UPDATED: SC officer shoots black man in back, is arrested--family plans lawsuit

[dixiegrrrrl]

Last edited Tue Apr 7, 2015, 11:49 PM - Edit history (1)

North Charleston, SC, police say officer Michael Thomas Slager is in custody after announcement he will be charged in Walter Lamer Scott's death.

There is footage, taken by a civilian. ( graphic.....https://vimeo.com/124336782)
Scott knocked a taser out of the cop's hands, then turned and jogged away. Cop emptied his gun, then handcuffed the prone victim.

North Charleston, SC, officer to face murder charge after video shows him shooting man in back, mayor says

North Charleston police officer was arrested on a murder charge Tuesday after video surfaced of the lawman shooting eight times at 50-year-old Walter Scott as he ran away.

http://www.postandcourier.com/


Mug shot has been released now:
https://twitter.com/KRBolster/status/585575459301281795

Breaking news says family asks for no violence and they plan lawsuit.

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. The link is bad.

When did this shooting take place?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

3. North Charleston is in South Carolina unless it moved./NT

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Yes...NC =North Charleston

But for clarity, I changed the headline to SC.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. I like Charleston.../NT

[uponit7771]

5. 3 days ago... vid says April 4 / 2015

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. Link works for me.

Shooting was Sat.

[uponit7771]

2. omg... this shit is horrible!!!!

[cloudbase]

4. Slager's report should make for interesting reading. n/t

[bravenak]

6. I wonder what the police report says.

Cops just keep on killing and lying. This was a murder.
I hope we don't have anybody here saying this was justified like last time.

[KMOD]

40. the cop was claiming that the victim took his taser.

the video shows the cop dropping the taser near the victim's body.

[bravenak]

42. I just watched again. I saw him plant that gun.

He did it so casually I didn't even notice the first time. It was easy for him.

[Maraya1969]

98. I didn't see him plant a gun on the victim. It looked like he handcuffed the victim

even though he was already dead. Is that where you say the cop planted a gun on the guy.

[uponit7771]

106. The end of the vid shows the LEO going back and getting the Tasor and throwing it near the person

... he murdered

[bravenak]

111. After he shot the guy, watch in slow mo.

He picks up the taser and then casually dropps it by the victim's head before cuffing him. It was so casual I missed it at first.

[herding cats]

116. Watch it at the NYT

They point out where he drops what appears to be the stun gun in the video. It's around the 1:40 mark, but they stop it then play it slow and point out he's dropping something by the body. He goes back to get what appears to be the stun gun at :59, picks it up from where it was flung on the ground at 1:09 and then plants it next to the body at 1:40ish. It's much easier to notice if you use the NYT video.

They mention it in the article below the video as well.

Something — it is not clear whether it is the stun gun — is either tossed or knocked to the ground behind the two men, and Officer Slager draws his gun, the video shows. When the officer fires, Mr. Scott appears to be 15 to 20 feet away and fleeing. He falls after the last of eight shots.

The officer then runs back toward where the initial scuffle occurred and picks something up off the ground. Moments later, he drops an object near Mr. Scott’s body, the video shows.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/us/south-carolina-officer-is-charged-with-murder-in-black-mans-death.html

[sheshe2]

117. "It was easy for him."

He has probably had a lot of practice, bravenak.

[bravenak]

121. I'm starting to think it's a part of the training.

[dixiegrrrrl]

151. What is part of the training is correct phrases to use in the report

Time after time you hear the cops say .."reaching in his waistband" " felt my life was in danger"
the exact same phrases, from state to state.

[bravenak]

153. Yep. It's a part of the script they are taught.

[gwheezie]

7. this has to stop

How can we continue to allow this to happen? I know le has had to kill people when they really have no choice but this cop didn't even break a sweat. He calmly stood and fired at a man who was barely running away. I hope justice is served for the victim.

[matt819]

8. Holy crap

There's no question mind that this video captured a cop murdering a guy. How many more times does this have to happen before something changes.

