The racist police officer who shot Walter Scott in the back will now face federal charges. According to AP, former Charleston, South Carolina, police officer, Michael T. Slager, will face federal charges along with state charges.
In April 2015, Slager, 34, said he stopped Walter Scott for a broken brake light. At some point, Slager said that he feared for his life and shot and killed Scott. However, a cell phone video that was captured by a man in his yard revealed that Slager was not truthful about the incident.
The cell phone video showed a brief scuffle and Walter Scott running away. Slager was never in danger, but he shot at Scott eight times. Three bullets hit him in the back, one bullet hit him once in the upper buttocks, and he was hit once in the ear, according to the coroner. Once Scott was dead, Slager tampered with evidence to make it appear as if the victim had took his taser during the dispute.
Slager’s gross abuse of the law served as another reminder of how unarmed Black man are often terrorized by police across the nation. His arrest and charges are a start, but it will take a national overhaul of police departments to solve the ongoing issue of police brutality.
Slager, who faces state murder charges in the death of Walter Scott, was charged by the U.S. Justice Department with violating Scott’s civil rights, obstructing justice, and unlawfully using a weapon during the commission of a crime.
If convicted on federal charges, Slager could be sentenced to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sager will first go to trial on state charges in the fall. If convicted on the state charges, he will also face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
