SC officer charged with murder in man's death. Video catches him plant evidence.

[Que]

If Slager had one or both of the Taser darts in him, it's obvious that he would have the characteristic little circular wounds from them the darts.
That's what any cursory medical examination would reveal, but I bet they won't be anywhere in evidence.

Don't be too sure of that.

 

[Kutnupe14]

If Slager had one or both of the Taser darts in him, it's obvious that he would have the characteristic little circular wounds from them the darts.
That's what any cursory medical examination would reveal, but I bet they won't be anywhere in evidence.

That would be documented in Slager's own report, or if not he's an idiot. I thought it was well established that Slager used the taser, and only got on prong in the victim.

 

[D-Ric902]

That would be document in Slager's own report, or he's an idiot. I thought it was well established that Slager used the taser, and only got on prong in the victim.

as an LEO
if it is shown that the officer was on the receiving end of the Tazer, would that change your mind

 

[Kutnupe14]

Don't be too sure of that.

True, tasers are often defeated by clothing, and it certainly wouldn't have punched through a vest.

 

[Kutnupe14]

as an LEO

Would....you....fire.....on....a....man.....that.....was.....shooting....a.....Tazer.....at....you?

Did you miss the post where I answered that?

 

[D-Ric902]

Did you miss the post where I answered that?

Yes, that's why I edited, page changed
would it change your mind about it?

 

[Kutnupe14]

Yes, that's why I edited, page changed
would it change your mind about it?

An officer is 100% justified in using deadly force if a person is attempting to employ a taser against them.

 

[D-Ric902]

An officer is 100% justified in using deadly force if a person is attempting to employ a taser against them.

Is that a yes?

he may not have the highly tuned ninja skill of a Kut. But if he was reacting then I could change the dynamic.

remember that I'm not saying anything about anything

 

[oldpink]

That would be documented in Slager's own report, or if not he's an idiot. I thought it was well established that Slager used the taser, and only got on prong in the victim.

I should have clarified my sentence by stating that the dart wounds should be in Slager if Mr. Scott had darted Slager.
IOW, still a bad shoot.

 

[Trigger Time]

I don't think Trigger is being "anti-cop".
I think what he may be saying is....
In Indiana, you are allowed to shoot someone to prevent a forcible felony.
If the officer committed murder or manslaughter, that would be a forcible felony.

But I could be wrong as to what he's saying.

You are correct, he is not ant-cop and that is likely what he was asking.

I would think, the problem would be, how would you determine it was a forcible felony before it happens?

Police are sometimes called upon to draw their weapon, and not fire a shot.
So, if you shot him first, then the case against you would be, that the officer was not going to fire a shot.

At least that's my take.

In theory, yes. But the event unfolded so quickly, I can't see anyone actually being able to intervene and being confident that their shooting of the "officer," was a righteous one.

Thanks guys. Yep Definitely not being anti-cop nor was I advocating shooting the police. I was merely posing (or trying to) pose a hypothetical where if we had seen someone come to the citizens defense and prevail, what would happen. I'd Definitely help out an LEO in need if I saw it, but I don't think I'd ever want to cross the street into the territory I mentioned above. Too many what ifs and the other cops showing up on scene are no way gonna believe you had to stop one of their own legally. I think your life would be over if you even survived the initial confrontation.
all this makes my head hurt

 

[BehindBlueI's]

as an LEO
if it is shown that the officer was on the receiving end of the Tazer, would that change your mind

Wouldn't mine. You can shoot him before he tases you. If you're able, while he's tasing you. Once he drops the Taser and runs, nope, not a good shoot. I think I said way back in the post if the officer had a reasonable belief the guy had his Taser and was going to use it, that'd be a good shoot. I didn't see anything in that video that indicated that occurred. Hence, bad shoot. Could there be more we don't know? Sure. I'm always willing to take new information and reevaluate, which I've also said from the beginning. With what information is currently out there, though, nope...even if he got tased prior its a bad shoot.

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

Wouldn't mine. You can shoot him before he tases you. If you're able, while he's tasing you. Once he drops the Taser and runs, nope, not a good shoot. I think I said way back in the post if the officer had a reasonable belief the guy had his Taser and was going to use it, that'd be a good shoot. I didn't see anything in that video that indicated that occurred. Hence, bad shoot. Could there be more we don't know? Sure. I'm always willing to take new information and reevaluate, which I've also said from the beginning. With what information is currently out there, though, nope...even if he got tased prior its a bad shoot.

