SC - Walter Scott, 50, fatally shot by North Charleston PD officer, 4 April 2015 - #1

[Brightbird]

OK So... If.. by chance, a big IF, I get pulled over and I know that the cops can not/will not shoot me what stops me from doing what ever I like/want? I mean if they are not going to shoot and I can out run them then I should be able to go about my business after I escape them. Take the money or purse or even ride around with faulty lights on my vehicle, but as long as I can out run them and I know they can't shoot me I am home free. I don't know if I want to live it that world. jmo idk

You already live in that world. If you're not an immediate threat to anyone and you can outrun the police, they can't shoot you.

 

[SeeAlice]

Pretty sure nobody is trying to nominate him for citizen of the year, ffs.

This is not necessarily meant toward you, MyBelle, as I've seen a couple of other members say the same type of thing... The nonchalance of accepting that an officer "should be able to" gun down a suspect who runs is mind numbingly frightening. I'm sincerely happy (general) you have not encountered "bad cops" but when you do encounter a bad cop, you never ever ever forget it. (And again, there are thousands of wonderful amazing officers. It's just that the bad ones are really bad)

They are in a position of authority and are supposed to be public servants. We aren't living in a police state. They are supposed to serve and protect. Not accuse, judge, and execute.

I've had several acquaintances have similar experiences with cops. They decided the best thing they could do to help solve the problem was to become cops. They've done really well in their careers. I wish more people who feel this way would pursue careers in law enforcement. God knows we desperately need more non-traditional LEO candidates. Heavily recruited. It's a great opportunity to balance out the system.

JMO

 

[popsicle]

FOX Carolina News ‏@foxcarolinanews 9m9 minutes ago
LIVE NOW: Family attorneys release statement following funeral for Walter Scott. http://www.foxcarolina.com/category/213550/live-video2 …

 

[MyBelle]

Is there a link to when former officer Slager issued orders? This has been asked for in a previous post, but still not produced.

Links have been posted several times.

Scott exits his vehicle, briefly, and Slager tells him to stay in the car. Scott then gets out of the car, again, and runs away, out of the range of the dash cam

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/09/us/south-carolina-police-shooting/

 

[MyBelle]

Pretty sure nobody is trying to nominate him for citizen of the year, ffs.

This is not necessarily meant toward you, MyBelle, as I've seen a couple of other members say the same type of thing... The nonchalance of accepting that an officer "should be able to" gun down a suspect who runs is mind numbingly frightening. I'm sincerely happy (general) you have not encountered "bad cops" but when you do encounter a bad cop, you never ever ever forget it. (And again, there are thousands of wonderful amazing officers. It's just that the bad ones are really bad)

They are in a position of authority and are supposed to be public servants. We aren't living in a police state. They are supposed to serve and protect. Not accuse, judge, and execute.

A public servant does not mean anyone can physically assault them, either. I'm pretty sure Officer Slager didn't gun down Scott just because he was fleeing. I think he was shot because he assaulted Officer Slager and resisted arrest. Slager stopped him with gunshots after Scott physically fought with him on the ground, got up, kept fleeing and the taser was ineffective. Nobody is entitled to rewrite the facts of this case just to fit with their anti-cop agenda.

No police officer that I have ever encountered has ever given me the slightest impression it is okay for me to put my hands on them and scuffle with them on the ground.

JMO

 

[MyBelle]

Seems many think "fleeing" is perfectly natural and expected behavior. Maybe in a kindergarten classroom that sort of behavior would be normal and acceptable, when dealing with supposed adults I don't find it to be normal at ALL.

I personally would be all for going back to the pre-80's law and allowing LEO to shoot fleeing criminals, then we wouldn't have to debate the issue. Run from a cop and expect to get shot. It will remove the pesky gray area that causes all of the problems.

I doubt even a kindergarten teacher would find it acceptable for a student to attempt to forcibly take anything out of her hand.

JMO

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

In general, innocent people don't run when confronted by a police officer. The officer needs to be prepared for the worst because typically they haven't frisked the suspect yet. jmo

 

[noZme]

Young man's insight on his own traffic stop:
[video]http://www.wistv.com/story/28772115/mans-candid-honest-video-about-race-and-traffic-stops-is-going-viral?clienttype=generic[/video]http://www.wistv.com/story/28772115/mans-candid-honest-video-about-race-and-traffic-stops-is-going-viral?clienttype=generic

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Daily Mail:

'Walter Scott's death was motivated by racial discrimination': Pastor at funeral of South Carolina police shooting victim launches scathing attack on officer who shot him five times in the back

Service for Scott, 50, in Summerville, South Carolina, was attended by hundreds of mourners

Dr George Hamilton, Chief Apostle of the W.O.R.D Ministries, called officer Michael Slager a 'racist' and a 'disgrace'

