Former South Carolina police officer Michael Slager leaves the Charleston County Courthouse last year after a mistrial was declared in the state murder case against him. (Mic Smith/AP)The former South Carolina police officer who shot and killed Walter Scott, an unarmed black man, following a traffic stop was sentenced Thursday to 20 years behind bars in a federal case stemming from the fatal encounter. In graphic video footage of the shooting recorded by a bystander, Scott could be seen running from Slager as the officer fired a barrage of bullets into his back. This recording showed the 50-year-old Scott hurrying away as the officer fired at him from behind. Slager said that at the time, he did not think Scott was unarmed, but he realized it after watching the video.

Source: Washington Post December 07, 2017 17:33 UTC