Agree with you BBI - with what's on the table right now - still looks like a bad shoot. It might make it LESS of a bad shoot if officer got tased. In the sense that the jury would understand that officer was amped up from being attacked and that MIGHT make them more lenient in penalizing him. That said - still a fundamentally bad shoot, unless and until new information.

 

[AA&E]

I don't buy it. Slager didn't shoot Scott while they were on the ground, struggling. If he had shot him then, then we're having a different discussion, and such a shoot would likely have been justified. But that's not what happened. Scott got himself out of that struggle, got up, and started running away. Once he did that, even if considered a "fleeing felon", there was absolutely no probable cause that he posed an immediate threat to the officer or to anyone else.

I hope you are right, but wouldn't personally place any bets until I hear a verdict.

 

[AA&E]

This thread just solidifies my belief that he will only get a slap on the wrist, if anything. He'll probably be home before his kid is potty trained. There are many who will believe the officer was "wrong" but the dead guy was "wronger" for having the audacity to be driving a Mercedes while owing child support, not to mention that he ran!

This is my fear as well. There are several officers on our board here and everyone has weighed in stating this was murder, the cop should have known better, etc. Yet there still seems to be this pervasive thought in the back of my mind saying something about fat women singing...

this is far from over. There are plenty of people on this planet that would in fact let the officer off because they don't like black people. As sad as it is, it is true. It takes one of them to make it on the jury to hang this thing. There are plenty of people out there that would say since he ran he deserved to be shot, and this lead to his death. While it contributed it doesn't justify it. One of these people make it to the jury it gets hung. This thing is far from a clear cut case... because there are always going to be people that view things from their own perspective and life experience.

 

[D-Ric902]

Wouldn't mine. You can shoot him before he tases you. If you're able, while he's tasing you. Once he drops the Taser and runs, nope, not a good shoot. I think I said way back in the post if the officer had a reasonable belief the guy had his Taser and was going to use it, that'd be a good shoot. I didn't see anything in that video that indicated that occurred. Hence, bad shoot. Could there be more we don't know? Sure. I'm always willing to take new information and reevaluate, which I've also said from the beginning. With what information is currently out there, though, nope...even if he got tased prior its a bad shoot.

good point,
cause for an "assaulting an officer" charge but not shooting

 

[T.Lex]

Hey kids, did I miss anything over the weekend in this thread?

Regardless, something else occurred to me about how charges might have been filed so quickly. This is total speculation, but probably worthy of discussion.

Would anyone's opinion change if, BEFORE the PD got the video, the officer confessed. That confession turned out to be confirmed by the video.

Hypothetically, he gives his initial statements. When investigators follow up, he gives his revisions. By Sunday evening, he's feeling guilty and trapped. He probably realizes he has f'd up - in several ways. He calls his attorney who arranges a meeting on Monday. At that meeting, he admits every significant piece - not chasing him, shooting the guy in the back, moving the taser, everything. But, in his defense, dude says he was caught up in the situation. At that point, the prosecutor decides on murder charges.

Then the video turns up.

Professionally, this still seems VERY... rare... is the best word, I guess... for charges/GJ bill to come from a prosecutor this quickly, especially against a police officer.

I skimmed the stuff about how the taser barbs might have been in the officer. That doesn't make sense. The one site I looked at seemed to be inconsistent itself. That would have a serious impact on the possibility for a murder conviction, too.

 

[public servant]

Officer Michael Slager Tells Dispatch 'He Grabbed My Taser' After Killing Walter Scott (AUDIO)

North Charleston officer chuckled about adrenaline rush after shooting Walter Scott

 

[actaeon277]

Officer Michael Slager Tells Dispatch 'He Grabbed My Taser' After Killing Walter Scott (AUDIO)

North Charleston officer chuckled about adrenaline rush after shooting Walter Scott

Adrenaline rushes, and post-adrenaline rushes do weird things.
Not making excuses.
Just that you have to be careful judging people during those times.

Or are you going to indict a large percentage of our military forces that engaged the enemy with small arms and had similar reactions?

 

[jamil]

Adrenaline rushes, and post-adrenaline rushes do weird things.
Not making excuses.
Just that you have to be careful judging people during those times.

Or are you going to indict a large percentage of our military forces that engaged the enemy with small arms and had similar reactions?

That makes it understandable, but still a crime.

 

[actaeon277]

That makes it understandable, but still a crime.

I'm not excusing the act of the shooting.
Merely that a chuckle may not be what you think it is.