White Officer Pleads Guilty to Murder of Walter Scott [Video]

After years of claiming innocence in the April 2015 murder of Walter Scott, the ex-South Carolina Officer pleads guilty in his federal case. The high-profile shooting of the unarmed black man went viral after a witness caught the exchange on video. Michael T. Slager came under fire for shooting Scott in the back as he attempted to run away… weaponless. The footage showed the officer allegedly planting evidence next to the victim’s lifeless body after firing eight shots.

At the time of the murder, Slager claimed innocence and testified of a struggle that ensued with Scott causing him to fear for his life. Within days after the video revealed a portion of the fatal encounter, the officer was charged with murder and fired from the police department. Later, the family of Scott reached a $6.5 million settlement with the City of North Charleston. Slager is among a handful of police officers to face prosecution for on-duty shootings. However, even with video footage, an even smaller number are found guilty of any crimes.

Many cases involving unarmed black men have instigated protests, heightened racial tensions and fueled outrage across the country. It seems, more often than not, that raw video contradicted the explanations rendered by law enforcement leading many to conclude that the shootings were unjustified.

Despite claims of innocence, millions have been paid to the family of these victims in settlement offers. A large settlement, however, screams something went wrong in the eyes of witnesses when this type of “blue-on-black” violence occurs. It is difficult to imagine any police department paying out huge sums of money if they truly think they have done the right thing. However, Joanna Schwarts, a law professor at the University of California, said:

In settlements, police departments and cities rarely admit wrongdoing; almost every settlement agreement states that there is not an admission of fault.

People outside of law enforcement fail to realize that in many of the larger cities, settlements do not even come out of the police department’s budget. This tends to insulate the agency from any real consequences. It gives the impression that law enforcement is free to continue committing crimes against the black community without accountability. The department does not pay any real penalties and the officers typically do not receive a conviction for the crime committed.

According to Christopher Dunn, the associate legal director at the New York Civil Liberties Union, the decision to indict an officer is usually handed up by local grand juries who make the decision in secret. He added:

Courts have given leeway to the police on using deadly physical force if officers reasonably feel their lives are in danger, and juries are often reluctant to convict police officers. Prosecutors may feel pressure not to charge officers because they work with and rely on the police daily, and at times, facts can be distorted or withheld by the police, leaving prosecutors with incomplete or wrong information.

The absence of consequences tends to leave the families of victims in a continuously victimized state of mind. It is important that some action is taken, whether dismissal from the department or prosecution from the Justice Department. Slager’s charge felt like vindication to all who have been touched by the ongoing injustice of blue-on-black crime. In an unsuspected twist of events, Slager, the ex-South Carolina Officer who killed Scott, pleads guilty.

Although the guilty plea is a self-serving agreement for the ex-officer to receive a lesser sentence, it is still a type of “win” for the African-American population. The murder of Scott was deemed criminal and “without legal justification.” The plea deal would allow him to avoid a jury trial and the Federal District Court of South Carolina to decide his sentence. The sentence could result in life in prison, but the goal of the agreement is a lesser ruling.

The April 2015 murder of Walter Scott quickly went viral. The day the video released, Slager was arrested. After two years of stating, he was not guilty of murdering Scott, ex-officer Michael T. Slager pleads guilty. The outcome of his sentencing will not bring the unarmed black victim back but will provide a level or justice to the African-American community.

WARNING VIDEO SHOWS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE

By Cherese Jackson (Virginia)

Sources:

CNN: Ex-officer Michael Slager to plead guilty after killing unarmed black man
NY Times: Officer Who Shot Walter Scott to Plead Guilty in Charleston
NY Times: Looking for Accountability in Police-Involved Deaths of Blacks

Image Credits:

Top Image Courtesy of Christopher Dombres’ Flicker Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Thomas Hawk’s Flicker Page – Creative Commons License
Featured Image Courtesy of Joe Brusky’s Flicker Page – Creative Commons License