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| Walter Scott shooting: former South Carolina officer faces federal charges | Walter Scott shooting: former South Carolina officer faces federal charges |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Michael Slager, the former North Charleston police officer who fatally shot Walter Scott, an unarmed African American man, in South Carolina, has been indicted on federal charges by a grand jury. | Michael Slager, the former North Charleston police officer who fatally shot Walter Scott, an unarmed African American man, in South Carolina, has been indicted on federal charges by a grand jury. |
| The white 34-year-old, who joined the North Charleston police department in 2010, already faces a state murder charge, but the federal indictment, a rarity in officer-involved deaths, provides authorities with another avenue of achieving a conviction. | The white 34-year-old, who joined the North Charleston police department in 2010, already faces a state murder charge, but the federal indictment, a rarity in officer-involved deaths, provides authorities with another avenue of achieving a conviction. |
| The three federal charges, first reported by the Post and Courier after court documents were unsealed on Wednesday morning, include a charge tied to the deprivation of civil rights under the colour of law, a federal statute which prevents “the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured or protected by the constitution or laws of the United States”. | The three federal charges, first reported by the Post and Courier after court documents were unsealed on Wednesday morning, include a charge tied to the deprivation of civil rights under the colour of law, a federal statute which prevents “the deprivation of any rights, privileges or immunities secured or protected by the constitution or laws of the United States”. |
| Slager is also charged with using a firearm in a violent crime and obstruction of justice, with the indictment stating he “knowingly misled” investigators examining the shooting. | Slager is also charged with using a firearm in a violent crime and obstruction of justice, with the indictment stating he “knowingly misled” investigators examining the shooting. |
| Scott, 50, was shot five times from behind in April 2015, after Slager had pulled him over for having a broken tail light. The shooting was captured on cellphone video by an eyewitness, Feidin Santana, and shows Scott was running away at the time he was shot. | Scott, 50, was shot five times from behind in April 2015, after Slager had pulled him over for having a broken tail light. The shooting was captured on cellphone video by an eyewitness, Feidin Santana, and shows Scott was running away at the time he was shot. |
| L Chris Stewart, an attorney for the Scott family, welcomed the new charges. | |
| “This rare federal indictment reconfirms the fact that Walter Scott did not die in vain. His family is pleased that the federal government has taken this almost unprecedented action and hopes that this will serve as a turning point in police brutality cases,” Stewart said in a statement. | |
| Slager is expected to be arrested again on a federal warrant, the Post and Courier reported, and will be arraigned in court on Wednesday afternoon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a potential $250,000 fine, the justice department said in a statement. | Slager is expected to be arrested again on a federal warrant, the Post and Courier reported, and will be arraigned in court on Wednesday afternoon. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a potential $250,000 fine, the justice department said in a statement. |
| The former officer is currently out on bail and under house arrest. | The former officer is currently out on bail and under house arrest. |