South Carolina COP charged with murder

Local paper coverage:

On brink of mistrial, jurors opt to try again to reach verdict in Michael Slager case | News | postandcourier.com

Security for this trial and the Dylann Roof trial are straining Charleston's police resources. They've blocked off streets leading to the court house. Yesterday, Hubby went on a bikers' Christmas parade/toy drive downtown Charleston. Usually the bikers get a police traffic escort for the entire ride but this time they were short handed so only the parade was covered.

My neighbors are relatives of the victim. They are a very nice family.

I hope that whatever the outcome things stay quiet here.
 
Reba said:
Mistrial declared.

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Been out of pocket all day and night. Just saw this. Any word yet as to the DA re-prosecuting? I heard someone say in one of the courtroom videos that are available, that they wanted a mistrial on Friday so they could get on with re-filing. I presume that was someone from the prosecution team, but it wasn't clear with everybody's back to the camera, and the judge didn't respond to whoever it was by name. Just said to come back on Monday at 9:00 AM. With 11 to 1 for conviction it would seem a no-brainer to re-file the case, but nothing government does in this or any other case would surprise me. Did not have time or energy to read your link, so apologies if it answers the question there about re-filing. Been a long day. I'm hittin' the rack.

Blues
 
BluesStringer said:
Been out of pocket all day and night. Just saw this. Any word yet as to the DA re-prosecuting? I heard someone say in one of the courtroom videos that are available, that they wanted a mistrial on Friday so they could get on with re-filing. I presume that was someone from the prosecution team, but it wasn't clear with everybody's back to the camera, and the judge didn't respond to whoever it was by name. Just said to come back on Monday at 9:00 AM. With 11 to 1 for conviction it would seem a no-brainer to re-file the case, but nothing government does in this or any other case would surprise me. Did not have time or energy to read your link, so apologies if it answers the question there about re-filing. Been a long day. I'm hittin' the rack.

Blues
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Monday:

"After hung jury is declared in Michael Slager trial, prosecutor vows: 'There will be another day'"


"9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson vowed to try Slager, 35, again, and coordinate with federal authorities, who had put their separate civil rights case against Slager on hold until the state trial’s resolution."

"In a statement later, Wilson said, 'We will try Michael Slager again.'"

After hung jury is declared in Michael Slager trial, prosecutor vows: 'There will be another day' | News | postandcourier.com
 
Reba said:
Monday:

"After hung jury is declared in Michael Slager trial, prosecutor vows: 'There will be another day'"


"9th Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson vowed to try Slager, 35, again, and coordinate with federal authorities, who had put their separate civil rights case against Slager on hold until the state trial’s resolution."

"In a statement later, Wilson said, 'We will try Michael Slager again.'"

After hung jury is declared in Michael Slager trial, prosecutor vows: 'There will be another day' | News | postandcourier.com
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Thanks. Wonder if they'll refile murder charges, and keep manslaughter as lesser-included option for weak-kneed jurors to compromise on. Pretty sure the hung jury had that option, but the lone hold-out was obviously more weak-kneed than they bargained for. It was a similar charging of Johannes Mehserle that got him the manslaughter conviction/2-year sentence, which he served less than a year of. It's amazing what they have to offer a jury these days so that the possibility of convicting a cop can find "success." I'll still be amazed if Slager either gets convicted or sentenced of/to murder or a term in jail much, if any, more severe than what Mehserle got. Glad they're prosecuting, but am not optimistic that he'll be treated as any regular citizen would be for the same crime(s).

Blues
 
Reba said:
Tuesday update:

VP-elect says Trump administration will decide future of Michael Slager federal prosecution

Vice President-elect Mike Pence on Tuesday would not commit to Michael Slager’s prosecution in federal court, he said in an MSNBC interview, and South Carolina's senior senator suggested the case should stay in the state's hands....

VP-elect says Trump administration will decide future of Michael Slager federal prosecution | News | postandcourier.com
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That would be the federal hate-crime case, not the state's murder/manslaughter case. In this case, a hate crime is difficult to prove and the federal prosecution under hate crime statutes seems to be mostly politically motivated.
 
