The sentencing hearing for Michael Slager, the former North Charleston police officer who was caught on video shooting Walter Scott as he fled a 2015 traffic stop, begins today, Dec. 4.
Slager pled guilty to a federal charge of violating Scott’s civil rights in May as part of a plea bargain that allowed him to avoid a re-trial on state murder charges which initially concluded in a hung jury.
Now U.S. District Court Judge David Norton will hear from prosecutors and defense attorneys in the case that has drawn out since Slager stopped Scott for a broken brake light on April 4, 2015.
The 36-year-old ex-cop could face life in prison for using excessive force in the death of Walter Scott.
CP staff writer Adam Manno is at the courthouse for the trial today, you can follow along at twitter.com/adammanno.