This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/12/us/south-carolina-officer-faces-federal-charges-in-fatal-shooting.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
South Carolina Officer Faces Federal Charges in Fatal Shooting South Carolina Officer Faces Federal Charges in Fatal Shooting
(about 2 hours later)
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A former North Charleston, S.C., police officer was indicted here Wednesday on federal civil rights charges in the shooting death last year of an unarmed black motorist.CHARLESTON, S.C. — A former North Charleston, S.C., police officer was indicted here Wednesday on federal civil rights charges in the shooting death last year of an unarmed black motorist.
In a federal indictment unsealed here on Wednesday, the former officer, Michael T. Slager, already facing state murder charges in the death of Walter L. Scott, was accused of violating Mr. Scott’s civil rights, obstructing justice and unlawfully using a weapon during the commission of a crime.In a federal indictment unsealed here on Wednesday, the former officer, Michael T. Slager, already facing state murder charges in the death of Walter L. Scott, was accused of violating Mr. Scott’s civil rights, obstructing justice and unlawfully using a weapon during the commission of a crime.
The case drew national attention last April when a video of the encounter, shot by a bystander, was released. The video showed Mr. Scott being shot after a traffic stop. Officer Slager, 34, who is white, had pulled Mr. Scott, 50, over for a broken brake light, and said he had fired because he feared for his life after Mr. Scott grabbed his Taser.The case drew national attention last April when a video of the encounter, shot by a bystander, was released. The video showed Mr. Scott being shot after a traffic stop. Officer Slager, 34, who is white, had pulled Mr. Scott, 50, over for a broken brake light, and said he had fired because he feared for his life after Mr. Scott grabbed his Taser.
But the video showed Mr. Scott running away after a brief scuffle, and Officer Slager firing eight times. Mr. Scott was hit five times — three times in the back, once in the upper buttocks and once in the ear, according to the coroner’s report.But the video showed Mr. Scott running away after a brief scuffle, and Officer Slager firing eight times. Mr. Scott was hit five times — three times in the back, once in the upper buttocks and once in the ear, according to the coroner’s report.
Mr. Slager was in custody until January, when he was released on bail. He was expected to appear in federal court later on Wednesday, when a judge would decide whether he could remain free on bond.Mr. Slager was in custody until January, when he was released on bail. He was expected to appear in federal court later on Wednesday, when a judge would decide whether he could remain free on bond.
The federal indictment accused Mr. Slager of abusing his authority as a police officer by using excessive force,— a Constitutional violation, in shooting Mr. Scott. The obstruction of justice charge stems from Mr. Slager telling state investigators that Mr. Scott was coming at him with his own Taser when he fired.The federal indictment accused Mr. Slager of abusing his authority as a police officer by using excessive force,— a Constitutional violation, in shooting Mr. Scott. The obstruction of justice charge stems from Mr. Slager telling state investigators that Mr. Scott was coming at him with his own Taser when he fired.
Mr. Slager knowingly misled investigators “by falsely stating that he fired his weapon at Scott while Scott was coming forward at him with a Taser,” the indictment said, when in fact, as the officer “then well knew, he repeatedly fired his weapon at Scott when Scott was running away from him.”Mr. Slager knowingly misled investigators “by falsely stating that he fired his weapon at Scott while Scott was coming forward at him with a Taser,” the indictment said, when in fact, as the officer “then well knew, he repeatedly fired his weapon at Scott when Scott was running away from him.”
In recent years, amid mounting public outrage over the treatment of African-Americans by the police, the federal government has investigated several deaths — including those of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., Laquan McDonald in Chicago and Eric Garner in New York in 2014, and Freddie Gray, who died last year in Baltimore.
But the Scott case is the first to trigger a federal indictment for the deprivation of civil rights.
“It’s fairly rare,” said Seth Stoughton, a professor at the University of South Carolina. “There are only about half a dozen cases in which police officers have faced federal civil rights charges for a shooting. The reason it’s so rare is the burden of proof — requiring prosecutors to show that it was a willful act, with specific intent. It’s not easy to show what was in someone’s mind.”
A lawyer for the Scott family, Chris Stewart, said it was amazing that after all the cases over the last 20 years, the federal government had decided to indict Mr. Slager.
“I think the Justice Department is tired of sitting on the sidelines, and they think this is one they can definitely win and send a message to police departments around the country,” Mr. Stewart told The Associated Press.