Former North Charleston, South Carolina, Police Department
(NCPD) Officer Michael Slager, 36, was sentenced to 20 years in prison today
for his commission of a federal civil rights offense during his fatal shooting
of Walter Scott, Jr. on April 4, 2015. This sentence resulted from the Court’s
determinations that Slager’s actions in shooting Mr. Scott constituted
second-degree murder, and his subsequent conduct constituted obstruction of
justice as defined by federal sentencing guidelines.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Acting Assistant Attorney
General John Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S.
Attorney Beth Drake of the District of South Carolina, Special Agent in Charge
Alphonse “Jody” Norris of the FBI’s Columbia Division, Solicitor Scarlett A.
Wilson of the Ninth Judicial Circuit, and Chief Mark Keel of the South Carolina
Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced today’s sentence by U.S. District
Judge David C. Norton.
According to documents filed in connection with the guilty
plea entered on May 2, 2017, Michael Slager, while acting as an NCPD Officer,
willfully used deadly force on Walter Scott even though it was objectively
unreasonable under the circumstances.
Slager had stopped Scott’s vehicle after observing that a brake light
was not working. During the stop, Scott
fled on foot and Slager pursued him.
During the foot chase, Slager deployed his Taser and Scott fell to the
ground. Scott managed to get off of the ground
and again run away. Scott was unarmed
and running away when Scott fired eight shots at him from his department-issued
firearm. Five shots hit Scott, with all
of the bullets entering from behind.
Scott died as a result of the injuries from Slager’s gunshots.
“Law enforcement officers have the noble calling to serve
and protect,” Attorney General Sessions said. “Officers who violate anyone’s
rights also violate their oaths of honor, and they tarnish the names of the
vast majority of officers, who do incredible work. Those who enforce our laws
must also abide by them—and this Department of Justice will hold accountable
anyone who violates the civil rights of our fellow Americans. On behalf of the
Department of Justice, I want to offer my condolences to the Scott family and
loved ones.”
“This state, this nation, owe a tremendous thanks to the
Scott family for their commitment to see this case through,” said U.S. Attorney
Drake. “Their grace, their commitment
are a lesson for us all. The South Carolina
Law Enforcement Division, with the support of the FBI, conducted a thorough
investigation that enabled us to build an excessive force case against former
officer Michael Slager. I am so proud of the work put into this case by the
dedicated law enforcement, victim advocates and trial teams at the state and
federal level.”
“When a law enforcement officer—who swears an oath to
protect and serve—violates the civil rights of an individual, it erodes the
public’s trust in the entire law enforcement community,” said Special Agent in
Charge Norris. “The FBI will always respond to these acts and support our state
and local partners, like the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), as
we all strive to ensure the perpetrator meets justice. The excellent work of SLED, the United States
Attorney’s Office, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice
in bringing this matter to a close is to be commended.”
The federal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys
Nathan Williams and Alyssa Richardson of the District of South Carolina,
Special Litigation Counsel Jared Fishman, and Trial Attorney Rose Gibson of the
Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. The case was investigated
by the FBI’s Columbia Division and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
The state case is being prosecuted by Scarlett A. Wilson and the Office of the
Solicitor of the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
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