Multi million dollar lawsuits. Civil lawsuits? Cops charged with murder? At least that hsppened on this case. Cops need to cross that thin blue line and take a stand that this has to stop.

[SomethingFishy]

9. Christ....

At least he's being charged although that's not much consolation for the mans family.

That cop looked like it didn't even bother him, "Hands behind your back"? You just fucking shot the guy, how about calling for an ambulance?

[libdem4life]

59. It almost looked like the cop was out of it...not even thinking he might be dead. Duh?

Not a lot of urgency or concern, that's for sure.

Pretty sure he's getting it now...thank god for the cell phone camera. Big Brother got him...by cell phone. I'm going to keep mine more convenient...one never knows anymore. Think of all the court and jury money this saves and what is going to cost the local "officials". (I know, the taxpayer pays it, but they can lose their jobs.)

[dixiegrrrrl]

145. Most police dept have insurance for things like this.

We pay for the insurance premiums, of course.

[rurallib]

10. even with a video like this, you wonder if the cop will be found guilty

[Logical]

53. No shit, juries tend to worship cops as hero's. nt

[SomethingFishy]

12. Here is a link to the original story, before the video surfaced...

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150404/PC16/150409635

Interesting to see how the story was reported before the video was seen...

"A statement released by North Charleston police spokesman Spencer Pryor said a man ran on foot from the traffic stop and an officer deployed his department-issued Taser in an attempt to stop him.

That did not work, police said, and an altercation ensued as the men struggled over the device. Police allege that during the struggle the man gained control of the Taser and attempted to use it against the officer.

The officer then resorted to his service weapon and shot him, police alleged."

[dixiegrrrrl]

14. Yet the video clearly shows the man smacked the taser to the gruond then ran

no sign of altercation.

and the taser can be seen lying on the ground as the cop shoots.

In fact, the guy could barely run..he was sorta gullumping along. The cop could have caught up to him easily, but made no effort to, immediately pulled his gun.
Then handcuffed the victim and walked away, left him lying there will bullets in him.

[SomethingFishy]

21. Right? The cop had about 20 other options...

The guy was obviously not going far, this was cold blooded murder. Thank god the kid took the video or the cop would have walked away without question.

[Phentex]

141. Exactly. There's something terribly wrong when cop's FIRST instinct is shoot to kill.

and it's happening too many times with or without video.

[uppityperson]

129. "Officers tried to revive him" by shooting laser beams out of their eyes as he lay prone, handcuffed

on the ground?

argh

[joshcryer]

38. How many stories like this must exist?

Amazing how they tried to spin it as a struggle.

[Logical]

54. Wow, cops lie all the time and without video, this cop gets off. nt

[Rex]

69. No struggle at all, the guy fled at a snails pace.

Cop empties clip into guy fleeing, sees someone recording...walks up and pretends dead guy is still alive then plants the taser.

[Historic NY]

137. Taser won't work if it deployes the barbs...

it will only function as a stun gun....That officer had control of the taser and he dropped it to draw his handgun. It appears that the part of the video that will sink him.

[uponit7771]

15. Scott was 50yrs old & was stopped in a Mercedes Benz..IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE or HOW YOU ACT!

We're all thugs to these bastards

This officer most likely will -

get time off with back pay....

He will be awarded many medals

Accolades among his peers

Big pay days afterwards...

This has been the rule and not the expection

[GoneFishin]

29. Yeah, and a couple hundred grand from GoFundMe.

[RealityAdvocate]

17. Murder in the First Degree

[GoneFishin]

18. I hope the authoritarians do try to defend this and out themselves as automatons

who simply are incapable of sympathizing with any victim if their assailant is someone "official".

[sunnystarr]

19. This is a more comprehensive link

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150407/PC16/150409468

[Warpy]

20. At least this cop got arrested

Scott was a deadbeat father, not a violent criminal who was a threat to bystanders.

Slager also offered no care to Scott, cuffing him and running to get his gear instead of putting pressure on wounds. While it's unlikely to have made a difference in the outcome, it shows Slager's state of mind--he was furious that someone had rejected his absolute authority and showed absolutely no regard for the human being bleeding to death.

