Judge Declares Mistrial in Walter Scott Case but It’s Not Over

06 Dec, 2016

Judge Clifton Newman declared a mistrial Monday in the murder trial of former North Charleston, S.C., police Officer Michael Slager after the jury said it could not come to a unanimous decision.

“We as the jury regret to inform the court that, despite the best efforts of all members, we are unable to come to an unanimous decision in the case of the State vs. Michael Slager,” a letter from the foreman of the jury read.

Judge Newman said the case would be retried at a future date, which could depend on a federal civil rights case that is also pending against Slager.

Slager is accused of murder for shooting Walter Scott multiple times as he ran away from the officer in 2015, after a routine traffic stop. The jury had three options to avoid a mistrial: a guilty verdict for either murder or voluntary manslaughter, or an acquittal. After deliberating for about 22 hours over four days the jury was unable to make a unanimous decision as according to reports one of the 12 jurors could not agree with the other 11 on a guilty verdict.

B. Owusu

Photo: AP

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