Amazing video of South Carolina police shooting

[De Selby]

Why do you think he was running? Why do folks run? And how do you determine why without grabbing them?
Contrary to popular tv most bad guys do not get caught by forensics or slick police work. They get caught for dead tags or something simple. When someone tries bush parole on a broken tail light it raises suspicions that they have more serious issues


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Officer safety! 

The video is pretty much the verdict.  He f'ing squared up and took aim like it was target practice.  Might as well have had a pack of dogs for the hunt.

He didn't look at all confused as to the location of the drop-item afterwards. 

[Waitone]

Lots of side issues related to the incident.  SC has been under the gun so to speak for the number of police shooting after which offending LE is deemed clean and pure.  Ferguson prompted some locales to reconsider the enthusiasm with which they purse shooting cops.  Along comes this story which will attract the attention of the Usual Suspects.  If they could put down the bullhorn for a while and investigate the entire pattern police shooting they could have everything they sought to create in Ferguson.

One immediate consequence will be expedited approval of bodycams.  Necessary but hardly sufficient to highlight and fix the problem.  This cop was busted by a private citizen filming a cop at work.  Any legislation stopping the filming police at work should be canned immediately. 

One last angle yet to receive attention is the initial explanation the officer put forward and how it varied from the event as recorded.  Lots more on this one to come.  Cop's attorney bailed out immediately upon seeing the video.
http://www.fitsnews.com/2015/04/08/sc-white-on-black-shooting-drama-the-latest/

[Hawkmoon]

Given his initial story of the struggle, how the heck was he planning to justify 5 shots into the back, at a distance?   Or is he being tossed under the bus due to the video, while the police wouldn't have bothered to look too closely if it hadn't surfaced?

That was a rhetorical question, yes?

[Firethorn]

That was a rhetorical question, yes?

Sort of.  He had free representation and the police were already reporting, on the basis of his statements that Mr. Scott was struggling with him for the taser, indeed, that he attempted to USE the taser on the officer.

The second part is my cynicism showing.  Basically, from the video and reports of officer testimony, there should have been enough evidence to fire him and probably to charge him with murder even without the video, but sadly I think the video was necessary to actually get this result.

Evidence such as - location of shell casings, shot from behind, 5 times, rather than in front.  Lack of flash burns indicating point blank range of shooting(within range of struggle).  Etc...

[Battle Monkey of Zardoz]

Cops statement of incident was not at all similar to the video. That says it all that needs to be said. The idiot with a badge is a murderer. Plain and simple.

[zxcvbob]

Cops statement of incident was not at all similar to the video. That says it all that needs to be said. The idiot with a badge is a murderer. Plain and simple.

I hope the person who took the video is able to remain anonymous -- cuz the cops will burn his house down if they find out who it is.

ETA: Associate Press just published the guy's name.   

[Blakenzy]

I hope the person who took the video is able to remain anonymous -- cuz the cops will burn his house down if they find out who it is.

ETA: Associate Press just published the guy's name.   

Yep, they are going to Dorner his house down.

[Perd Hapley]

Officer safety! 

The video is pretty much the verdict.  He f'ing squared up and took aim like it was target practice.  Might as well have had a pack of dogs for the hunt.

He didn't look at all confused as to the location of the drop-item afterwards. 

Well, now that De Selby's chimed in, my mind is made up.

[TommyGunn]

Well, now that De Selby's chimed in, my mind is made up.

Well,  say what you want ..... something very unusual has  happened.......

De Selby   was right!!!

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

And mike geragos is on board too


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[brimic]

Well,  say what you want ..... something very unusual has  happened.......

De Selby   was right!!!

More like if Me, you and others all agree with De Selby, then there is something so there that it can't be refuted- like 'water is wet.'

[RoadKingLarry]

Well,  say what you want ..... something very unusual has  happened.......

De Selby   was right!!!

Does this prove that he is capable of rational thought after all or was it just a once in a millennia alignment of the stars?
 

[HankB]

Does this prove that he is capable of rational thought after all or was it just a once in a millennia alignment of the stars?
 

Broken clock effect.

[Perd Hapley]

Does this prove that he is capable of rational thought after all or was it just a once in a millennia alignment of the stars?
 

He has yet to tell us whether the police officer looks like a pervert. I await his judgment on the matter.

[Angel Eyes]

Getting back on topic: there is a crowdfunding effort for the officer's legal defense:

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/04/09/sf-based-indiegogo-hosts-crowdfunding-for-defense-of-cop-accused-in-south-carolina-murder/

Apparently gofundme did not allow it, so they went to indiegogo.