[uponit7771]

24. How do you know Sctts' a dead beat father already!? !?!? What does that have to do with a

....ANYTHING!?!?!?!

I don't see how that plays a factor of him getting murdered...

regards

[Warpy]

28. The cop stopped him because he had outstanding warrants

for non payment of child support.

Do read the articles at the links. They can be quite enlightening.

[uponit7771]

32. I did, the article I read said he was stopped because of a tail light out in his MB....

... nothing to do with warrants

here

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/04/07/398140336/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder-after-shooting-man-in-back

The shooting happened about 9:30 a.m. [Saturday] when Slager told investigators he pulled over Walter Scott for a broken tail light at the corner of Remount and Craig roads

[uppityperson]

130. These stories? Nope. None of these links say that.

http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20150407/PC16/150409468

His department said he pulled over Scott’s Mercedes-Benz sedan near Remount and Craig roads because it had a broken brake light. But at some point, Scott ran away with Slager in pursuit on foot. Scott’s passenger stayed with the Mercedes.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/04/07/398140336/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder-after-shooting-man-in-back

"The shooting happened about 9:30 a.m. [Saturday] when Slager told investigators he pulled over Walter Scott for a broken tail light at the corner of Remount and Craig roads," WCIV-TV reports

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/us/south-carolina-officer-is-charged-with-murder-in-black-mans-death.html?_r=0

The shooting unfolded after Officer Slager stopped the driver of a Mercedes-Benz with a broken taillight, according to police reports.

http://www.abcnews4.com/story/28725562/coroner-identifies-man-shot-killed-by-north-charleston-police-officer

The incident began about 9:30 a.m. Saturday when Officer Michael Slager, 33, pulled 50-year-old Walter Scott over for a broken tail light at the corner of Remount and Craig roads.

[dixiegrrrrl]

33. The news article in the link said Scott had warrants for unpaid child support,

Has no factor in him getting murdered, has some factor as to why he may not have not wanted to be arrested.

The article also says the cop's lawyer has resigned.
Wonder why....

[uponit7771]

35. That's not the reason the cop stopped him, it was because of a tail light in his MB... the warrants

... excuse came afterwards

The shooting happened about 9:30 a.m. [Saturday] when Slager told investigators he pulled over Walter Scott for a broken tail light at the corner of Remount and Craig roads

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/04/07/398140336/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder-after-shooting-man-in-back

[Dale Neiburg]

155. The arrest warrant

When a police officer makes a traffic stop (for a bad brake light, for example), part of the standard process is to call in a 10-29 (check for outstanding arrest warrants). If that comes back positive, arresting the person is the norm (in fact, required). That may have been the factor that started this incident going in the first place.

Something I haven't seen addressed anywhere is the second officer on the scene while the taser is being planted. Even if he had nothing to do with the shooting -- and may have been horrified by it, for all we know -- it seems to me he would be contemplating unhappily the possibility of being charged with at least accessory after...unless of course he was to turn state's evidence....

[Mariana]

49. The cop wanted him to die. nt.

[cwydro]

22. What did the guy even do to begin with?

Cop needs to go down. Lose his job, prosecution, prison.

[Glimmer of Hope]

23. He was stopped for a broken brake light.

[uponit7771]

26. ... in his Mercedes Benz ... (uppity black man shooting)

[RealityAdvocate]

70. It was a rusted out junky old car.

This was murder, cold blooded. No need to try to spice up the story by embellishing.

[uponit7771]

74. I don't know what the condition of the car has to do with anytyhing, I've not read on it either...

...do you have a quote on the condition of the car?

tia

[RealityAdvocate]

87. They showed a picture of it during one of the news stories.

[RealityAdvocate]

92. Video

http://www.abcnews4.com/story/28725562/coroner-identifies-man-shot-killed-by-north-charleston-police-officer

Like 40 seconds in you can see its a POS car.

Not sure why we are talking about his ride instead of his murder.

