S Carolina shooting cop’s case mistrials

THE judge in the murder trial of a white former South Carolina police officer accused of shooting an unarmed black suspect in the back declared a mistrial on Monday after the jury said it was deadlocked.

The case was one of several fatal shootings of black suspects across the United States that have thrown the spotlight on how police use deadly force – and whether a suspect’s race leads to bias in that decision.

The jury had indicated on Friday that it was within one vote of returning a guilty verdict against Michael Slager in the killing of Walter Scott after the 50-year-old fled a traffic stop and struggled with the officer on April 4, 2015 in North Charleston.

Lawyers for Slager – who could have been convicted of either murder and voluntary manslaughter – argued that Scott’s disregard for authority, aberrant behavior and aggressive actions justified the deadly encounter.

“I so declare this case a mistrial,” judge Clifton Newman said. “We’re back to square one.”

Newman had pleaded for the panel to come to a decision, saying a mistrial would only mean a new trial with the same evidence argued in front of different jurors. Prosecutors have said they will retry the case.

“I’m not sad,” Scott’s mother, Judy Scott, told reporters in an emotional address. “I know that justice will be served.” “I don’t care what men say. I don’t care how it looks,” she said. “It’s not over.You all hear me, it’s not over ’till God says it’s over.”