# 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:** 4
**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, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/61 "2015-04-08T18:07:56Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > That just escalates it to a felony. And a chance to be shot in the back. ---
**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, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/62 "2015-04-08T18:14:17Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Right keep it simple. Don’t run from the cops over a silly tail light or back child support. Be a man, let the officer write the ticket and go on your way. If he arrests you for child support you’ll get bonded out probably that day or the next morning. > > This is simple stuff. Thousands and thousands of citizens interact with the police every day. There’s no reason to do something stupid like running. That just escalates it to a felony. > > I’ve had 3 tickets in my life. One time they let me mail in my fine. The other two were in small towns and I was required to go to court and pay immediately. A PITA that cost me nearly two hours in lost travel time. Running away never even crossed my mine. I’m not that stupid. Lemme guess; you’re a white guy. Amiright? ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/63 "2015-04-08T18:16:41Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Right keep it simple. Don’t run from the cops over a silly tail light or back child support. Be a man, let the officer write the ticket and go on your way. If he arrests you for child support you’ll get bonded out probably that day or the next morning. > > This is simple stuff. Thousands and thousands of citizens interact with the police every day. There’s no reason to do something stupid like running. That just escalates it to a felony. > > I’ve had 3 tickets in my life. One time they let me mail in my fine. The other two were in small towns and I was required to go to court and pay immediately. A PITA that cost me nearly two hours in lost travel time. Running away never even crossed my mine. I’m not that stupid. I still can’t see why the cop shot him, did you forget that bit? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/64 "2015-04-08T18:17:04Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by aceplace57 View Post > Right keep it simple. Don’t run from the cops over a silly tail light or back child support. Be a man, let the officer write the ticket and go on your way. If he arrests you for child support you’ll get bonded out probably that day or the next morning. > > This is simple stuff. Thousands and thousands of citizens interact with the police every day. There’s no reason to do something stupid like running. That just escalates it to a felony. We’ll never know why he was running, but in hindsight we know the cop was willing to murder him. I can imagine reasons he may have had for running for his life stemming from an encounter with this officer. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/65 "2015-04-08T18:23:38Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > There’s still a lot unknown about this case. Did the cop have time to run this guy’s name through his computer? AFAIK, at least up here, the cops run your plates before they get out of their car. > [@Kaio](#): > > how can the officer be in danger from someone running away? By running away, he could have come up on the officer from behind! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/66 "2015-04-08T18:23:53Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > We’ll never know why he was running, but in hindsight we know the cop was willing to murder him. I can imagine reasons he may have had for running for his life stemming from an encounter with this officer. Surely he knew the cop would shoot him if he ran. I suppose he could be so frightened of a policeman that he didn’t think, just fled. Was it a NY Transit Authority cop that shot a guy handcuffed in his back? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/67 "2015-04-08T18:28:05Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Surely he knew the cop would shoot him if he ran. I suppose he could be so frightened of a policeman that he didn’t think, just fled. Was it a NY Transit Authority cop that shot a guy handcuffed in his back? How would a person know the cop would violate the established standards for who can be shot? ---
**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, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/68 "2015-04-08T18:40:24Z")
> [@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? No, absolutely not. The jury’s conclusion is meaningless – they never heard from government witnesses and the trial did not give the government any chance to defend itself. Moreover, the jury simply said, “Government,” and the quasi-verdict did not specify state, federal, or local government. There’s an old adage about the population of China being asked about the length of the Emperor’s nose, and the answers averaged together. Is that answer considered very accurate because of the large number of people that contributed to it? Is it more credible because so many people participated? ---
**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, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/69 "2015-04-08T18:56:04Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Surely he knew the cop would shoot him if he ran. I suppose he could be so frightened of a policeman that he didn’t think, just fled. Was it a NY Transit Authority cop that shot a guy handcuffed in his back? BART cop at the Bayfair BART station in Oakland, for one. Don’t know about the cuffs, but the guy was face down, being restrained by the cop’s partner, when the cop pulled out his 9 mm and shot the guy in the back. Said he was going for his taser and grabbed the wrong gun. > [@Procrustus](#): > > How would a person know the cop would violate the established standards for who can be shot? By watching the news? If I were a black person in America today, I would be concerned in any interaction with the police. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/70 "2015-04-08T18:59:00Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > BART cop at the Bayfair BART station in Oakland, for one. Don’t know about the cuffs, but the guy was face down, being restrained by the cop’s partner, when the cop pulled out his 9 mm and shot the guy in the back. Said he was going for his taser and grabbed the wrong gun. Thanks! At least I got the country right. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/71 "2015-04-08T19:02:22Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > By watching the news? If I were a black person in America today, I would be concerned in any interaction with the police. I completely agree. I was trying to make some point in rebuttal of the attitude, “If you don’t want to get shot, don’t run from the police.