# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/21 "2015-04-08T07:11:03Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > You think getting mad about it will fix it like magic? The FBI murdered Dr. King. His family won a court judgement against the government for his death. How many people at the FBI lost their jobs over that? [FYI.](http://www.snopes.com/politics/conspiracy/mlktrial.asp) ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/22 "2015-04-08T12:10:41Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > You think getting mad about it will fix it like magic? The FBI murdered Dr. King. His family won a court judgement against the government for his death. How many people at the FBI lost their jobs over that? None. But that’s for a very good reason: it never happened. The King family did not sue the government. They sued a man who had claimed that there was a government conspiracy, and won a $100 judgement against the man. The jury did conclude that the government was involved, yes – in a trial between King’s heirs and the man, a trial in which the government was not a party, and unable to call any witnesses to defend itself or even question any of the witnesses that did testify. There was never a court judgement “against the government.” Did you know that? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/23 "2015-04-08T12:21:26Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > How would this ever go to Federal court? You’d have to prove a civil rights violation, which is a high bar. And they can’t force the local DA to “try extra hard”. All he has to do is the absolute bare minimum to avoid being prosecuted himself…and since he’s a lawyer, he knows exACTly what would be that bare minimum. Nobody is even saying it would go to Federal court, only that they are going to be involved with the investigation. Much harder to cover up evidence and taint witnesses when the FBI and DOJ is involved in the investigation. ---
**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 8, 2015, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/24 "2015-04-08T13:01:15Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Nobody is even saying it would go to Federal court, only that they are going to be involved with the investigation. Much harder to cover up evidence and taint witnesses when the FBI and DOJ is involved in the investigation. All the prosecutor has to do is not use the video. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/25 "2015-04-08T13:02:46Z")
As I said in the other thread: at most he’ll get a minimum sentence. Ten years, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/26 "2015-04-08T13:03:52Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > Why would the prosecutor care? He’s only answerable to his local constituents, as long as he doesn’t run afoul of federal law…and, like I already pointed out, he knows exACTly how to skirt federal laws without actually breaking them. He can and will easily make himself bulletproof, legally-speaking. Ahh, the anti-Smapti. ---
**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 8, 2015, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/27 "2015-04-08T13:04:42Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > None. > > But that’s for a very good reason: it never happened. > > The King family did not sue the government. They sued a man who had claimed that there was a government conspiracy, and won a $100 judgement against the man. The jury did conclude that the government was involved, yes – in a trial between King’s heirs and the man, a trial in which the government was not a party, and unable to call any witnesses to defend itself or even question any of the witnesses that did testify. > > There was never a court judgement “against the government.” > > Did you know that? And yet, a jury with six whites from the Deep South found it a credible conclusion. Given the fact that the FBI was already attempting to blackmail Dr. King, I find it a credible conclusion too. They were already breaking the law in their dealings with him in one way, so why not another? Their credibility is impaired severely in this situation, would you not agree, o brother? ---
**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 8, 2015, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/28 "2015-04-08T13:07:00Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Ahh, the anti-Smapti. Yeah. So? You want MORE police killings of civilians, encourage the Smaptis of the world. I’m no extremist in my VIEWS, just my rage. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/29 "2015-04-08T13:15:35Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Shitty prosecutorial work aside, I really don’t see how a defense could overcome the day and night disparity between what the police officer reported-fearing his life due to the suspect taking his stun gun-and what the video clearly and unambiguously shows-the stun gun falling away from the suspect and the suspect turning and running and the cop firing multiple shots in his back. How much of the murder charge could he deflect by making a simple change to his story? “There was a struggle for my taser, and I lost control of it. I didn’t realize it had dropped and didn’t hear it hit the ground, because we were struggling. He ran and started to turn and I thought he had my stun gun, so I shot him. After he fell, I realized he didn’t have the stun gun, and I freaked out and fucked up.” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/30 "2015-04-08T13:35:16Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > And yet, a jury with six whites from the Deep South found it a credible conclusion. Given the fact that the FBI was already attempting to blackmail Dr. King, I find it a credible conclusion too. They were already breaking the law in their dealings with him in one way, so why not another? Their credibility is impaired severely in this situation, would you not agree, o brother? If you would like to raise the subject of Dr. King’s assassination, please do so in another thread, and keep the subject here to the killing of Walter Scott, as we don’t want it derailed. Thanks, RickJay Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/31 "2015-04-08T13:37:50Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > And yet, a jury with six whites from the Deep South found it a credible conclusion… The same “Deep South” people on which you are such a self reported expert, the ones who according to you don’t give a F%&\*, concluded 30 years after the fact that the government murdered a black man in the 60’s. The same “Deep South” people who, again according to you, would never convict a cop of the same thing in 2015 despite much more evidence. Facts don’t appear to matter to you and even your unsupported opinions conflict. :rolleyes: ---
**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 8, 2015, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/32 "2015-04-08T13:40:50Z")
I don’t understand this for a number of reasons but, looking at the video, the 33-year old reasonably trim policeman just stands there while a 50-year old somewhat obese man kind of jogs away - you can’t call that runnng. Instead of shouting out to him “Stop” - or maybe “Stop or I’ll shoot you in the back for not having a tail light” - he fires 8 bullits at his back. It even looked like the black man was running back to his car, where the policeman’s partner was, also by his car. Fwiw, I don’t live in the US. This whole thing looks amatuerish. Why aren’t both police working as a team, why shoot him, how did it escalate to the point shooting made sense? The thing that sticks with me is the policeman just calmly pulled the gun from his holster and kept firing to kill, like he was killing an injured animal. For a stop light? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/33 "2015-04-08T13:45:44Z")
Well I think that will be his defence, “Well he had a head start on me and I would have had to run to catch him. Easier all round if I just shoot him in the back a few times and then walk over. No running then.” ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/34 "2015-04-08T14:12:16Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > Yeah. So? You want MORE police killings of civilians, encourage the Smaptis of the world. I’m no extremist in my VIEWS, just my rage. Sorry, it’s just that you and Smapti are like Goofus and Gallant. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/35 "2015-04-08T14:22:31Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Ahh, the anti-Smapti. I’m waiting for Smapti’s explanation of this one. Then I’ll know what to think. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/36 "2015-04-08T14:30:34Z")
Oh, I can pretty much guess what the copologists will say; we can’t see everything that happened before, so that much be when the “thug” (the copologists’ term of art for “black man”) seriously injured the officer and went for the Taser. Sure, he was running away and was shot in the back, but the officer was scared anyway because the “thug” had hurt him. Since the officer was scared of the “thug,” it’s a “justified kill.” Added to that is the fact that the officer through the “thug” had his Taser, and was not running away, but was instead running somewhere else to use it on white people. The part where the cop picked up the Taser and dropped it near the “thug” was just a little mistake, of course, not an attempt to plant a weapon. He was just scared; after all, it was a black guy, they’re very scary. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/37 "2015-04-08T14:32:21Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’m waiting for Smapti’s explanation of this one. Then I’ll know what to think. [Here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18272599&postcount=1496)you go. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/38 "2015-04-08T14:43:28Z")
> [@get\_lives](#): > > All the prosecutor has to do is not use the video. Which would then give the Federal government cause to call it a violation of his civil rights by having such evidence suppressed by a prosecutor. It would show that police and prosecution conspired to suppress evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/39 "2015-04-08T14:54:22Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’m waiting for Smapti’s explanation of this one. Then I’ll know what to think. Looks to me like the cop screwed up. Big-time. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/40 "2015-04-08T15:36:26Z")
Screwed up? As in a _mistake_? That looked pretty fucking deliberate to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087.md?page=3)