[uppityperson]

132. here are a couple incredible paragraphs from that link.

The attorney for a North Charleston police officer who shot a 50-year-old man during a confrontation at a traffic stop Saturday says his client believes he followed proper procedure.

The incident began about 9:30 a.m. Saturday when Officer Michael Slager, 33, pulled 50-year-old Walter Scott over for a broken tail light at the corner of Remount and Craig roads.

Police and witnesses say Scott tried to run from Slager before turning to fight for the officer's Taser. It was during that scuffle that the officer fired his service weapon, fatally wounding Scott.

[cwydro]

30. Seriously?

But why the hell did he run away? I just don't get this whole story.

[dixiegrrrrl]

34. There are 2 links to the local news story.

full details.

[cwydro]

36. Thanks. I just read them.

Nothing excuses this cold-blooded murder.

But I've been stopped for tail light/headlight crap.

I never run away.

Truly, I cannot understand why folks run from cops. Crazy.

Again, this is wrong.

[uponit7771]

37. I don't give murdering cops the benefit of the doubt, Even Wilson... since he was too cowardly

... to fill out a proper report after killing someone

But at some point, Scott ran away with Slager in pursuit on foot. Scott’s passenger stayed with the Mercedes.

This is the cops version, the cops a murderer ...

I don't believe 50 yr big man Scott (or even 300lb 18yr kid Brown) just "ran away" from anything .... those two aint going far fast...

There was no reason for Wilson or this cop to shoot at anyone from behind or even pursue to the point of capture...

[Ed Suspicious]

57. White guy?

[cwydro]

139. Huh?

[Mariana]

50. Maybe the cop threated to kill him. nt.

[NOLALady]

68. Maybe he was afraid.

Maybe he was aware that there are cops who behave worse than criminal thugs and he feared for his life.

Maybe he had been stopped before for the crime of D(a MB)WB, and he felt his life was in danger.

Maybe he knew that Officer Friendly was downright Hostile.

[uponit7771]

75. +1

[GoneFishin]

25. Who is coordinating the thuggish training that is causing so many murders by cops? There are too

many coming too fast for this just to be a coincidence. What program are these cops going through that has lowered the bar from a general expectation that cops are not allowed to shoot unarmed civilians to a point now where unloading (not one or two shots) their gun into people who pose no immediate threat is the norm.

What the fuck is going on with their training?

[cstanleytech]

44. Really? You think its some sort of giant coordinated conspiracy???

[GoneFishin]

61. Do you call the distribution of military gear to local police forces a conspiracy?

The militarization of America's police is a well documented phenomenon. It's common across the country.

I am saying that a goddamned lot of unarmed civilians are being used for target practice by cops all over the country within a short period of time, and I am wondering what is the common catalyst for that. You want to try to be clever by calling it a conspiracy? Knock yourself out.

I want to know what the fuck is going on with cops across the country who believe that emptying their guns into unarmed civilians is AfuckingOK.

[cstanleytech]

95. OK

"Do you call the distribution of military gear to local police forces a conspiracy?
The militarization of America's police is a well documented phenomenon. It's common across the country. "
No, I wouldnt call getting of rid of a combination of obsolete and or useless gear for the military a "conspiracy" though clearly you would.

"I am saying that a goddamned lot of unarmed civilians are being used for target practice by cops all over the country within a short period of time, and I am wondering what is the common catalyst for that. You want to try to be clever by calling it a conspiracy? Knock yourself out.

I want to know what the fuck is going on with cops across the country who believe that emptying their guns into unarmed civilians is AfuckingOK."
The percentage of officers shooting people is lower than people shooting people and by the tone of your posts you are the one trying to imply its actually some sort of conspiracy and before you try and claim you arent you were the one that just said "The militarization of America's police is a well documented phenomenon."
You want know what it is really going on though? Police departments are recruiting idiots (who more often than not also seem to be bigots) not mention a lack of training and the two combined are whats mostly causing these problems.
But you know what we both have in common? We both want this to stop but thats going to take time because to do it the police departments are going to have to get rid of the idiots and recruit good intelligent officers and then provide them the proper training.

