Deliberations resume in trial in black motorist’s death

The jury in Slager’s state murder trial began deliberating after Wednesday’s closing arguments. The questions included why manslaughter was offered as a potential verdict, and what was meant by “imminent danger”.

The North Charleston police agency had defended Officer Slager until the footage surfaced.

Why was voluntary manslaughter added as a charge? A grand jury determined that Slager not only obstructed justice but also violated Scott’s right “to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a law-enforcement officer” when he shot him “without legal justification”.

Chris Stewart, an attorney for the Scott family, says that the fight for justice is not over and another jury will convict Slager, the Washington Post reports.

Gergel wrote that a 45-item questionnaire and extensive in-person questioning last week assured him all 67 people in the jury pool are fair and impartial. Newman would then declare a mistrial in the state case stemming from the fatal shooting of Walter Scott on April 4, 2015. “It doesn’t say they are deadlocked”, he said.

“The note that was received Friday was unequivocal”, Mr.

The jury consisted of 11 white men and women and one black man.

A judge on Monday declared a mistrial after the jury remained deadlocked in the case of a white police officer charged with shooting a black driver in SC past year.

But mobile phone video taken by a witness appears to contradict the officer’s account.

However, the cellphone video showed that Slager dropped a black object on the ground before firing. The cop claimed he feared for his life during the ensuing scuffle, and testified that he shot the 50-year-old driver in self-defense. Other jurors reportedly called for the judge to dismiss the holdout juror, though there is no legal mechanism for Newman to do so. “That’s the essence of the case”.

“I think it was malice and forethought, I think it was murder”. Montgomery said the final vote breakdown was 10-2 in favor of voluntary manslaughter. Newman instructed the jurors to continue deliberating until they had reached an agreement.

“Nobody has had as much information about this case as you do”, she told the jury. His defense team, which could not immediately be reached for comment, has alleged that Scott was reaching for Slager’s Taser in some kind of attack before he turned and fled.

Slager, who is white, was charged with killing Scott, an unarmed black motorist shot in the back while fleeing on foot.

“Going back 18 months later and looking at everything, things could have been different” he said. Savage asked the jury. Slager had pulled Scott over for a broken taillight on his auto, but he said Scott ran away and when he caught up with him, the two of him wrestled on the ground.

Scott’s mother Judy Scott said her faith leads her to believe that her son will receive justice.