Tuesday, April 7, 2015

White Officer Michael Slager
Shoots Walter Scott In Back

I always think of young black people as presumed dangerous by white people, even when running away.  Walter Scott was 50 years old when he was killed. And since they were the only two people that were there during the discussion that preceded the murder, we'll never know what really happened. Looks like they were struggling over something. Maybe the officer was trying to cuff him.

What does seem apparent is that Scott wasn't armed.

We don't know if Walter Scott was a good husband, proud father, and upstanding member of his church or embezzler, arsonist, and coke head.  All we know is that he was running away when he was killed. And we can see the officer wasn't the one in danger.

I think I heard 8 shots fired in the video.

I don't know if I need to know what happened just before the camera started filming.  I didn't really need to know what happened just before filming when Pantaleo choked Garner to death. I didn't need to know what happened just before filming when Rice knocked out Palmer.

Nothing can really change the fact that person A is left standing over person B's body on the ground.  Still, I won't say I know all I need to know. I'm curious.

Maybe Scott had something that was going to unleash a plague on the state of South Carolina -- and Slager is really a hero. But I doubt it.

Maybe the white officer was provoked. That would be entirely possible....if it weren't for the fact that the police report doesn't match this video. 

You don't get a pass just because you can't control yourself when somebody makes you angry, challenges  you, or even hits you. And that's true for anyone, much less those assigned to "protect and serve." You don't get shoot somebody 8 times in the back even if they punched you in the face. You still have to exercise self-control. I know America hasn't looked like this lately, especially if the victim is black, but it's still true.

I hear the white officer has been charged. This is not Flori-duh. Let's see if we can get him convicted.

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