[Hawkmoon]

We’re campaigning to show our Support for Officer Michael T. Slager! We believe in all of our LEOs and want to publicly support them! Although he may have made mis-steps in judgement he was protecting the community.

From what? This wasn't a "mis-step" that resulted in someone getting a parking ticket he didn't deserve. This was a "mis-step" that ended a person's life.

Michael is a former Coast Guardsman ...

So was the guy he killed.

... with two stepchildren and a wife who is expecting a child, served for more than five years with the department without being disciplined. Please help in any way you can. He has served five years with the department without being disciplined.

From the "damned by faint praise" department, I guess. So what we're saying is that Officer Slager is a bit on the slow side, and it took him five years before he stepped on his crank. (Although he did seem to move fairly briskly when he jogged back to move the taser over next to the victim's body.)

[Balog]

Fundraiser is a good example of the fact that some people don't care if the cops commit murder, if they don't like the victim.

[De Selby]

Does this prove that he is capable of rational thought after all or was it just a once in a millennia alignment of the stars?
 

Remember that the APS definition of rational thought requires comparison to tea party media releases - the general rule here is that if your posts could be from the comments box at a Ted Cruz rally, they will be deemed reasonable.

Anything else, like say, citing studies or putting together an argument that challenges the party line, is inherently irrational.  Questioning basic American conservative beliefs here is like burning the Koran in Tehran.

If there hadn't been a video no doubt there'd be a great controversy and much attacking of the racial equality types who claim that police have an easier time shooting black people.  An interesting hypothetical to consider is whether this video is at all realistic with a white victim.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Does the witness to the tussle change anything?
I would love to read the statements of all the cops. If the shooter or anyone else lied about where the taser ended up it's done. If they tell the truth I think he can beat the criminal charges, he could beat the firing too if there was a police union but I suspect there is not. If he beats the rap it's gonna get noisy


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[cordex]

Remember that the APS definition of rational thought requires comparison to tea party media releases - the general rule here is that if your posts could be from the comments box at a Ted Cruz rally, they will be deemed reasonable.

Anything else, like say, citing studies or putting together an argument that challenges the party line, is inherently irrational.  Questioning basic American conservative beliefs here is like burning the Koran in Tehran.

If there hadn't been a video no doubt there'd be a great controversy and much attacking of the racial equality types who claim that police have an easier time shooting black people.

Any time there is little available evidence in a controversial case there are people who make broad statements without facts to back it up, and who will get very invested in the outcome on either side.  Some or all of them will be wrong as to the facts of the specific case. Not sure why that is supposed to be interesting.

An interesting hypothetical to consider is whether this video is at all realistic with a white victim.

What do you mean?  Whether or not it is realistic that a bad cop might (apparently) overreact and murder a white guy?

BeenDoneBro.pdf

[Blakenzy]

Does the witness to the tussle change anything?
I would love to read the statements of all the cops. If the shooter or anyone else lied about where the taser ended up it's done. If they tell the truth I think he can beat the criminal charges, he could beat the firing too if there was a police union but I suspect there is not. If he beats the rap it's gonna get noisy


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You are very optimistic.

[Perd Hapley]

Remember that the APS definition of rational thought requires comparison to tea party media releases - the general rule here is that if your posts could be from the comments box at a Ted Cruz rally, they will be deemed reasonable.

Anything else, like say, citing studies or putting together an argument that challenges the party line, is inherently irrational.  Questioning basic American conservative beliefs here is like burning the Koran in Tehran.

And you hang around, why? Bringing enlightenment to the fuzzy-wuzzies?

[Blakenzy]

Plenty of shooting cases where the officer alleged that the suspect "charged towards" him in the absence of weapons or even physical contact. Maybe this guy could use the "charged away into the wild green yonder" defense/justification...

 

Jury trial=conviction in this case. I look at this video again and again and I see nothing but contempt for life in the officer's actions. There was a clear calculated and determined decision to kill the man. Look at the last shot that put him down. Pause... good sight alignment... bam!

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I don't know with a jury all you need is one guy outa 12 to walk. A bench trial you get a judge who generally is more inclined to rule based on the law which is why in a case like this some guys chose a bench trial. A lot will depend on his lawyer and the assessment of the type of judge they will likely get


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[cassandra and sara's daddy]

It's a shame there is no video of them on the ground and how it got from there to their feet again


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