Officer pleads guilty in S.C. fatal shooting

The former South Carolina police officer caught on video opening fire at a black man who was running away pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal civil rights charge, authorities said.

Michael Slager, who worked for the North Charleston Police Department, had faced federal civil rights and state murder charges in the April 2015 shooting of Walter Scott, a 50-year-old unarmed motorist who fled after a traffic stop.

Slager pleaded guilty to a single federal civil rights charge — which his attorney described as "using excessive force" — as part of a deal to resolve both cases.

"We hope that Michael's acceptance of responsibility will help the Scott family as they continue to grieve their loss," Andrew Savage, Slager's attorney, said in a statement.

According to the Justice Department, Slager used force "even though it was objectively unreasonable under the circumstances." Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement that the department would "hold accountable any law enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of our citizens by using excessive force."

"As our Department works to support the courageous and professional law enforcement personnel who risk their lives every day to protect us, we will also ensure that police officers who abuse their sacred trust are made to answer for their misconduct," Sessions said.

The incident was captured on camera by a bystander, and the graphic footage rocketed around news stations and the Internet — fueling an ongoing debate about police use of force against black people. Slager soon faced charges in two court systems, though a state jury could not come to a verdict in his case after a trial late last year.