side of court cases usually subpoena witnesses and evidence such as video and ohotos etc. In this case, it is easier because several people took video. and there are many bystanders, It is not like when there was no camcoders invented.