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White South Carolina officer charged with murder for shooting black man

51 Comments
By BRUCE SMITH

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51 Comments
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With police in the US pushing more and more to have body camera footage and police cruiser footage not allowed in trials, etc., thank the gods witnesses are not allowing the police to get away with murder. Otherwise this would be another "Oops! His cameras seemed to have been not working! oh, but he was frightened for his life! The black guy was reaching for something!", etc., and no doubt the white powers that be would have demanded he was innocent. As it is, he has been rightly found guilty of murder, and people saying, "He made a bad decision" is putting it EXTREMELY lightly. I look forward to hearing about this white officer, who murdered a black man for no reason, and his adventures in gen pop. I have a feeling unless he brothers up with the Aryan nation ASAP they'll be short-lived, and maybe even then. Good riddance!

13 ( +18 / -5 )

Enjoy life in prison cop scum. With all those other blacks who's rights you no doubt violated too.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

@There hasn't been a trial yet. He hasn't been found guilty of anything.

Agreed that things look pretty bad for him, though....

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Black dude didn't get much of a trial either...

16 ( +20 / -4 )

There hasn't been a trial yet. He hasn't been found guilty of anything.

Things look pretty black and white to me. However, as the case last year showed, many support the shooting in the back of anyone even vaguely resisting arrest, as shown in the comments section of this site following the events in Ferguson last year.

I have seen the video of the victim fleeing the policeman. Wow, I could walk faster than that guy could run. A healthy cop would have taken him in a few seconds and brought him down with a truncheon. No need for a hail of bullets. The manner in which the cop sauntered over to the dead or dying man afterwards was quite sickening. So casual, as though he was wandering over to pick up a piece of litter.

But as you rightly say - there has been no trial yet and the dead man was black, so who knows?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

All it takes is one juror to say not guilty and he walks free. I won't be holding my breath for justice here.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

@Ah so

Don't get me wrong for a minute. My sympathies are entirely with the victim. I just don't like the idea of mob justice.I'll save my outrage for when/if the copper's found not guilty for no apparent reason by an all-white jury.

7 ( +8 / -2 )

Nah they'll make an exception out of this one Luca.

For all the dirty cops that did, literally, get away with murder.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

One viewing of the video of the shooting and any doubts one might have regarding this police officer's presumed innocence will be immediately dispelled. The victim, Walter Lamer Scott, was running away, and not very quickly, I might add. He had no weapon in his hands and was not acting menacing in any way, shape, or form.

Officer Slager didn't make a "bad decision." He took careful aim and walked calmly in the direction of a fleeing Scott and squeezed off at least two very careful shots.

This was red-handed murder, pure and simple. The uniform doesn't change this fact and "hHeat of the moment" enters nowhere into the equation. There was no heat involved. It was a cold, calculated decision to shoot Scott in the back.

Then add the obvious evidence tampering as Officer Slager picks up a Taser discarded 20 feeet from Scott's still form and place it right next to him, and we've got a cop who needs to be put away for life.

Yes, I fully expect the litany of cries demanding the officer be allowed his day in court and to not jump to hasty conclusions. Slager will get his day in court, as he rightfully should. But the video speaks volumes that no defense can rationalize or justify in any court of law, as far as I'm concerned as a citizen and potential jury peer.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

In the video, the victim ran, the officer emptied his whole gun in his back and hand cuffed him on ground. So happy there was a witness at this incident, because the initial reports were definitely fabricated.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

I haven't checked the other coverage of this or read the comments on other sites but I'm heartened by the ones here so far.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Officer Slager didn't make a "bad decision."

Yes, the only bad decisions were to hire that psychopath as a cop and let him a gun.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

What could have possibly gone through this cop's mind to make him think, "It's him or me, oh Lord!" and then fire eight rounds in to the back of this man?

I can't imagine any rational defense to this. What, the officer felt this man was going for his weapon... six blocks away under his bed in a locked box, thus had to fire?

The officer didn't even make an attempt to chase this guy down. He just pulled out his gun and shot multiple times at his back...THAT'S MURDER.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

As an American cop, you really have to mess up your murder this badly to get charged. I guess he got caught up in the virtual impunity of being an cop in America. Shooting fleeing suspects in the back in America is okay there. All they need do is look back and if you see a hand, you claim you though there was something in that hand, even a wallet, and you are home free. It need not even be taken into consideration how badly you were hurting them when they tried to get away.

