Juror says he can’t convict ex-cop in Walter Scott killing

Dec 3, 2016

On Friday, one lone juror said that he could not convict former police officer Michael Slager, who was captured on video shooting Walter Scott after pulling him over.

The juror said in a letter to the court that “I cannot in good conscience consider a guilty verdict.”

The letter comes after Circuit Judge Clifton Newman said the jury had presented a separate note saying that one juror was “having issues” and had insisted that “I cannot and will not change my mind.”

However, the jury said that it would continue its deliberation and requested to return on Monday morning, where it would ask several questions.

— Lawyer for officer charged with murder of Walter Scott wants trial moved from Charleston —

The jury had earlier asked to see a transcript of the testimony from the man who recorded the shooting. Though Newman offered to let them listen to the audio of the testimony as well, the jury declined.

“If you do not agree on a verdict, I must declare a mistrial,” Newman said. “The same participants will come, and the same lawyers will likely ask basically the same questions, and get basically the same answers and we will go through this whole process again.”

Slager has been charged with murder, though the jury has been allowed to consider a lesser charge of manslaughter.