Fiery speech was given before a crowd of hundreds of mourners, and over Scott's casket, draped in a U.S. flag

Distraught mother Judy Scott accompanied her son, who was shot dead last Saturday

Family were given a police escort on the way to the funeral, by a separate force to the officer who shot Scott

Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-SC) and Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) attended, as did Charleston County's sheriff

Slager, a North Charleston police officer, was filmed shooting Scott five times in the back as he ran

Officer had pulled him over moments before on a routine traffic stop. His death was filmed by an onlooker

Family said Scott may have run because he owed $18,000 in child support, and that he routinely avoided police

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-week-gunned-traffic-stop.html#ixzz3X28dDIhY

 

[Greater Than]

A public servant does not mean anyone can physically assault them, either. I'm pretty sure Officer Slager didn't gun down Scott just because he was fleeing. I think he was shot because he assaulted Officer Slager and resisted arrest. Slager stopped him with gunshots after Scott physically fought with him on the ground, got up, kept fleeing and the taser was ineffective. Nobody is entitled to rewrite the facts of this case just to fit with their anti-cop agenda.

No police officer that I have ever encountered has ever given me the slightest impression it is okay for me to put my hands on them and scuffle with them on the ground.

JMO

Nobody is entitled to rewrite the law or the Consitution of the United States either just to try to justify the execution of an unarmed man who had five bullets pumped into his back.

I haven't seen one post suggesting an "anti-cop" agenda. I've only seen posts regarding disgust with a cop who abused his authority.

Is the police chief, who fired Slager for his actions, anti-cop?

Is the mayor, who said he was sickened by what he saw Slager do in the video, anti-cop?

Is the governor of South Carolina, who said what Slager did is unacceptable, anti-cop?

Is the State, who charged him with murder, anti-cop?

Is the judge, who ordered he be jailed without bond, anti-cop?

 

[Greater Than]

A public servant does not mean anyone can physically assault them, either. I'm pretty sure Officer Slager didn't gun down Scott just because he was fleeing. I think he was shot because he assaulted Officer Slager and resisted arrest. Slager stopped him with gunshots after Scott physically fought with him on the ground, got up, kept fleeing and the taser was ineffective. Nobody is entitled to rewrite the facts of this case just to fit with their anti-cop agenda.

No police officer that I have ever encountered has ever given me the slightest impression it is okay for me to put my hands on them and scuffle with them on the ground.

JMO

Where is the evidence that he assaulted Slager? He never radioed that he was assaulted during or after the incident. None of the other officers included in their reports that he claimed he was assaulted. He didn't have any wounds when he was booked. Please don't make up facts.

 

[MyBelle]

Where is the evidence that he assaulted Slager? He never radioed that he was assaulted during or after the incident. None of the other officers included in their reports that he claimed he was assaulted. He didn't have any wounds when he was booked. Please don't make up facts.

Please don't accuse me of making up facts. The two were seen by an eye witness.

On Thursday, Gwen Nichols told CNN's Brian Todd that she saw Scott and Slager scuffling at the entrance to a vacant lot.

http://www.wtae.com/national/walter-scott-to-be-laid-to-rest-saturday/32316148

Reports state Scott attempted to flee, resulting in a foot pursuit. Officer Slager then deployed his Taser weapon to detain the driver but was unsuccessful, a spokesperson for the police department said.

Police say an altercation then began between Slager and Scott resulting in a fight for the officer's Taser. During the fight, Scott allegedly gained control of the Taser to use it against the officer who then fired his service weapon at the suspect
http://raycomgroup.worldnow.com/sto...died-from-multiple-gunshot-wounds-to-the-back

 

[dodie20]

Within the North Charleston Police Department, there was hardly the typical closing of ranks around Slager. "I have watched the video," Police Chief Eddie Driggers said on Wednesday. "And I was sickened by what I saw. And I have not watched it since."

 

[Greater Than]

Please don't accuse me of making up facts. The two were seen by an eye witness.

On Thursday, Gwen Nichols told CNN's Brian Todd that she saw Scott and Slager scuffling at the entrance to a vacant lot.

http://www.wtae.com/national/walter-scott-to-be-laid-to-rest-saturday/32316148

"Scuffle" does not mean assault. Slager tried to detain Scott by tasering him, and Scott squirmed away. That is the "scuffle." You're erroneously attempting to turn the scuffle into an assault.

Eyewitness account from your link:

He was walking to work when he saw Slager on top of Scott, he said, who was on the ground. Santana said he could hear the sound of a Taser in use.

He said he didn't see Scott go after the Taser, as Slager initially claimed. He said he believes Scott was trying to get away.

"Mr. Scott never tried to fight," Santana said.

BBM - No assault.