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/72 "2015-04-08T19:11:06Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > rebuttal of the attitude, “If you don’t want to get shot, don’t run from the police.” I certainly didn’t mean to sound as though I am one the side of the policeman. Allow me to rephrase: Certainly most Black people in the country know that if you run, the murderous bastard will have an excuse to shoot you. ---
**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 8, 2015, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/73 "2015-04-08T19:18:38Z")
I wonder how much the bullshit in tv and movies has given people the wrong idea? Running from the cops is pretty standard stuff in fiction. Cops running after suspects that might be or are armed. Bang bang, bang and nobody gets hit. It’s like an automatic reflex for tv characters, there’s a cop! Run! The stupidest most asinine thing they could possibly do and its portrayed in every tv cop show and action movie. They portray stupid shit that never works that way in real life. They recently had a[teen that died running from cops](http://7online.com/news/teen-dies-after-fall-from-roof-in-bronx/615909/)and tried to jump from one rooftop to another. Another idiotic action scene from television. He fell like a stone and died. People these days getting real life mixed up with what they see over and over again on tv. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/74 "2015-04-08T19:19:56Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I certainly didn’t mean to sound as though I am one the side of the policeman. > Allow me to rephrase: **Certainly most Black people in the country know that if you run, the murderous bastard will have an excuse to shoot you.** (Emphasis mine) I’m sorry . . . where am I? What year is it? Did my TARDIS malfunction again? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/75 "2015-04-08T19:20:27Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I wonder how much the bullshit in tv and movies has given people the wrong idea? Running from the cops is pretty standard stuff in fiction. Cops running after suspects that might be or are armed. Bang bang, bang and nobody gets hit. It’s like an automatic reflex for tv characters, there’s a cop! Run! The stupidest most asinine thing they could possibly do and its in every action movie. > > They portray stupid shit that never works that way in real life. They had a[teen recently died running from cops](http://7online.com/news/teen-dies-after-fall-from-roof-in-bronx/615909/)and trying to jump from one rooftop to another. Another idiotic action scene from television. He fell like a stone and died. People these days get real life mixed up with what they see over and over again on tv. I don’t disagree with this. Running from the police is usually a very bad idea. However, this particular gentleman may have had good cause. Or perhaps he didn’t. Either way, it would have been much better if the cop didn’t illegally murder him. ---
**Author:** ![Fallen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@Fallen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fallen)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/76 "2015-04-08T19:21:14Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The problem for the police is they don’t know the reason why a suspect runs. Is it for something non-violent like drugs or back child support? If so, then there’s no reason to use force. But the cops don’t know why he’s running. I realize this is going down a rabbit hole, but you say “suspect”. On what basis is that word being used? The guy was not a “suspect” or suspected of criminal activity as far as I know. He was pulled over because of a broken tail light; this does not equal “suspect”. 🙂 If you are pulled over for having run a red light, you are not a “suspect”. Police are free to operate on preconceived notions and biases, but probable cause to believe someone is guilty of a crime or will commit a crime requires a reasonable, \*particularized \* and objective basis upon which to believe it. I’d love to know what actually occurred at the car, but we’ll likely never know unless it too was taped (passively or actively, e.g., by a security camera). Someone having a seemingly irrational reaction to being pulled over does not equal a legit reason to taze and then shoot. We already know the officer lied about Mr. Scott having taken his tazer (but even if he had taken an already discharged tazer, I don’t see how that warrants the death penalty). Being black is reason in and of itself to fear that something awful will happen when being pulled over for no reason or any reason. At any rate, the dude evidently had a fear or being hauled into jail for back child support … or at least that is what I’ve read so far. ---
**Author:** ![Fallen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@Fallen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fallen)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/77 "2015-04-08T19:23:10Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I certainly didn’t mean to sound as though I am one the side of the policeman. > Allow me to rephrase: Certainly most Black people in the country know that if you run, the murderous bastard will have an excuse to shoot you. The fight or flight instinct or decision aside, the thing is that police don’t require an excuse to make the decision to arrest, harm or kill you … not until after the fact anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/78 "2015-04-08T19:25:33Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Right keep it simple. Don’t run from the cops over a silly tail light or back child support. … > > Running away never even crossed my mine. I’m not that stupid. How stupid _are_ you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/79 "2015-04-08T19:28:35Z")
> [@Gedd](#): > > Did my TARDIS malfunction again? Apparently so. 🙂 And I thought it was [Ged](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Wizard_of_Earthsea). I beg your pardon. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087/80 "2015-04-08T19:29:31Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > BART cop at the Bayfair BART station in Oakland, for one. Don’t know about the cuffs, but the guy was face down, being restrained by the cop’s partner, when the cop pulled out his 9 mm and shot the guy in the back. Said he was going for his taser and grabbed the wrong gun. > By watching the news? If I were a black person in America today, I would be concerned in any interaction with the police. Just want to let you know you’ve conflated two different shootings. The Bayfair BART is in San Leandro\*. It did involve someone fleeing and he was shot in the back. Here’s a [link](http://www.sfbg.com/2009/01/05/lethal-force). The shooting in the back with your description involved a BART police officer in Oakland at the frruitvale station. There is a movie about it called Fruitvale Station. We discussed it here as well. Fun facts… I was once escorted from San Leandro by the police for playing video games while black. I also moved my business from there after being repeatedly pulled over by the police on the way to work or more egregiously in my parking lot. I also lived near the Fruitvale Bart station and have gotten off that very exit more times than I can count. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-carolina-police-officer-charged-with-murder/717087.md?page=5)