Ex-officer Michael Slager pleads guilty in shooting death of Walter Scott (CNN)In a plea deal with federal prosecutors, former South Carolina police officer Michael Slager admitted to using excessive force in the shooting death of Walter Scott. Slager shot Scott in the back as the unarmed man was running away from Slager after a traffic stop in April 2015. In a reversal from his previous account, Slager admitted in court Tuesday that he did not shoot Scott in self-defense and said that his use of force was unreasonable. Scott's death sparked renewed "Black Lives Matter" protests after the 50-year-old became the latest in a series of unarmed black men killed by police. With his family and Scott's family present, Slager pleaded guilty in US District Court in Charleston to a federal charge of deprivation of rights under the color of law. In exchange for the plea, state murder charges, as well as two other federal charges, will be dismissed. The civil rights offense has a maximum penalty of life in prison. The plea agreement states that the government will ask the court to apply sentencing guidelines for second degree murder, which carries up to 25 years in prison. "We hope that Michael's acceptance of responsibility will help the Scott family as they continue to grieve their loss," Slager's attorney, Andy Savage, said. The plea marks one of the first resolutions of a high-profile police shooting under new Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He hasordered a review of police reform activities of the previous administration -- many of which were launched in response to police-involved shootings. "The Department of Justice will hold accountable any law enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of our citizens by using excessive force," Sessions said in a statement Tuesday. "Such failures of duty not only harm the individual victims of these crimes; they harm our country, by eroding trust in law enforcement and undermining the good work of the vast majority of honorable and honest police officers.
This is the EXACT SAME thing that happened to Aaron Campbell... Oversee... Officer... Frashour should be facing the same time....
Just saw it on the news. Just said DUH to my wife. Good that it's taken care of, is the punishment going to be fitting? I really wish we could read minds because I want to know why he shot that guy. Is he a Nazi? A psychopath? I wanna KNOW, but I suppose we can't really.
Is this the same officer that was filmed shooting the guy in the back, and then picking up his tazer and dropping it near the guy? Yeah, good riddance. Like bodyman, I too would like to know what the hell he was thinking. Unfortunately, I doubt we'll ever know.
First trial ended in a hung jury and that was with the cell phone video. If the guy hadn't videoed and instead only testified to what he saw the cop would be back on the streets today.
Time in prison will be harsh for a former police officer. I'm sure he will not enjoy the extra attention he will receive from all folks in prison, but especially from minorities.
Good. He and all the other cops who have murdered people need to be in prison. Slager will be an example now, for other officers who think they can abuse the law and do what ever they like without consequence.
