Walter Scott shooter charged with federal civil rights violation, obstruction.
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Former North Charleston officer Michael Slager was indicted this week on a federal civil rights charge in Walter Scott’s death, a rare measure in police shootings that gives authorities another route to reach a conviction.
Scott’s loved ones and their attorneys on Wednesday also called it a watershed moment for a nationwide push in recent years to shed light on questionable uses of force by police officers.
Chief among Slager’s three charges is a count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Public officials are barred under federal laws from using their powers to violate personal “rights, privileges or immunities.” The indictment alleges that Slager was acting with his authority as a policeman when he used unreasonable force — a violation of the Constitution — by shooting Scott five times from behind.
He also was indicted on counts of using a firearm in a violent crime and obstruction of justice. He’s accused of misleading state investigators by saying he fired as Scott came at him with his own Taser; a video showed Scott running away.
The officer is white and Scott was black, but race is not alleged to have played a role.
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