Grand jury indicts former cop

Photo from www.copblock.org

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – Michael Slager, a former North Charleston, South Carolina, police officer, who is charged with murder in the 2015 shooting death of an unarmed Black motorist, was indicted May 11, by a federal grand jury for the deadly shooting.

The grand jury charged that Slager used excessive force when he shot and killed Walter Scott without legal justification. Slager also was charged with obstruction of justice for making false statements to South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigators with intent to impede the investigation into the shooting.

The indictment also charged that Slager intentionally mislead investigators when he told them Scott, armed with a laser, was running towards him when he fired his gun.

Scott was killed after he was shot five times in the back. The shooting was captured on cell phone video, turning Slager into a lair over the Internet. He was later arrested. Slager stopped Scott’s car for a broken brake light.

Scott, fearing he was about to be arrested for failing to pay child support, jumped out of his car and ran. Slager then fired eight shots at him.

Scott was shot to death on April 4, 2015. A year later, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund posted on its website “The First Anniversary of the death Walter Scott: Renewing the Call for Police Reform.”

Since Scott’s murder, city officials have not implemented any meaningful police reforms, civil rights officials report.

If Slager is convicted on the federal charges, he faces life in prison. He also faces state murder charges.

Slager had been released on bail, but he is expected to be arrested again on the federal charges