Quick-Trigger Douchebag SC Cop Michael Slager Indicted for Murder

Charleston, South Carolina

Folks are happy down in South Carolina, well, except for racists and probably those directly related to one bad cop named Michael Slager.

A grand jury has officially handed down the indictment on the 33-year-old North Charleston police officer, for murdering Walter Scott back in April.

In a statement to the press, Charleston County Solicitor Scarlett Wilson said: "I think the people of the 9th circuit elected me to be accountable to them, and that’s what we intend to do; they have to know they have someone prosecuting the case who is accountable to them."

The death of Walter Scott added fuel to the already mounting fire over police use of force against unarmed black citizens, particularly after Feidin Santana’s eyewitness video of the encounter surfaced and contradicted initial police reports that Scott had grabbed Slager’s stun gun.

The encounter between Slager and Scott started as a simple traffic stop on the morning of April 4. Slager pulled Scott over for a broken tail light. According to dash cam video of the stop, Scott provided his license but explained he does not have registration or insurance information for the vehicle because he was in the process of buying the car.

After a brief exchange, Slager walked back to his squad car with Scott’s license while Scott and his passenger, Pierre D. Fulton, waited. Scott attempted to exit his vehicle but was ordered back inside by Slager.

Moments later, Scott opened the door again, and ran away. Slager chased him, and ultimately fired his stun gun on Scott, according to the incident report.

Slager then fired several shots with his gun as Scott was running away. Scott suffered five gunshot wounds, and officially died from gunshot wounds to the back.

Rodney, Scott's younger brother, shared the family's reaction to the indictment.

“This morning, the grand jury made the decision to indict Mr. Slager for murder, and we’re very pleased and happy about that,” he said.

South Carolina Cop Michael Slager Caught on Video Shooting Unarmed Man in the Back, Charged with Murder

Cop Michael Slager

Charleston, South Carolina

A video released is painting a very different picture of a situation than the one initially portrayed by a cop in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced Tuesday that Michael Slager, an officer with the North Charleston Police Department, was arrested and charged with murder. The news comes after a video surfaced showing Slager shooting an unarmed man in the back. Slager, if found guilty, could face up to life in prison or death.

The shooting took place Saturday morning after a traffic stop, SLED said. Video obtained by The New York Times shows what happened.

The victim was a black man, identified as 50-year-old Walter Scott. In the video, the victim breaks away from the white officer. Something falls, and the officer fires eight shots at the man as he runs away. Scott, who appears to be unarmed, drops to the ground.

"I can tell you that as the result of that video and the bad decision made by our officer, he will be charged with murder," North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey told reporters Tuesday. "When you're wrong, you're wrong. And if you make a bad decision -- don't care if you're behind the shield or just a citizen on the street -- you have to live by that decision."

Scott was remembered by his brother as loving, kind and outgoing, somebody who "knew everybody." He spent two years in the Coast Guard, and had four children.

"All we wanted was the truth," said Anthony Scott. "I don't think that all police officers are bad cops, but there are some bad ones out there, and I don't want to see anyone get shot down the way that my brother got shot down."

Initially, Slager’s attorney David Aylor, said that his client followed the appropriate policies and procedures. Aylor later told CNN that he no longer represents the officer, and it was unclear whether Slager had obtained new representation.

Police reports show that Slager said he used his Taser. The officer later said: "Shots fired and the subject is down.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said on Twitter that he had watched the video and that "the senseless shooting and taking of #WalterScott's life was absolutely unnecessary and avoidable."

The Justice Department released a statement Tuesday saying it would "take appropriate action in light of the evidence and developments in the state case."

"The South Carolina Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened an investigation concurrent with the S.C. Law Enforcement Division and are providing aid as necessary to the state investigation. The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the South Carolina U.S. Attorney's Office will work with the FBI in the investigation," it read.