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| Walter Scott shooting: Former policeman who killed unarmed black man to testify in front of 92% white jury | Walter Scott shooting: Former policeman who killed unarmed black man to testify in front of 92% white jury |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A white ex-officer who was charged with murder said in court his "mind was like spaghetti" when he was shooting unarmed black man Walter Scott five times in the back. | |
| Michael Slager, on trial in North Charleston, faces 30 years to life imprisonment for the killing in April 2015 which was captured by a bystander on video. He is the 18th witness in his own defense. | Michael Slager, on trial in North Charleston, faces 30 years to life imprisonment for the killing in April 2015 which was captured by a bystander on video. He is the 18th witness in his own defense. |
| Once the video of the shooting had been released, Slager was fired and charged with murder. | |
| He has been on bail since January. | He has been on bail since January. |
| Scott’s family speculated he might have been running away because he had been falling behind on child support payments and was afraid of going back to jail. | Scott’s family speculated he might have been running away because he had been falling behind on child support payments and was afraid of going back to jail. |
| During cross examination he was asked if he could see in the video that, at the time he shot Scott, the victim did not have his taser. He replied: "At the time I was there I did not know [if he had my taser]." | |
| Asked again if he could see the absence of the weapon specifically in the video, he said: "Yes, after learning information I do [concede he did not have the taser]." | |
| "Mr Scott was coming after me with the taser twice. My mind was like spaghetti," said Slager in court. | |
| The prosecutor argued that the taser was on the ground beside the ex-officer as he was shooting Scott. | |
| "I was doing my job," added Slager. | |
| 11 white people and one black person are in the jury. | |
| Slager’s lawyers will argue that the video, widely shared on social media, does not tell the whole story, and that Slager told Scott to stop and warned him he would use his stun gun. Scott allegedly wrestled with Slager and grabbed his taser. | Slager’s lawyers will argue that the video, widely shared on social media, does not tell the whole story, and that Slager told Scott to stop and warned him he would use his stun gun. Scott allegedly wrestled with Slager and grabbed his taser. |
| Both sides have seen 3D computer creations of the scene presented by witnesses, as reported by the Associated Press. | Both sides have seen 3D computer creations of the scene presented by witnesses, as reported by the Associated Press. |
| The judge, Clinton Newman, is considering whether the jurors will be allowed to visit the scene of the shooting. | The judge, Clinton Newman, is considering whether the jurors will be allowed to visit the scene of the shooting. |
| Dot Scott, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in North Charleston, previously told The Independent that she was concerned about the make-up of the jury and that the one black person had “never even heard” of the Walter Scott killing or seen the video before. | Dot Scott, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in North Charleston, previously told The Independent that she was concerned about the make-up of the jury and that the one black person had “never even heard” of the Walter Scott killing or seen the video before. |
| Speaking of police officers and government, she said: "You’ve been feeding them monsters, you’ve grown us to this level of distrust and built up anxiety and frustration, and it comes to boiling point." | Speaking of police officers and government, she said: "You’ve been feeding them monsters, you’ve grown us to this level of distrust and built up anxiety and frustration, and it comes to boiling point." |