Walter Scott Shooting Still Large
The jury in the case of a white former police officer who fatally shot a black man in South Carolina last year, told a judge today (Friday) they were unable to reach a verdict.
Jurors have already deliberated for three days over whether to convict Michael Slager, the former North Charleston police officer that pulled over Walter Scott during a traffic stop.
The incident occurred in April of last year, and ended with Slager shooting an unarmed Scott five times in the back as he tried to run away during the stop.
The jury reportedly sent a message to Circuit Judge Clifton Newman asking to see a transcript of the testimony from the man who took the video of Slager shooting Scott.
When Newman offered to let jurors listen to audio of the testimony they declined, saying they didn't believe it would change anything. When the jury announced that they could not reach a verdict Newman sent them back to keep trying.
"If you do not agree on a verdict, I must declare a mistrial," Newman said. "The same participants will come, and the same lawyers will likely ask basically the same questions, and get basically the same answers and we will go through this whole process again."
If convicted of murder Slager faces 30 years to life in prison. However, Newman allowed the jury to consider the lesser offense of manslaughter, which carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
The jury of 11 white people and one black person heard four weeks of testimony from more than 50 witnesses. According to CNN 11 of the 12 jurors have agreed to convict Slager, with the one juror holding out and refusing to convict him.
Slager testified for the first time in the trial this past Tuesday, and told the court that life has been a "nightmare" since the fatal shooting.
