A white former police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a black motorist poses little risk of committing violence according to court documents filed by his attorneys.
Representatives for the local chapter of the National Action Network publicly asked that Slager be denied bond at Thursday’s hearing.
A document released by the Scott family’s attorneys Thursday says the Taser was used twice. Court documents prepared by his defense include a toxicology report showing Scott had cocaine and alcohol in his system when he died, and a report indicating Slager’s Taser was sacked six times in 67 seconds, although it’s unclear by whom.
One of the biggest questions still looming in the case is the issue of how much time passed from the time Scott and Slager left the field of view of Slager’s dash cam and when an eyewitness started recording the altercation behind a pawn shop on his cellphone.
Savage said the jailed cop is “haunted” by the shooting and “very concerned about the loss of life”. HANDOUT The video appeared to contradict Slager’s story of a struggle with Scott, but the cop insists the clip doesn’t show everything that led up to the fatal shooting. But the attorney for Scott’s family, L. Chris Stewart, told ABC News the toxicology report detracts from the fact that Slager shot Scott while he was running away.
Stewart said the Scott family is planning to file a lawsuit in the coming weeks.
Members of the Black Lives Matter Charleston protest group added Wednesday that they plan to demonstrate Slager’s bail hearing at the courthouse the next day.
Savage said the new information should cast doubt on prosecutor’s version of events.
Scott got control of the Taser, stood and pointed it at the officer, Slager told the police.
Savage said the video is consistent with his client’s account, but attorneys for Scott’s family argued that the footage never showed Scott posing a threat to Slager.
The hope for Slager’s legal team is that the new evidence will lead to a release from his cell and possibly a lowering of the charges against him before the trial. According to NBC, Slager believed Scott might have pulled a gun and shot at him first.
The evaluation, by Charleston-area psychologist Dr. Leonard Mulbry Jr., concluded that the 33-year-old Slager has no felony historical past, is mentally secure and has no historical past of bodily violence outdoors his work as a policeman.
Since the shooting, state and federal lawmakers have made a concerted push to arm police officers with body cameras.
“Shortly after news of the filing began to spread, Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson released a statement criticizing the defense team’s handling of the media, writing, “…it is best for the administration of justice that I not join in the media side show”.
The submitting additionally included courtroom paperwork from different instances through which defendants in Charleston County have been charged with homicide however have been launched on bond.