[heaven05]

110. ok

yet your try at even handedness is admirable. Of course there would be less officer shootings of unarmed people and POC than in the general population. There are more clowns with guns in this culture than there are police officers. As long as those "idiots" are the only ones attracted to this profession, this is what we will be forced to live with and fear. It truly seems to me that something is brewing, whether some coordinated racist conspiracy, of which I'm not ready to totally subscribe to, or just racist idiots in uniform and hiding behind a badge, able to live out their racist fantasies of pulling the trigger on a ........ Like racism in general, it will NEVER go away unless thousands start demanding just what you suggested and not enough people will ever care enough about the killing of a POC to change this system of murder and execution.

I'm beginning to believe these officers are preferred by a large majority of police departments. Because 9 times out of ten, even with some type of obvious murder/execution such as this, the officer will walk. Especially when the M.O is, which I have read on here already you know, that the black man was a "criminal" because of warrants for nonpayment of child support, you know muddy the waters so the POC can be degraded AND FORGOTTEN. I am so sick of this murderous culture and all these murderous human beings, both in uniform and with badge and without and all their enablers here and at go fund me. 800,000+ for bigoted christians., almost a million for the cop who resigned after executing Michael Brown in Ferguson. Living in luxury reveling in their bigot and murder. No I am not talking of you, yet.

[DesertDawg]

114. You kinda answered

Your own question. Cops aren't being trained to be Cops anymore, they're being trained to be Soldiers on a battlefield.

[dixiegrrrrl]

115. Don't know if we are hearing about it more, or what.

The war against blacks has been going on for too long, tho.

What I do like is camera phones are now ubiquitous, and people are aware of the importance of using them.

[shanti]

56. The military

Lots and lots of ex-military in the PD's.

[GoneFishin]

62. That would make sense.

[libdem4life]

65. This ^^^^^ job security for returning vets...training already done and ready to kill, I mean

patrol. I don't care what anyone says, the military trains humans not to feel when they shoot someone. It's their duty. Otherwise, we could not have perennial war. White soldiers don't naturally hate Iraqi men and women, or vice versa. It must be trained...or in the victim countries, experienced as lost loved ones.

[cstanleytech]

101. Yup and to be honest its a piss poor way for police departments to recruit new officers imo. nt

[Egnever]

27. Thank god for the video

One of the best things to come from all the smart phones is stuff like this getting caught on tape. That is a lot of lead flying through the air for no reason . I hope this guy gets the book thrown at him.

[cwydro]

31. Nothing ever happens to them (the cops).

I was one of those who tried to see both sides, but I'm becoming more and more jaded.

[Rex]

80. You can be both pro law enforcement and against police brutality.

They are not mutually exclusive issues.

[uponit7771]

94. I agree, I know cops who are embaraced and know it's just that 10% but there's no means to speak up

... against them

[Rex]

100. I agree, there needs to be an open and transparent grieving process that does not all way in the cops

favor. They just have it too easy when it comes to covering up 'mistakes' as they like to call them. The local cops in my small town are horrified at the brutality shown in these recent encounters. This town is also one of those throwback towns of Mayberry style. The PD has a monthly get together at their headquarters for the town population to air any and all grievances against patrolman.

I think it all boils down to, is your chief of police an honorable person? Is the DA an honest person? Do they understand the social contract between them and the local populace?

[ncjustice80]

128. Yes they are.

Fuck these racist, murdering thug cops. They need their guns taken away and their funding slashed till this madness stops.

[pintobean]

41. Good thing it went to a news outlet, too.

[damnedifIknow]

39. Find a jury that believes in doing the right thing

Murder is murder no matter who pulls the trigger.

[Stuart G]

43. Now on the front page of Huffington Post. One of top stories there..

Many thousands will see this.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

ain't pretty, but he will get he has coming. This video says it all.

