Crime & Safety
Michael Slager: Sentencing Begins In Killing Of Unarmed Black Man
Slager shot Walter Scott five times in the back as he fled a traffic stop. Slager pleaded guilty in May to violating Scott's civil rights.
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC — A hearing is underway to determine how long Michael Slager will spend in a federal prison after the former North Charleston police officer pleaded guilty in the killing of an unarmed black man, who was shot five times in the back as he ran from a traffic stop two years ago. Slager, who pleaded guilty in May to violating Walter Scott's civil rights, has said he feared for his life and that Scott grabbed at Slager's stun gun and charged at him.
State Law Enforcement Division Lt. Charles Ghent testified on Monday that Slager demonstrated how he struggled on the ground with Scott after the traffic stop.
But Ghent said Slager didn't say Scott used his own stun gun on him. According to Ghent, Slager only said the men had struggled over his stun gun.
Find out what's happening in Across South Carolinafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
By that point, Ghent said Slager had already deployed his stun gun several times, meaning that its prongs weren't a threat and it could only be used directly on someone's skin.
The man who filmed the shooting also testified on Monday. Feidin Santana said he was on his way to his job as a barber when he saw Slager chasing Scott in April 2015.
Find out what's happening in Across South Carolinafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Santana said he saw Slager shoot Scott, who fell to the ground and never got up again. He said he started filming the encounter because he felt like something was going to happen that he should record.
Santana also said he did not see Scott take Slager's stun gun and charge at the officer.
Officials expect Slager's sentencing to last several days. Slager has been in jail since pleading guilty.
Attorneys for Slager played cellphone video of the shooting on Monday. Defense attorney Andy Savage also played dashcam video of Slager pulling over Scott for a broken brake light. Slager told dispatchers that Scott grabbed his stun gun.
Savage said he played the videos to show his client's professionalism in how he handled the stop.
Slager was tried on murder charges last year, but jurors deadlocked. The state dropped its case against Slager as part of his federal plea deal.
Warning: Graphic Video of Walter Scott Shooting
Walter Scott shooting from The Post and Courier on Vimeo.
Photo credit: Grace Beahm/Post and Courier via AP