No spin-video clearly shows white N.Charleston cop shooting fleeing black man 8 times in the back-If this guy's acquitted I'll join protest
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) April 7, 2015
A North Charleston, South Carolina, police officer was charged with murder Tuesday after cell-phone video captured him fatally shooting an unarmed man in the back following a traffic stop Saturday. Officer Michael Slager, 33, could face 30 years to life in prison or the death penalty, state officials said.
Not a picture you want pose for if you're cop: Michael Slager, #NorthCharleston, SC charged with murdering motorist. pic.twitter.com/rMGIw1eQNv
— ChuckGoudie (@ChuckGoudieABC7) April 7, 2015
The video, obtained by The New York Times, shows Slager shooting at the suspect — 50-year-old Walter Scott — about eight times as he runs away in a vacant lot. The officer said the suspect took his Taser and that he feared for his life.
A screen shot from the video that shows the shooting death of #WalterScott pic.twitter.com/Hu1bB7Wy4B
— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) April 7, 2015
FULL VIDEO: Officer Shoots #WalterScott In The Back, Killing Him http://t.co/HIO9nMQExR pic.twitter.com/M9lYAJR1u7
— Anis Muslić ⣢ (@0xUID) April 7, 2015
Video of officer shooting man in back posted by NY Times. SC cop charged with murder. http://t.co/o03BWBULkS pic.twitter.com/bpMZzLZktE
— Russ Ptacek ? (@RussPtacek) April 7, 2015
FBI investigating deadly officer involved shooting in South Carolina. DoJ says it will decide "appropriate action in light of the evidence."
— Paula Reid (@PaulaReidCBS) April 7, 2015
Unless I am misinterpreting this video, cop who called in saying suspect had stolen taser ACTUALLY PLANTED IT. http://t.co/rrgepVlSWy
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) April 7, 2015
Most "charitable"–note scare quotes–interpretation of SC cop slaying (credit to @DraftRyan2016, who pointed this out) is as follows:
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) April 7, 2015
2/ Then, presumably, he will try to claim that he panicked when he realized that guy hadn't actually taken it, and planted it.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) April 7, 2015
3/ Needless to say, this ain't for shit as a defense, but he's going for jury sympathy, not law at this point.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) April 7, 2015
4/ What is so damning to me, as a viewer, is the "totes cas" way he drops the taser by the body. A very practiced move, it looks like.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) April 7, 2015
5/ Furthermore, and I need to check w/how SC law handles this, I'm not even sure a taser is considered a DEADLY weapon.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) April 7, 2015
6/ Guy running w/gun? MAYBE a justifiable shoot, if you think he's going to harm others. A non-lethal weapon? No, never. Irrelevant anyway.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) April 7, 2015
7/ Everything about that video is gross and makes me angry. I thought Eric Garner case was bad.
This is way worse. WAY WORSE.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) April 7, 2015
Seen too many of these cop videos lately. This one, via @nytimes, is the worst yet. http://t.co/CtR5gtVDEt
— Matt Bai (@mattbai) April 7, 2015
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