[Logical]

45. Another true american hero risking his life for us. I bet this asshole gets off. nt

[uponit7771]

46. The rule would be for the officer to not only get off but get funded and then get a bigger pay day

... after he gets a couple of FAUX news interviews

[Logical]

48. This video is the worst I have ever seen. No reaching in waist band, no threat to officer at all....

this really pisses me off. God dammit.

[Stuart G]

47. I do not think so, not with this video..

Because the police report lied, and this proves it. I believe he is toast.
No matter what he says, this says it all..

[Logical]

51. I missed the police report part. My worry is juries tend to worship the police as heroes. nt

[NYC Liberal]

58. No, they'll convict.

And then we'll hear from cop apologists that "See! Bad cops DO get punished! Stop complaining!"

[uponit7771]

66. ... I doubt it, they'll use the Wilson \ Zimmerman defense... that the THOUGHT of the person ...

...being a threat BEFORE the shooting was enough to killing no matter what the situation.

Wilson and Zimmerman both admit the person they killed was a threat before pursuing them... then allowed to place themselves in "PERCEIVED" danger... by pursuing the person who they claim is the threat

[npk]

124. They can't. Supreme Court has already ruled on this

Can't shoot a person that is fleeing, unless the suspect has just committed a violent felony and is likely to commit another violent felony should he get away.

[Logical]

67. Jurys love cops. Raised to trust them and adore them. nt

[uponit7771]

78. Not all juries, in KC we walked 2 by 2 not for gang bangers but dirty cops

[Logical]

82. I live in KC area also. But overall jurys trust cops. Grand Jurys especially. nt

[uponit7771]

84. Yeap, GJ have to trust the cops because of the PAs... There should be a law allowing for outside

... investigation during the situations no matter what it looks like.


That would reduce the conflict of interest between PAs and Local PDs

[RealityAdvocate]

81. This won't go to the jury. It will plea out.

Cop will plea to murder 2. He will do a decade in prison and another decade or two on paper.

[Logical]

88. Probably true, and in the past judges have given the cops double time served awaiting for trial. nt

[uponit7771]

102. The Wilson \ Zimmerman pattern of ID'd threat - needlessly pursue threat and place self...

... in greater danger - kill threat is established now.

... the cops attorney is already saying he followed procedure.

[RealityAdvocate]

103. The attorney resigned when the truth came out.

This will be an easy trial and is nothing like Wilson or Zimmerman.

[uponit7771]

104. Just read that... whoa... OK... that's at least different... no holding my breath though

[Logical]

52. I am SHOCKED the cops did not arrest the man videoing it. And take his camera as "Evidence"! nt

[Stuart G]

55. We are very lucky that this video still exists.

Many cops would have arrested the person taking this, destroyed it and moved along as if nothing (yes,nothing had happened)

[FailureToCommunicate]

99. That was my second thought, after the horror of it. This photographer was fairly brazen and lucky

the cop was so distracted he didn't collect and destroy evidence of his killing this man.

[Logical]

108. Yes, and how many cops have did this with no video? 100s, 1000s? nt

[JimDandy]

136. I think the fence between the videographer and the murderous cop

was partly to thank for impeding that cop from trying to destroy the guys camera phone...also another officer on the scene, and the cop needing time to plant evidence on the victim played a part.

[BrotherIvan]

60. I can't even watch it. I just can't

I'm glad the cop was arrested. But when will it stop??

[Stuart G]

73. I watched it. It is truly ugly

He shot the guy who was running away. For everyone to see. In the first 60 seconds.
And the cop tried to set it up so it was different than it was..
and everyone can see that in the video too..

[BrotherIvan]

77. It's just beyond words

How can anyone hate someone so much just because he has black skin? How can he hate enough to kill, to take that person's life? And how do we as a society give these people who hate so deeply a badge and a gun. When will it stop? I hope this cop going to jail for murder is the beginning. But there are so many incidents that the murderer (Darren Wilson, Zimmerman, et al.) goes free. I don't even know where to begin. It is madness.

[TBF]

147. And not just once - SEVERAL shots

it is very difficult to watch but everyone should try to do it.