So just remember, the trial is not over yet. He has merely been charged, and so many American cops deserving of charges, never got any in cases that looked to me to be very nearly as cut and dried as this one So don't hold your breath. He could walk or even get a lesser charge.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

It's sad that America, formerly a great country, is becoming a third world (finances, infrastructure, education) Fascist state.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

As I said, having evidence helps make all these situations so much easier to resolve. Glad there is video proof. South Carolina and other "Old south" states always have always had this against them. Southern police officers are still considered to have their ties with the KKK, white supremacist groups, and won't let go of their extreme prejudice against all "non-whites"/foreigners/and ofc especially blacks or dark skinned people.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

As it is, he has been rightly found guilty of murder,

Only in your head. For the rest of us, he's only been arrested for murder. The trial comes later (though the video evidence pretty much is going to make the verdict a foregone conclusion.)

Things look pretty black and white to me. However, as the case last year showed, many support the shooting in the back of anyone even vaguely resisting arrest, as shown in the comments section of this site following the events in Ferguson last year.

The victim in the Ferguson shooting was never shot in the back, nor were his hands up as reported by one dubious "witness". The autopsy report showed all wounds came from the front and the one wound on the arm came at point blank range, consistent with the victim reaching for the officer's gun at the time the wound was created.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It's time for police administrators to get their "use of force" houses in order.( An omnipresent electronic eye is peeking in the window.)

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I don't have much hope of a conviction.

I imagine it'll go along the lines of, "Okay, so we can see in the video that the officer picks the tazer up off the ground... so the officer's statement that the guy grabbed for his tazer and got it is collaborated by the video."... then they'll argue that the officer knew the guy grabbed his tazer but didn't know he dropped it, so as far as the officer knew he was shooting at an armed suspect...

... and there you have it ladies and gentlemen, enough "reasonable doubt" to justify lethal force and sway at least a couple of jurors.

Now personally I think it was straight-up murder, but the U.S. legal system is so pro-defendant (and the prosecutor won't be trying terribly hard) that it would be a miracle if a half-way competent defense attorney couldn't drum up "reasonable doubt".

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

consistent with the victim reaching for the officer's gun at the time the wound was created.

But also consistent with the officer running up against a stationary person with his hands partly raised or rising. But hey, I guarantee that despite eyewitness testimony and video evidence, things will get twisted, and many people will side with the cop as they always side with the cop.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Frungy, In this case I do believe suh, that the old southern sentiments of said state will most definitely, I say, most definitely will find reasonable doubt, in this hea' shooting predicament. (Imagine my best southern dandy accent).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Body cameras on cops has been used (enlarged views) in courts. And in this case, CBS, ABC, (I did not watch others) all showed video taken from far away. Sounded like someone took video. In court, a court sheriff brings wheeled table and on top, large video )TV) e and attorneys bring their exhibtion so-so and his/her assistant play video. Objection by opposing attorneys are usually rejected by the judge. So, video has been used as evidence for a long time.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Walter Lamer Scott RIP. I have said this time and time again that the police are as bad as the criminals they go after. Any excuse to use their gun is met with the same stupid rhetoric "the office felt his life was in danger" what BS, they have a gun and the other guy does not. I hope this cop gets at least life in prison and not some country club prison where he is separated from the general prison population but watch, I bet that he will only serve a few years because some redneck judge goes easy on him.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Frungy, HonestDictator

I fear you may both be right, but by shooting the guy in the back, the cop might just have crossed some kind of fiddle-playing, bourbon-swilling, Lynrdy-Skynrdy, good ol' boy code of honour.

Which might not go down well with the jury.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

In USA,even school children own i-phones, etc that catches voice and conversation., Then there are street surveilance cameras. To catch female wig using criminals, sketch artist policemen are used. A majority of police men hate shiooting, though.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

MadvertsApr. 08, 2015 - 03:46PM JST

Enjoy life in prison cop scum.

....really? Is being a cop that bad of a thing? I don't think this incident makes all cops "scum". You better hope you never need the assistance of a cop in your life.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Oh, he'll get off. 'Cause the jury will be convinced that black guy was obviously about to turn around and charge.

Obviously.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

But also consistent with the officer running up against a stationary person with his hands partly raised or rising

LOL. All shots were fired from within the police car. How much "running" could the officer be doing while seated in a car? Try again (and of course I know you will because the officer HAD to be wrong in defending himself, right?)

