Killing of Walter Scott
| Killing of Walter Scott | |
|---|---|
Witness video image, shows Officer Slager shooting Walter Scott | |
| Location | North Charleston, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Coordinates |
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| Date | April 4, 2015 9:30 a.m. (EDT) |
Attack type | Police killing, homicide by shooting |
| Victim | Walter Lamar Scott, aged 50 |
| Perpetrator | Michael Thomas Slager |
| Verdict | Federal Guilty State Mistrial |
| Charges | Federal Deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in death State Murder |
| Filmed by | Feidin Santana |
| Sentence | 20 years in federal prison |
| Litigation | Wrongful death lawsuit settled for $6.5 million |
On April 4, 2015, Walter Scott, a 50-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by Michael Slager, a local police officer in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Slager had stopped Scott for a non-functioning brake light. Slager was charged with murder after a video surfaced showing him shooting Scott from behind while Scott fled, which contradicted Slager's report. The racial difference led to the belief that the shooting was racially motivated, generating widespread controversy.
The case was independently investigated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina, and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division conducted their own investigations. In June 2015, a South Carolina grand jury indicted Slager on a charge of murder. He was released on bond in January 2016. In late 2016, a five-week trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury. In May 2016, Slager was indicted on federal charges including violation of Scott's civil rights and obstruction of justice. In a May 2017 plea agreement, Slager pleaded guilty to federal charges of civil rights violations, and he was returned to jail pending sentencing. In return for his guilty plea, the state's murder charges were dropped.
In December 2017, Slager was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with the judge determining that the underlying offenses were second degree murder and obstruction of justice.