[Vinca]

63. What a sickening video to watch.

What the hell is wrong with that cop? How can someone have that amount of hate in them?

[Rex]

64. So they must know he is dead, otherwise why leave his face buried in the dirt?

They cuff him and check his pockets, knowing someone is filming them...and some places want to make it illegal to records cops?

YES INDEED, FOR CITIZEN SAFETY. YES YES. INDEED.

[zentrum]

90. I think the video

….will show that they didn't know. They just didn't care. I guess that's your point.

The way the shooter, goes back and finally touches the victim's pulse point shows that he wasn't sure for over a minute earlier. This underscores the true level of coldness and indifference of this guy. His first impulse was to walk away. No impulse to bend over and see if there was any hope.

[Rex]

93. You've got good eyes, I could not tell what he was doing.

Yes my point was they did not care at all, if the man is unable to move and is bleeding out...show some mercy by rolling him over so he doesn't drown in his own blood. It's very painful to watch that video and realize that a person just died over a broken tail light. The cop knew he fucked up and went into Plant Evidence CYA mode.

The inhumanity is self-evident, I agree with you.

[valerief]

71. I wonder how quickly the cop will get off. It has to be a justified shooting. They all are.

And electronic voting machines don't flip votes.

[uponit7771]

72. WHOA!!! On All In!! Chris Hayes!! Shows Cop Dropping Taser!!!

[uponit7771]

76. On Cris Hayes - North Charleston charge with same criticism of over policing & rackateering like FPD

[Jefferson23]

79. Horrifying. n/t

[zentrum]

83. Is it my imagination or

...did the shooter cop say to the approaching cop, "I fucked up"? Anyone else hear that? Isn't that a spontaneous admission of culpability? (As opposed to the usual, "I had no choice. He reached for his waist.&quot

Also, note how callous he is right after the shooting. He puts on the cuffs and doesn't lean over to see if the man is breathing. He walks away. Only several minutes later does he touch the pulse to find out for sure.....

[uponit7771]

86. +1, he also comes back and throws the tasor on the ground near the person he murdered

[Stuart G]

89. I think this might become one of the most viewed videos ever. Millions will see this. everywhere..

It is clear and easy to see what happened.
It is short.
It is on the front page of NYTimes and is a major story across the country.
The police report is there with the lies of the officer.
It is so obvious, so clear, and so easily defined as.."murder"

The man is running away.... clear use of weapon on unarmed person running away.

[Phentex]

142. practically emotionless...

is what I see out of both cops. It's quite sickening.

[Sissyk]

85. I'm very glad he was arrested.

He murdered Walter, lied in the police report, and then lied while being interviewed by investigators. Thankfully, there is a video.

Throw the book at him.

[still_one]

91. This is cold blooded murder, and it is on film. I really hope he is charged with murder

[malaise]

96. They've been getting away with murder for way too long

Now we all have video cameras

[herding cats]

97. That's murder and he lied about the taser to try and cover it up.

He would have gotten away with it, if not for the video.

Finally, video proof of what we've been saying is taking place here in the US. This will go viral around the globe.

[gwheezie]

105. we'll see

I thought for sure someone would do time for murdering garner after the video came out.

[Stuart G]

107. This story is incredible.

So sad, yet, so important...

[uponit7771]

109. The importance is the cop has to be caught in broad daylight murdering a person AND planting evidenc

... to be charged...

Or not... Garner's death was ...

I'm not holding my breath

[NYC_SKP]

112. You could probably have left out the word "black" and we'd have known it.

Things are that consistently bad.

[uponit7771]

113. +1, also... Scott would've had 5 bullets in the back... how would the cop explain that?!

... it's funny that this wasn't an issue upfront with the Local PDs

[nilesobek]

118. Notice the police officer looking over his shoulder

and around to see if anyone was watching. Its obvious this shooting was a cowardly and criminal act. The cop was angry that the taser was slapped out of his hand and just loses it on a fleeing civilian.