I imagine it'll go along the lines of, "Okay, so we can see in the video that the officer picks the tazer up off the ground... so the officer's statement that the guy grabbed for his tazer and got it is collaborated by the video."... then they'll argue that the officer knew the guy grabbed his tazer but didn't know he dropped it, so as far as the officer knew he was shooting at an armed suspect..

Watch the video: http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/national/south-carolina-police-officer-shoots-man-after-traffic-stop/2015/04/07/1e0ece0c-dd7b-11e4-b6d7-b9bc8acf16f7_video.html

The former officer (he has since been fired by the city and is being held without bail) is looking directly at the taser on the ground prior to pulling his firearm and shooting the man in the back.. There is no way the former officer can claim he thought the man still had the taser in his possession.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

On a more serious note, it seems this video makes the following crystal clear:

If ware ware America-jin want to protect ourselves against police abuse, we should make our politicians pass laws to require all police officers be fitted with cameras.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Terrible tragedy. Obviously murder. Rioting and looting is likely, especially considering the clear video evidence.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Black SabbathAPR. 09, 2015 - 01:28AM JST Oh, he'll get off. 'Cause the jury will be convinced that black guy was obviously about to turn around and charge. Obviousl

Juriors are not selected because they are white. Also, jurors have to inspect evidence. f any of them are biased, they are not selected. They have to go to jury selection procedure.

.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

LFRAgainApr. 08, 2015 - 05:43PM JST

One viewing of the video of the shooting and any doubts one might have regarding this police officer's presumed innocence will be immediately dispelled.

Saw the video.... agreed. There was absolutely no visible threat to the officer whatsoever. Cold-blooded murder.

With that said, can I just ask out of curiosity, does anybody know why Scott was running away? I know it doesn't change anything, but just curious.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It's sad that America, formerly a great country, is becoming a third world (finances, infrastructure, education) Fascist state.

Jeff,

You don't sound that sad to me.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Tahoochi: youngsters run away from police even when they have nothing to hide. Media haven;t said existence of drug, weed, or weapons. And just guessing he was panicked. Kind hard to figure if he was running away when he was shot down and on the ground. On the video, he was on the ground when the officer was aiming the gun on quiet none running boy. Scott was not running at that time. Maybe he is dead? The officer was cursing on dead Scott?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Tahoochi,

Obviously scum was directed to this particular cop. Sure they're not all scum.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Southern police officers are still considered to have their ties with the KKK, white supremacist groups, and won't let go of their extreme prejudice against all "non-whites"/foreigners/and ofc especially blacks or dark skinned people.

Honest Dictator,

Over the span of my life I have known three Southern Police Officers on a personal basis. Ironically, all three were African American. In the video of the shooting the second officer on the scene, the one checking for vitals and such, was also an African American. So while your statement is certainly true of some southern police officers it is definitely not true of all.

(Imagine my best southern dandy accent).

Sounds more like Foghorn Leghorn to me.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Looks pretty bad for the officer, definitely over excessive force for sure. The worst thing, the officer wasn't in any danger whatsoever and the guy was way a distance from him NOT a threat and just unloaded his gun on the guy, absolutely shocking. There is no justification or reason. I seriously doubt that cop will ever walk in the sun again, nor should he.

Southern police officers are still considered to have their ties with the KKK, white supremacist groups, and won't let go of their extreme prejudice against all "non-whites"/foreigners/and ofc especially blacks or dark skinned people.

I think you're generalizing. I do think some White officers have some ties to White supremacist organizations, but I don't think the majority, there are Blacks on the force as well, I am not saying that maybe some individuals might harbor racist sentiments, but for people like that (I have been around a few) it's very hard to work with people you hate and to pretend to be fair, openminded and NOT show any bias sentiment if you are a racist, I haven't seen it yet, because their hatred is so deep, they just can't hide or hold those negative feelings inside. Once these feelings are realized, they should be dealt with immediately. People like that should be terminated IMO because if you harbor such feelings, how can you work and be fair-minded towards people of color? I think there needs to be a much better system of vetting and weeding out racist cops, more definently needs to be done. Bottomline, if you are a racist, the last profession you want to seek out is to be a cop. As horrible and tragic as this incident is, I hope police departments everywhere show this video to every officer new on the force or veteran and explain that there will be serious repercussions all around if something like this were to happen and that includes anything else that falls under racial discrimination even bad racist language or the interaction of racist mails and text messages.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why does this become a black-white issue? Could it be the assailant happened to be black? Could have been shot in the back because he was running away? Their was a time in the past that running from the police would justify shooting. Running away implies guilt. USA was a safer and more law abiding in those days statistically.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

