The prosecution has called 27 witnesses and experts in to lay out their case thus far. Former North Charleston Police Officer Michael Slager is on trial for murdering 50-year-old Walter Scott. Saturday morning April 4, 2015 Slager pulled Scott over for a broken brake light. The stop escalated and ended with Slager shooting Scott five times. The incident was captured on cell phone video and has been widely distributed in the media.
Scott’s older brother Anthony testified about the last time they spoke the Wednesday before the shooting.
Anthony said Walter was telling him about a used Mercedes Benz car he was planning to buy. Anthony warned said, “I told him I didn’t think it was a very good idea and he needed to reconsider even buying that car because living in North Charleston.”
Anthony said he was concerned about Walter getting pulled over especially because he was not current on his child support payments.
Once Anthony heard about the shooting he went to the scene, but stayed behind the caution tape.
“I wanted to see him,” Anthony said. “I wanted to see him.”
Anthony said he first time he learned about the video of the incident was when approached by a stranger at a press conference about Walter’s death. He and his wife met Santana in the parking lot of a Dominican restaurant to see the footage.
“He was scared,” Anthony said referring to Santana. “He was almost shaking, looking around and watching and [he was] very nervous.”
Anthony continued. “I wanted a copy really bad because I knew that something wasn’t sounding right about the stop and what had happened…even before I saw the video.”
He offered Santana money for it, but Santana turned it down. He asked that they wait until the officer’s story came out. Once the report about Scott struggling with the officer for his Taser came out, Santana agreed to transfer the video.
Firearms expert at the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Tracy Thrower examined the bullets and casings from the scene. He matched the groves on the casings and bullets found to the weapon Slager used.
DNA expert at SLED Samuel Stewart testified that there was DNA from both Slager and Scott on the Taser. But he said he can’t discern if one of the men had more DNA on the stun gun than the other.
This afternoon was the first time since opening statements race was brought up by the defense.
Savage asked SLED Lieutenant Charles Ghent who worked on the case if he questioned the legality of the stop.
“He stated he stopped him for faulty equipment,” Ghent responded. “I didn’t have any concern with that.”
Savage continued to press the agent saying Slager didn’t know Scott was black until after he pulled him over and walked up to the vehicle.
“Is there anything you can think of that was improper, in terms of discriminatory practices or pretext stop or anything of that nature of officer Slager’s stop of Scott?” Savage asked.
Ghent responded, “I don’t have any indication that is the case.”
Prosecutors walked Ghent through his notes of his first interview with Slager at his original attorney’s office a few days after the incident.
Ghent told prosecutors that he never heard Slager say he anything that indicated he was physically attacked by Scott.
Defense Attorney Savage asked Ghent if its possible Slager was hit with the Taser but couldn’t feel it through his bullet proof vest.
“He didn’t tell us he was Tased,” said Ghent. “Nor did he say it on audio recordings. He said he didn’t know if he [Scott] was able to activate the trigger as he was coming towards him.”