Cop Who Shot Walter Scott in the Back Tried to Get Released From Prison This Week — And Was Denied

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As Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd came to a close, another disgraced killer cop was trying to get released from prison for shooting Walter Scott in the back and killing him.

On Monday — the same day the Chauvin jury was sequestered to deliberate what would eventually be a “guilty” verdict on all three counts of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Mr. Floyd — a federal judge denied ex-cop Michael Slager’s motion for release from his 20-year prison sentence for the killing of Mr. Scott. From CNN:

A federal judge Monday declined to toss out the prison sentence of a former South Carolina police officer who fatally shot an unarmed Black man in the back in 2015.

The judge denied a motion in which former North Charleston police Officer Michael Slager asked that his 20-year prison sentence for violating Walter Scott’s civil rights be set aside.

…

Slager, 39, who was sentenced in 2017, argued in part that his attorneys were ineffective.

In his ruling, US District Judge Richard Gergel wrote in negotiating a plea deal, Slager’s legal team “fell well within the bounds of reasonable professional competence and practice.”

As CNN notes, Slager was not convicted of murder at his state trial, despite video that showed Slager firing eight shots at the fleeing, unarmed man (five of which struck him) and then planting evidence near Mr. Scott’s body, because the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict.

Instead, Slager was convicted on civil rights charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison, where he will continue to sit following Monday’s ruling.