Walter Scott shooting: Man sues after video emerges appearing to show Michael Slager using Taser on unarmed black man
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Version 0 of 1. New dashcam footage has emerged allegedly showing Michael Slager, the police officer currently charged with the murder of Walter Scott, using his Taser on an unarmed black man as he laid face-down on the pavement during a traffic stop last year. Slager is now one of the three officers subject to a lawsuit from Julius Wilson who says he was subject to “excessive force” and “punishment” after being arrested by North Charleston patrolmen in August last year. Wilson is also suing the city of North Charleston, the city’s police chief, Eddie Driggers, and the city’s police department. According to Wilson, the video shows him being stopped by police for a broken tail light on 25 August 2014. Wilson says after refusing to leave his car, he was forcibly pulled out of the vehicle and pushed face down on the ground. He then alleges he was shot with a Taser by Slager, despite “not moving” or “resisting”. The video comes just a week after footage was released that showed Slager fatally shooting the unarmed 50-year-old black man Walter Scott as he ran away from police on . The 33-year-old has subsequently been charged with murder. The new accusations see Wilson accuse the police of violating his constitutional rights and he is now seeking a jury trial, at which Slager could be called to testify. North Charleston Police Department were contacted by The Independent, but a spokesman said that the department would not comment "on pending litigation". A report report from the incident involving Wilson was released to the public on Monday. In the report, Officer Bradley Woods, who was present at the arrest, wrote that Wilson was told that he was being arrested for “driving under suspension” and asked repeatedly “to step out of his vehicle.” Picture of Michael Slager the policeman accused of using Taser on Wilson Woods said that after Wilson refused, he and Slager attempted to “assist the defendant from the vehicle.” Woods wrote that continued to resist arrest; despite “loud verbal commands” and it was when Wilson tried to retrieve something that had fallen from his hands that Slager deployed his Taser. Following the arrest, authorities charged Wilson with third-offence driving under suspension, resisting arrest and unlawful equipment Wilson pleaded guilty to resisting arrest but was cleared of driving under a suspended licence. |