Defence rests case in the Michael Slager murder trial.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Former North Charleston patrolman Michael Slager choked back tears Tuesday, testifying in his own defence that he felt “total fear” when the black motorist he was chasing from a traffic stop got control of his Taser and pointed it at him.
Slager, 35, faces 30 years to life if convicted of murder in the shooting death of 50-year-old Walter Scott, who managed to break away and run dozens of feet from the officer and his stun gun before falling to the ground with five bullets in his back. The defence rested its case late Tuesday, and closing arguments are planned for Wednesday.
The April 4, 2015, shooting stunned the nation after a bystander captured the scene on a cellphone video, images that have been played multiple times in the courtroom during Slager’s trial.
“My family has been destroyed by it. The Scott family has been destroyed by it. It’s horrible,” he said.