Former South Carolina police officer Michael Slager was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison and two years of supervised release for fatally shooting Walter Scott, an unarmed black man, during a traffic stop in 2015, according to local news reports. Slager, then an officer in North Charleston, South Carolina, shot Scott while Scott was running away from him. At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Slager said that he takes responsibility for Scott’s death, and Scott’s mother, Judy, expressed forgiveness. “Officers who violate anyone’s rights also violate their oaths of honor, and they tarnish the names of the vast majority of officers, who do incredible work. CORRECTION: An early version of this article reported prematurely that Slager had been sentenced.

Source: Huffington Post December 07, 2017 15:56 UTC