# South Carolina police officer charged with murder. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2015, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087 "2015-04-08T01:36:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/281 "2015-04-11T19:36:24Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > …And that complaint came from an innocent Black man, whom Slager tased. And this was _after_ the witness to an earlier crime yelled to Slager and his partner that the man was not the suspect, and didn’t look anything like the suspect. And this was _after_ the innocent man raised his hands in the air. The officers stated that the six-foot-three innocent man looked ‘just like’ the five-foot-five suspect. Sounds a bit like ‘They all look alike’ if you ask me. Is there any evidence that supports that misidentification claim? Other than the word of the misidentified man, and his lawyer? Wasn’t the misidentified man the brother of the suspect? I was under the impression that the girlfriend (who filed the original complaint) told police where to find the suspect and later said police had the wrong man? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/282 "2015-04-11T19:36:36Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I agree. Unfortunately, and due to Scott’s actions, Slager had not had the opportunity at that point to determine whether Scott was armed or not. So he shot him, just in case? Are you serious? Do you really believe cops are allowed to shoot people in the back while they’re running away just on the off chance that they might be armed? I don’t understand how anyone can hold cops to such a low standard… and somehow that low standard just happens to harm black people the most. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/283 "2015-04-11T19:40:04Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > And well he should be. > > Regardless of what happened before, he’s still not allowed to shoot a fleeing, unarmed suspect in the back. I don’t know how in the world he was supposed to know that Scott was unarmed, do you? I also don’t know what lay in Scott’s path as he fled, giving all appearances of being a desperate criminal willing to do anything to avoid capture. Was there a stoplight where he might have tried carjacking someone to get away? Was there a school or a neighborhood of houses where he might have tried to take hostages? Etc., etc. We don’t know, therefore we don’t know what was going through the mind of this officer who was undoubtedly aware of all sorts of terrible things that have been done by fleeing felons. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/284 "2015-04-11T19:44:06Z")
[Michael Slager’s pregnant wife and mother visited him in jail.](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/pregnant-wife-mother-michael-slager-visit-ex-cop-jail-article-1.2181525) This tragedy rips apart so many lives. Scott is dead, his kids don’t have a dad anymore. Slager’s baby is due in another month and may never know his dad (outside of prison visits). All the other family members of both men will never forget what happened. It’s terrible that a guy worried about possible warrants for back child support set this chain of events into motion. It’s not a defense for Slager, but it is what triggered the tragedy. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/285 "2015-04-11T19:48:06Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > A good summary of whats finally been reported so far. The early reports of a racist cop casually shooting a black guy multiple times, for the hell of it, were very misleading. They certainly were, and I fell for it too. I’ve pretty much done a 180 now after seeing the video from the dashboard cam and learning more about how Slager tried to apprehend Scott prior to the shooting. I still don’t know that I’d say the shooting was justified but I can see how Slager may well have had concerns for public safety that led him to shoot, rather than just blatantly mowing down a black guy for the hell of it like the version the media fed us in the beginning would have us believe. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/286 "2015-04-11T20:14:50Z")
This just in! (Maybe.) I just saw a headline a few minutes ago, saying that _another_ dashcam video has turned up. The link went to a page, apparently with videos of TV news reports, but I can’t watch videos on this machine. Now I can’t find the headline again, and I’m not seeing any obvious Google references to a second video. Did anyone else here see or read about this? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/287 "2015-04-11T20:21:45Z")
The second dashcam video > **[New, second dashcam video from Walter Scott shooting | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/04/10/tsr-dnt-todd-new-police-dash-cam-video-walter-scott-shooting.cnn)** > > CNN’s Brian Todd reports on new dash cam video from another police officer’s car that shows the aftermath of the Walter Scott shooting. > [@](#): > > reports on new dash cam video from another police officer’s car that shows the aftermath of the Walter Scott shooting. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/288 "2015-04-11T20:27:44Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It’s terrible that a guy worried about possible warrants for back child support set this chain of events into motion. It’s not a defense for Slager, but it is what triggered the tragedy. What “triggered” the tragedy was Slager deciding to pull the trigger eight times at a fleeing man who posed no immediate threat to anyone. Any sins of Scott are miniscule in comparison to this. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/289 "2015-04-11T20:31:39Z")