[herding cats]

119. He didn't even seem angry to me.

Which was more frightening than if he had. He actually kept his head about him and instantly concocted an alibi. Which he radioed in a couple of seconds after shooting the man. He then made sure the man was restrained JIK the eight bullets didn't do their job. Trotted back over and picked up what appears to be the taser and then casually drops it a few moments later near the body of his victim.

He was too damn calm about the entire thing, and way too good at covering his ass. If not for the video...well, let's just say I'm very grateful to the person who took the video.

[nilesobek]

122. Agree on all your points.

What was going through his mind to account for the nonchalance attitude? I figure this guy's excuses will evolve revoltingly according to media whim. Ugh.

[Dr. Strange]

120. You seem to have a typo in your title: "is arrested".

A cop arrested? That's unpossible.

[dixiegrrrrl]

133. Only reason I can think of is the video is too clear to be denied.

This happened Sat. the 4th.
The arrest did not come until today.
Even more meaningful is that his lawyer quit on him. THAT's gotta mean something.

[jberryhill]

144. "THAT's gotta mean something"

If the lawyer was originally assigned to the case because the police department is also represented by the lawyer, then the lawyer would HAVE TO quit if the cop was arrested.

That's pretty normal.

I had a case once where I represented two people who had been accused of something. An expert report showed, fairly persuasively, that at least one of them had actually done it, but couldn't conclude which one.

At that point, I told my clients, "it's time for you each to get your own lawyer" - because their best individual strategy was to agree with the expert report that the other guy did it.

Those kinds of things happen all of the time.

[ZX86]

123. This notion that law enforcement has that anyone who

doesn't immediately comply to commands can be summarily killed has got to stop! Whether you are drunk, high, deaf, mentally disabled, or just a jerk they feel they can dispense instant death is horrifying. And while Black people are bearing the brunt of this vicious policy don't for a minute think this behaviour is reserved for minorities only. White skin will not save you from these pyscho cops. There was that cop in Tennessee choking out a handcuffed student, Arizona cops killed that homeless man, and Cali cops killed that poor guy calling out for his dad. That's just off the top of my head.

[Number23]

125. Whoever took that video is damn lucky they didn't get shot too

[Bonx]

134. My first thoughts also. Officer Insane-O, with the murder and the gun, is a very dangerous person.

[TeeYiYi]

127. Pictures of Walter Scott...

...who was murdered in cold blood by that coward of a cop.





TYY

[KMOD]

131. Thank you, TeeYiYi

[TeeYiYi]

135. You're welcome, KMOD. ..nt

TYY

[gwheezie]

138. where is the struggle for the taser

I don't even see that. The murder victim could have just been making a defensive move and the cop dropped the taser.

[jberryhill]

140. Do you hear the clicking sound at the beginning?

When the camera is originally pointed at the sidewalk, at the very beginning of the video, you hear a rapid clicking sound and a pop.

Compare to this sound:

[msanthrope]

143. I think you are correct. That's a taser pop. nt

[alarimer]

146. How much is this cop going to make from wingnuts for doing this?

I'm so cynical; I'm sure the wingnuts are have now set up a defense fund and will ensure he profits somehow. They seem to approve of this sort of thing.

[WI_DEM]

148. Thank goodness the guy with the camera was there--and is still alive!

The murderer apparently didn't see him.

[Stuart G]

149. I agree with you, I am glad the cameraman got what he did.

This could change the entire discussion about body cameras, once and for all...(and I hope it does.)

literally millions of people have seen this short film, and read about the lies of the police department, and the cop before this was discovered and shown..

[Jefferson23]

150. Horrific, and thank goodness it was recorded. No chance of justice otherwise. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

152. As it turns out....

The reason why the cop was arrested was the video..up till then, his report had been accepted.
And he has prior history of citizen violence.
Worse yet, that Police Dept, has also.

The North Charleston Police Department has a shocking record of abuse allegations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026476335

[Jefferson23]

154. For a God damn car light...thanks for the link. So out of control, it's sickening.

I hope there are massive lawsuits, they need to bankrupt these cities because they
seem immune otherwise and don't give a shit.