iStock/Thinkstock(NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.) — Former North Charleston, South Carolina, police officer Michael Slager, who was accused in the shooting death of unarmed black man Walter Scott, is expected to plead guilty to using excessive force in federal court Tuesday afternoon, his attorney said.
The plea deal will end the federal case and also resolve the state charges that were still pending after a mistrial was declared in Slager’s state murder trial last year.
Andrew Savage, the attorney for Slager, who is under house arrest, said in a statement Tuesday, “This afternoon Michael Slager will enter a guilty plea to using excessive force in violation of 18 USC Section 242 as he attempted to arrest Walter Scott on April 4, 2015.”
He added: “We hope that Michael’s acceptance of responsibility will help the Scott family as they continue to grieve their loss.”
Slager, who is white, was accused of killing Scott, an unarmed black man, at a traffic stop on April 4, 2015, while Slager was an officer with North Charleston’s police department. Video that surfaced shortly after the encounter appears to show the moment Slager fatally shot Scott as he ran away. The video garnered national attention, propelling Slager into the spotlight. He was fired from the force after the shooting.
Slager was charged in South Carolina with murder and pleaded not guilty. The case ended in a mistrial in December 2016 and the retrial was expected to take place this year.
The federal trial had been expected to take place later this month. The federal court indictment alleges Slager “used excessive force when he shot and killed Walter Scott without legal justification,” the Department of Justice said.
A sentencing date has not yet been determined, Savage said.
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