There’s a street view map of the scene in this article. > **[South Carolina police release Walter Scott dash cam video](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32237544)** > > South Carolina officials have released a new video showing the moments before a US police officer shot dead an unarmed black man in the back. The shooting took place quite a distance from the traffic stop in the parking lot. Scott ran pretty far before Slager resorted to shooting. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/290 "2015-04-11T20:33:37Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I don’t know how in the world he was supposed to know that Scott was unarmed, do you? To justify deadly force the officer has to know that the individual poses a clear threat to public safety. If the officer doesn’t know if the fleeing suspect is armed, then he doesn’t meet that standard. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/291 "2015-04-11T20:35:30Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > There’s a street view map of the scene in this article. > [South Carolina police release Walter Scott dash cam video - BBC News](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32237544) > > The shooting took place quite a distance from the traffic stop in the parking lot. Scott ran pretty far before Slager resorted to shooting. Slager made the decision to commit murder _there_, as opposed to over _there_. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/292 "2015-04-11T21:38:36Z")
Sadly, it just does not seem that Slager is made of the right stuff to be a LEO. Got emotional and pulled the trigger. If I confronted a burglar In my house and struggled with him and shot him while he was trying to run away, well, things would not go too good for me. Pretty grey area though. But if he was in the yard, and I shot him in the back while he was running away. Well, umm. no. Texas is a little different I know. The big problem here is the tampering of evidence. The movement of the stun gun. If really puts a large ? on what happened. And that it was so casual, and accepted by the other cop that saw it is just nuts. And in the vid, the dying man laying face down is handcuffed, and Slager didn’t even then do a cursory check for a weapon. If he thought he was armed, he would have. ---
**Author:** ![get\_lives](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@get\_lives](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/get_lives)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/293 "2015-04-11T21:48:20Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > And in the vid, the dying man laying face down is handcuffed, and Slager didn’t even then do a cursory check for a weapon. If he thought he was armed, he would have. This bears repeating. A lot. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/294 "2015-04-11T22:38:47Z")
Fwiw, you have to think a local jury will convict on Manslaughter (reckless) rather than Murder (a clear intention to kill). Imo, he just has to say he believed it was in the interests of the public he stopped the guy from escaping, and that he did not intend to kill him. Local jury will surely buy that, esp. given the first dashcam video. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/295 "2015-04-13T05:32:27Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Slager altered the crime scene. That requires some form of disciplinary action. I would have thought it warranted a criminal charge of obstruction of justice, or however evidence tampering is described in South Carolina law. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/296 "2015-04-13T06:22:41Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > And in the vid, the dying man laying face down is handcuffed, and Slager didn’t even then do a cursory check for a weapon. If he thought he was armed, he would have. I dunno - prudent person would, But it’s not a stretch for me at all to believe that he saw no need to check a man handcuffed facedown for a weapon ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/297 "2015-04-13T10:01:19Z")
Remember, a jury of HIS peers will elect to recommend his promotion to Lieutenant. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/298 "2015-04-13T15:32:35Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I would have thought it warranted a criminal charge of obstruction of justice, or however evidence tampering is described in South Carolina law. The State Attorney can add, or subtract, charges up until the time jury selection begins. There was no imminent danger when lethal force was used. I’m thinking manslaughter will be the primary charge. Obstruction will also, probably, make the list. IMHO, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/299 "2015-04-13T16:40:00Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Scott is dead, his kids don’t have a dad anymore. They didn’t have much of a dad before he was dead, either. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/300 "2015-04-13T16:45:25Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > They didn’t have much of a dad before he was dead, either. > > Regards, > Shodan Weird. Sure, maybe he was a crappy dad (maybe it’s even better than 50/50 that he was, depending on the evidence), but I’ve always assumed that the possibility that I might be slandering a dead person who didn’t deserve to die would outweigh any positives gained by insulting the dead. Maybe you’re right – but is this possibility worth the chance that you’re unjustly insulting the memory of a dead man and his family? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087.md?page=16)