This article is from the source 'bbc' 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.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-38215957
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Walter Scott murder case ends in mistrial for former officer | Walter Scott murder case ends in mistrial for former officer |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The case of a South Carolina police officer accused of murdering a fleeing black motorist by shooting him dead has ended in a mistrial. | The case of a South Carolina police officer accused of murdering a fleeing black motorist by shooting him dead has ended in a mistrial. |
| Jurors could not reach a verdict after four days of deliberations in the case against former North Charleston patrolman Michael Slager, 35. | Jurors could not reach a verdict after four days of deliberations in the case against former North Charleston patrolman Michael Slager, 35. |
| A bystander filmed the officer opening fire on 50-year-old Walter Scott after he fled an April 2015 traffic stop. | A bystander filmed the officer opening fire on 50-year-old Walter Scott after he fled an April 2015 traffic stop. |
| The jury of 11 white people and a black man heard four weeks of testimony. | The jury of 11 white people and a black man heard four weeks of testimony. |
| Charleston County prosecutor Scarlett A Wilson said her office would retry Mr Slager, who is also scheduled to stand trial in federal court next year. | |
| "We hope the federal and state courts will coordinate efforts regarding any future trial dates but we stand ready whenever the court calls," she said in a statement, referring to his federal trial. | |
| The case gained national attention after video emerged appearing to show the moment the officer opened fire on a fleeing Mr Scott. | The case gained national attention after video emerged appearing to show the moment the officer opened fire on a fleeing Mr Scott. |
| Mr Scott was fatally shot five times in the back as he tried to run away after he had been pulled over for a broken tail light. | Mr Scott was fatally shot five times in the back as he tried to run away after he had been pulled over for a broken tail light. |
| Mr Slager was fired from the police force after the shooting. | Mr Slager was fired from the police force after the shooting. |
| He pleaded not guilty to murder, but jurors were also allowed to consider a voluntary manslaughter charge against him as the trial came to a close last week. | He pleaded not guilty to murder, but jurors were also allowed to consider a voluntary manslaughter charge against him as the trial came to a close last week. |
| The jury announced on Friday they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, but the judge sent them back to continue deliberations. | The jury announced on Friday they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, but the judge sent them back to continue deliberations. |
| One of the jurors wrote Judge Clifton Newman a letter saying he could not "in good conscience approve a guilty verdict" and would not change his mind. | One of the jurors wrote Judge Clifton Newman a letter saying he could not "in good conscience approve a guilty verdict" and would not change his mind. |
| On Monday, a note from the jury said "the majority" of jurors were still undecided. | On Monday, a note from the jury said "the majority" of jurors were still undecided. |
| The panel also submitted a number of questions, including why voluntary manslaughter was added as a possible verdict and whether the definition of self-defence is different for police than for civilians. | The panel also submitted a number of questions, including why voluntary manslaughter was added as a possible verdict and whether the definition of self-defence is different for police than for civilians. |
| Mr Slager had testified that he feared for his life during the encounter. | Mr Slager had testified that he feared for his life during the encounter. |
| "Like so many others in our community, I'm deeply disappointed by the jury's inability to reach a unanimous verdict", Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg said in a statement. | |
| "However, despite that disappointment, I also understand that justice is not always delivered by a single jury, in a single courtroom, on a single day. Justice is often a journey. And the journey to justice in the Michal Slager case is far from over." | |
| The former police officer would have faced 30 years to life in prison on a murder charge while a manslaughter conviction would have carried a sentence of two to 30 years behind bars. | The former police officer would have faced 30 years to life in prison on a murder charge while a manslaughter conviction would have carried a sentence of two to 30 years behind bars. |
| The North Charleston City Council reached a $6.5m (£5.1m) settlement with Mr Scott's family in October 2015 over the incident. |