Family not happy officer out on bond in motorist’s death

On Monday, Wilson offered the hard dates of jury selection on November 9 and opening arguments on November 14.

Scott then runs away from Slager, who raises his gun and fires eight times, striking Scott, who was unarmed and whose back was turned to Slager as he fled.

Bamberg urged the Charleston community to remain calm after Slager’s bond was set.

Tonight he is out, and will be able to spend the next 10 months with his family as he awaits trial for killing Walter Scott. Slager is shown on cellphone video firing eight times.

The website for the jail said Slager was released at 5:23 p.m. Monday.

Authorities say Slager was released from the Charleston County Courthouse.

A sheriff’s spokesman did not immediately return a message from The Associated Press asking to explain the discrepancy.

Earlier, a judge granted Michael Slager a $500,000 surety bond.

Prosecutors opposed bail, saying Slager was a danger to the community and a flight risk.

The release of Michael Slager on bond Monday was a disappointment to the family of the victim, Walter Scott, said Justin Bamberg, the attorney for the family. When he chose to set bond, according to CNN affiliates, the judge said he’d taken into consideration the lengthy amount of time Slager would have to wait behind bars before having his day in court.

Newman granted bail after noting that Slager’s trial would not begin until late this year. Newman also set an October 31 trial date. On Friday, Wilson said federal officials have sent the state a letter saying that Slager could face charges.

Further delays in the case as a result of Roof’s prosecution in the deaths of nine at Charleston’s Emanuel AME Church also threaten Slager’s constitutional right to a speedy trial, the lawyer argued. She said a state Supreme Court order protects her from trying other cases before that one.

Slager’s pretrial confinement had affected a sort of punishment on the former officer even while he is presumed innocent, the judge said. The shooting rekindled an ongoing national debate about the treatment of black people at the hands of white officers.

Because the state has given preference to mass murdered Dylan Storm Roof for killing 9 worshippers inside the historic Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Slager’s trial isn’t scheduled until October 31st, nearly 18 months after the murder of Scott.

Walter Scott Sr. says the video of his son’s death still makes him cry, and his family only gets to see flowers in a bucket at the gravesite but Slager would be able to see and hold his family if he was released.