Warning: video contains graphic violence
The Post and Courier / Vimeo
A MISTRIAL HAS been declared after a jury failed to reach a verdict in the murder trial of an ex-South Carolina police officer charged over the death of a black motorist.
Circuit Judge Clifton Newman declared the mistrial after a jury said that it was unable to unanimously agree on a verdict for Michael Slager.
The judge had told jurors they could also consider a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.
Slager was standing trial for shooting 50-year-old Walter Scott to death in North Charleston after stopping him for having a broken taillight.
A video taken by a bystander of the shooting was shown widely in the media and on the internet and sparked national and international outrage.
Race was never made a major issue at trial, even though Slager is white and Scott was black.
Jurors had deliberated more than 22 hours over four days.
Earlier today, a note from the jury asked a number of questions of the court, including why was voluntary manslaughter added as a charge and how long must someone have malice in their mind toward someone to be convicted of murder.
Jurors also asked whether the definition of self-defence for a police officer is different that for the average person.
On Friday, it appeared that the stalemate involved only one juror. But today’s note said that a majority of the jurors on the panel were undecided.
The jury was made up of 11 whites members and one black member.
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