THIS IS NOT CHARLESTON!

From a FB friend, Tuesday:

I watched The Today Show this morning and in their story about the Michael Slager trial (mistrial), they mentioned how the mayor of Charleston is calling for peaceful protest and calm as they showed this picture. That is not Charleston and it certainly wasn't Charleston yesterday. I'm thinking maybe it's Baltimore a few years ago? (Edited: yes, it was Baltimore in 4.2015...see link below)

I have not been one to complain about the so-called "mainstream media" and their dishonesty, but there is no excuse for this. It says the wrong things about Charleston and about the wonderful people of all colors who as of yet have not taken to the streets with their fists in the air. Notice how they even photoshopped out whatever message was on the protest sign. Shameful. This is NOT news. But it is a lesson to check, check and double check before you react!

EDITED TO SAY: Look in my comments. I found the original source. It's a photo that was printed in the Baltimore Sun about a rally in April 2015 protesting the death of Freddie Gray: Shabazz plans rally for thousands Saturday - Baltimore Sun

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During Michael Slager trial, prosecutors dropped North Charleston police charge against jury foreman

The jury foreman who said he wanted to convict Michael Slager had a felony charge by North Charleston police that was dropped by prosecutors during the former officer's murder trial.

Dorsey Montgomery, 34, was picked for the jury despite his 2014 traffic stop and arrest by the North Charleston Police Department, the agency where Slager worked....

During Michael Slager trial, prosecutors dropped North Charleston police charge against jury foreman | News | postandcourier.com
 
Update on trial:

"Federal authorities expect to try Michael Slager, the former North Charleston policeman who killed Walter Scott, on civil rights charges sometime this spring, sources said Tuesday, a week after a state murder trial ended with a hung jury.

Though local prosecutors vowed after the recent mistrial to retry him, Slager also is charged with three federal counts that were put on hold until the state proceeding wrapped up...."

Federal civil rights trial for Michael Slager anticipated this spring | News | postandcourier.com
 
Update:

Ex-officer Slager pleads guilty to federal charge, state charges to be dropped

CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC (WCSC) -
The former North Charleston police officer accused of shooting and killing a man who fled a traffic stop pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal civil rights charge.

Former officer Michael Slager fatally shot motorist Walter Scott on April 4, 2015, after Scott fled a traffic stop. As part of a plea agreement, that guilty plea paves the way for additional federal and all state charges against him to be dropped.

Slager will not be sentenced until after a sentencing report is completed, a process that could take months.

The maximum penalties of the offense, the agreement states, would be a prison term of up to life, a fine of up to $250,000 and five years of supervised release. There is no mandatory minimum prison sentence or fine.

Slager pleaded guilty to the first count in the federal indictment, a charge that Slager deprived Scott of his civil rights by color of law, at a 2:30 p.m. hearing Tuesday.

The former police officer hugged his lawyer Andy Savage after the plea, was handcuffed and taken to jail....

More at:

Ex-officer Slager pleads guilty to federal charge, state charge - Live5News.com | Charleston, SC | News, Weather, Sports
 
The video of him shooting a man running away in the back 8 times kinda put the nail in that bad cops fate, all over a fricking traffic stop.

Running was stupid, shooting was criminal.
 
My prediction - he will get 2 years sentence and be out on parole in 6 months. And there will be riots when the sentence is handed down.
 
bofh said:
This is plea deal with federal prosecutors for Second Degree Murder and Obstruction of Justice to get a reduced sentence. Here is the plea agreement.
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You are misreading the plea agreement. He is pleading guilty to excessive force, not Second Degree Murder and Obstruction of Justice. Read paragraph 2.a:

That, in North Charleston, South Carolina, the defendant deprived Walter Lamar Scott, Jr., of the right to be free from the unreasonable and excessive use of force by a law enforcement officer, a right secured by the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution;

The mention of Second Degree Murder and Obstruction of Justice is only the sentencing recommendations the government is going to make to the judge because that was basically the final result of Slager's actions. Settling on excessive use of force removes any minimum sentence requirements.
 
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