@@Tahooch I just watched our local news said that the reason he ran was because he was behind on child support. Vidoe was taken by someone who used his i-phone camera, not cop's body camera. Video showed chasing ands shooting runnibg ma and after Scott fell on ground the cop dropped something near body. Many people are scared to face a cop with gun pointing to you. Anyway, the latest news was his reason was he had several child support payment behind.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

MarkGApr. 09, 2015 - 07:37AM JST Why does this become a black-white issue? Could it be the assailant happened to be black?

The black people are disproportionately more likely to be killed by the police. Police in general, and white cops have a pattern of disproportionately directing force against black people. All too often, cases of abuse and excessive force are simply swept under the rug. The statistic on white cop on black suspect shootings is alarming in and of itself and is just part of a larger problem. Black people across the U.S. are more likely to face discrimination in the criminal justice system and be harassed, arrested and shot by police. Sadly, even the most extreme cases of police excess often end in little punishment.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

There is no doubt in my mind that this was a police officer murdering a citizen.

But I'd like to take a shot why he did it.

IMO, he snapped. Just like the knife wielding crazies here. Here's my take.

There is a lot more racial tension in America due to the economic situation. With record numbers of people on government welfare, and FOX news pounding it into the heads of their audience that this is what's wrong with the US, this officer might have been harboring some deep seeded hatred of the whole situation. So he pulls over a black guy driving a "Mercedes" with a broken tail light, finds out he has a Family Court warrant for his arrest for being a "dead-beat dad", and then Scott grabs the officers taser gun, drops it and tries to "jog" away. In the officers mindset, this guy is what's wrong with America, and snapped.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Fitting cops with cameras doesn`t fix the corruption behind the scenes. In addition, it is the fault of all citizens of the world for allowing such power and corruption to go unquestioned and unchallenged. If you live in supposed democratic country why are you not snuffing out these kinds of problems? Better fix it soon, just getting worse.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Fitting cops with cameras doesn`t fix the corruption behind the scenes.

No, but it helps eliminate it when it's in plain view.

In addition, it is the fault of all citizens of the world for allowing such power and corruption to go unquestioned and unchallenged.

Um, equipping them with cameras IS questioning and challenging them.

If you live in supposed democratic country why are you not snuffing out these kinds of problems? Better fix it soon, just getting worse.

Such as, say, requiring the police to wear body cameras?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Last media comment, video was taken by a female worker in a store across. Also pic showed the cop picking up something, walked to the body and dropped something next to body. Then cop's excuse was that the Scot grabbed taser. There was nothing else at the body. It was traffic stop and his car had one rider. Then pic of Mayor hugging Scot's parents. The police chief announced that cops there get body cameras.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

With that said, can I just ask out of curiosity, does anybody know why Scott was running away?

@Tahoochi It might have to do with being tazed by a stranger, even if he was a cop? Its really hard to tell what happened at the beginning of the video, but either the cop was tazing him or was going to, and Scott either slapped the tazer away or tried to get it off the cop, both natural and expected reactions to being attacked with a tazer. Of course police are going to insist that people cooperate while being tazed, which is nothing but insanity.

Of course I have no idea why the cop had his tazer out. But I cannot see as it really matters.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Toshiko: Thanks.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I will reserve judgement until the police car dash cam video is released.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Texas, it's been out for days now.

It shows that the police have his car, they have his passenger, they have no reason to consider him dangerous, they have no reason to chase him, no reason to kill him dead.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/09/us/south-carolina-police-shooting/

does anybody know why Scott was running away?

It's been suggested it was because he was wanted for child support arrears.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

White South Carolina officer charged with murder for shooting black man

I can think of no mitigating circumstances for the video that I saw. Slager is very, very likely to be found guilty of murder. This is more like the crime that everyone said that Ferguson was (but actually wasn't). There was no racial evidence found against Officer Wilson as his incident was a case of self defense. At this point there is no evident racial motivation on the part of Slager that has been brought to light. The fact that the cop was white and victim was black in and of itself does not make this a racially motivated crime. Yes I know, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Eric Holder, and President Obama will tell you differently. To them, the white cop is always a racist. Let's get the facts on Slager before jumping to that conclusion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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