Michael Slager’s dashcam footage has been released by authorities, it shows the events that led to the death of Walter Scott. The dashcam footage revealed that the former South Carolina police officer asked Scott twice to remain in his vehicle before he eventually fled. The 4-minute footage also showed Slager talking to the passenger, who was in the suspect’s car before taking the decision to chase, confront and eventually shoot Scott multiples times.
Authorities released dashcam footage from Michael Slager’s patrol car, the day he shot and killed Walter Scott.
Most of the experts, who have seen the 4-minute footage, are predicting that Michael Slager will be facing the lesser charge of manslaughter instead of murder.
The video began with Michael Slager and Walter Scott having a cordial exchange where the officer asked him to produce the documents of the vehicle and explained that he was stopped because of a brake light that was out.
While it is not clear, it appears that the motorist told the officer that he had recently purchased the car, and he had not yet gotten it insured. Scott’s employer has confirmed that he was killed less than 24 hours after buying the second-hand car.
Mr. Scott gave Mr. Slager a document and he returned to his patrol car to verify its authenticity with the police department.
As the law enforcer was calling in to report the traffic stop, Scott tried to exit his car in order to give more documents. Slager ordered him to return inside of the vehicle, and he obeyed.
However, few minutes later, Scott made a decision that led to his death – he dashed out of the car and ran to an empty lot across the street.
Michael Slager briefly talked to the male passenger, (a coworker of Scott), before chasing the suspect. A lawyer for the Scott family claimed that he was afraid of getting arrested because he owed back payments on child support totaling $18,104.43.
Michael Slager never reappeared in the dashcam footage, what unfolded later between the two men was filmed by Feidin Santana.
Santana’s video shows a brief exchange between the two men, a taser falling on the ground, and Scott getting shot eight times as he runs away. Feidin Santana recently appeared on CNN, where explained that Walter Scott never grabbed the officer’s taser.
Law experts including Fox’s Geraldo Rivera say that Michael Slager’s dashcam footage will be used by his defense team to say that this is not a murder case. The TV host stated:
“This is a horrible, horrible shooting, but there was no premeditation. This is manslaughter. I believe that this is manslaughter.”
What are your thoughts on Michael Slager’s dashcam footage?
Update:
On Saturday, over 600 people gathered at the W.O.R.D. Ministries Christian Center for Scott’s funeral where Rev. George Hamilton said the shooting of the Coast Guard veteran was a racist act. Hamilton told the congregation:
“All of us have seen the video. There is no doubt in my mind and I feel that Walter’s death was motivated by racial prejudice.”
He said that Slager is racist, but that does not mean all police officers are alike.