 

[al66pine]

http://www.sled.sc.gov/ProtectionOfPeople.aspx?MenuID=CWP
South Carolina common law castle doctrine

April 10 post.
.
^link is a summary of one section of a bill SC legislature passed & governor signed in 2006and effective that yr.
"PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY ACT "The stated intent of the legislation is to codify the common law castle doctrine....
H.4301 (R412) was signed by the Governor on June 9, 2006."
I'm not sure how castle doctrine is relevant to this case. Maybe it's another part of the same bill?
.
^ summary does not summarize or refer to Section 3 of act, re taking firearms or weapons from LEOs. Here's that section
from http://www.schouse.gov/sess116_2005-2006/bills/4301.htm

"Crimes and offenses, taking firearms or other weapons from law enforcement officers

"SECTION 3. Article 5, Chapter 23, Title 16 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:"

"Section 16-23-415. An individual who takes a firearm, stun gun, or taser device from the person of a law enforcement officer or a corrections officer is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be imprisoned for not more than five years, or fined not more than five thousand dollars, or both, if all of the following circumstances exist at the time the firearm is taken:
(1) the individual knows or has reason to believe the person from whom the weapon is taken is a law enforcement officer or a corrections officer;
(2) the law enforcement officer or corrections officer is performing his duties as a law enforcement officer or a corrections officer, or the individual's taking of the weapon is directly related to the law enforcement officer's or corrections officer's professional responsibilities;
(3) the individual takes the weapon without consent of the law enforcement officer or corrections officer;
(4) the law enforcement officer is authorized by his employer to carry the weapon in the line of duty; and (5) the law enforcement officer or corrections officer is authorized by his employer to carry the weapon while off duty and has identified himself as a law enforcement officer." bbm

Was poster's point of including link and referencing that bill to show -
in SC, taking firearm, stun gun, or taser from LEO is a felony [paraphrasing & simplifying].
Okay, agreed.
Seems that did happen or may have happened here: Scott took/knocked LEO's taser from LEO's hand or duty belt.

Or - anyone - why does above post reference SC castle doctrine?

 

[Woodland]

In general, innocent people don't run when confronted by a police officer. The officer needs to be prepared for the worst because typically they haven't frisked the suspect yet. jmo

This is a good point BayouBelle - I agree officers most certainly need to be prepared in light of incidents that have happened in the past. Unfortunately, no threat to former officer Scott occurred here. Not even a hint of it. Jmo.

 

[Woodland]

Young man's insight on his own traffic stop:
[video]http://www.wistv.com/story/28772115/mans-candid-honest-video-about-race-and-traffic-stops-is-going-viral?clienttype=generic[/video]http://www.wistv.com/story/28772115/mans-candid-honest-video-about-race-and-traffic-stops-is-going-viral?clienttype=generic

Would like to think this happens more often than what is in the news these days. Thank-you for the reminder there are good cops out there that do right thing when called upon - sadly they are being overshadowed by the bad cops these days. But then again, good cops cover for there buds as far as reports they didn't see anything and know nothing. Not helpful to the paying public, or the public-cop relationship.

I really liked the viral cop video to a TS song - it was fun and made a person out of cops. More such videos were promised but haven't seen anything. Someone ought to hurry up with that. Jmo.

 

[Woodland]

Where is the evidence that he assaulted Slager? He never radioed that he was assaulted during or after the incident. None of the other officers included in their reports that he claimed he was assaulted. He didn't have any wounds when he was booked. Please don't make up facts.

Good point Greater Than - no one has pointed this out yet.

 

[mysteriew]

Seems many think "fleeing" is perfectly natural and expected behavior. Maybe in a kindergarten classroom that sort of behavior would be normal and acceptable, when dealing with supposed adults I don't find it to be normal at ALL.

I personally would be all for going back to the pre-80's law and allowing LEO to shoot fleeing criminals, then we wouldn't have to debate the issue. Run from a cop and expect to get shot. It will remove the pesky gray area that causes all of the problems.

Even with that there is gray area. Think of halloween and your kids or grandkids decide to tp the neighbors yard and soap their windows. I can almost guarentee you they will run if cops show up. According to your scenario the cops would have authority to shoot them.

 

[MyBelle]

"Scuffle" does not mean assault. Slager tried to detain Scott by tasering him, and Scott squirmed away. That is the "scuffle." You're erroneously attempting to turn the scuffle into an assault.

Eyewitness account from your link:



BBM - No assault.

In the article I linked, police said there was an altercation/fight. That meets the statute definition of assault on a police officer.

Universal Citation: SC Code § 16-9-320 (2013)

(A) It is unlawful for a person knowingly and willfully to oppose or resist a law enforcement officer in serving, executing, or attempting to serve or execute a legal writ or process or to resist an arrest being made by one whom the person knows or reasonably should know is a law enforcement officer, whether under process or not.

http://law.justia.com/codes/south-carolina/2013/title-16/chapter-9/section-16-9-320