Several people have requested thoughts and analysis on the decision by South Carolina (former) Police Officer Michael Slager to plead guilty to civil rights violations.

From the outset this case was unique, stunningly so.  Our research into this case was necessarily fact-driven because any emotional review of the shooting is fraught with over simplistic reaction.  This is one of those cases where logic battles with emotion and the outcome, as it stands today, is even more evidence toward that end.

Michael Slager pleading guilty to federal charges against the State’s inability to gain any criminal charges shows how the dynamic of law can run parallel to justice but not necessarily merge.  This is the framework for my perspective on this case.

It’s important to note what Slager’s plea isn’t.  There is no admission of violation of statutory state law.  Slager is not pleading guilty to any form of manslaughter, and most certainly isn’t guilty of level of statutory murder.  The unusual nature of this dynamic is why the State of South Carolina has withdrawn any/all criminal charges now that Slager has plead guilty to a federal violation of Scott’s civil rights.

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Judge Clifton Newman has declared a mistrial after the jury returned to further deliberations Monday in the Officer Michael Slager trial, and are unable to reach a unanimous verdict over the charges of Murder or Voluntary Manslaughter:

Let it be perfectly clear, this outcome, all they way through trial and jury deliberations, has followed the exact tract many CTH researchers and observers predicted since the initial case research.   The entire state case rested upon provable malice.  – Full Case Research Outlines Here –
Based entirely on the facts that were evident in this case, CTH and most participants within the discussion threads therein, it was transparently predictable today’s outcome would be the final disposition of the case.
Update: According to a preliminary media debrief of the jury, which was outlined during a question at the post trial press conference:

The slager jury was hung on the Voluntary Manslaughter charge.
The Jury was a unanimous 'not guilty' on the Murder Charge.

— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) December 5, 2016

We will expand on this later today in an update which will follow and expand on the issues at hand.

The afternoon story began with the announcement the jury in the Officer Michael Slager trial was hopelessly deadlocked.   Previously the State of South Carolina presented two options for verdict consideration, Murder or Voluntary Manslaughter.
The voluntary manslaughter option (lesser charges) was added AFTER the trial phase was concluded and the defense presented, then rested, its case.
The reason for the lesser charge was transparent to all who knew and followed the case closely, there was virtually no-way for a jury to convict on just the original charge of murder, hence the lesser included.
Adding the lesser charge option after trial testimony was yet again more evidence of a manipulative prosecution.
In essence, the State –with the full support of activist Judge Newman– timed the lesser charge inclusion to ensure the defense never used elements within their legal presentation that would have defended specifically against the manslaughter charge.
However, that said, what happened on Friday was even more insufferable.  After the jury announcing they were deadlocked, Judge Newman began by giving them an appropriate “Allen Charge” – essentially telling the jury to try again. (more…)

The jury in the case against Officer Michael Slager is deadlocked. No decision was able to be reached. The judge has provided an Allen Charge giving the jury a final instruction to go back and deliberate, try again. A “mistrial” is entirely possible.

Many of us anticipated this outcome because prosecutor Wilson overreached with the initial charge of murder. However, on the day the jury was given the case the prosecution knew/accepted they were not going to get a murder conviction, and convinced Judge Newman to provide a secondary option of voluntary manslaughter.

The judge instructed the jury that they can acquit Slager, convict him of murder or convict him of voluntary manslaughter. A murder conviction carries a sentence of 30 years to life. (link)

If you have not followed the CTH research on this case you might be surprised with this outcome.  The MSM presentation is completely false.  However, long-time CTH readers and contributors will not be shocked.  You can find all prior CTH research HERE

The trial of officer Michael Slager (Walter Scott shooting) ended today with Officer Slager as the last witness testifying in his own defense.  The defense rests, and the case is now set for the jury deliberation phase.  The instructions to the jury will be critical…

SOUTH CAROLINA – Throughout the trial of Michael Slager, defense attorneys have asked the jury to consider the death of Walter Scott and the events that led to his shooting from the perspective of the former North Charleston officer. On Tuesday, after hearing from 17 witnesses for the defense, jurors were given the clearest image of what went through Slager’s mind on April 4, 2015, as he took the stand.
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A Canadian documentary filmmaker has produced an independent documentary about the Walter Scott shooting that is almost identical to the research review we presented in April of 2015.
The title of the film is “Frame 394”. You decide if there’s a rather curious similarity:

Here’s the original research outline we presented April 10th, 11th and 12th 2015

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[Updated 5:50pm with Andy Savage response below]:
Officer Michael Slager is the South Carolina police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of Walter Scott.  Officer Slager’s trial is set to begin October 31st 2016, however the DOJ announced additional federal charges today.
The back story for today’s DOJ announcement frames the motive for the Obama Dept of Justice, Civil Rights Division, to file proactive charges today – the media will avoid highlighting the transparency.  However, long term CTH readers will understand it well. Remember, Hillary Clinton called Ryan Julison.

The State of South Carolina has put itself in a very difficult position with prosecution of the case against officer Slager.  Despite the media presentation of the event, the charge of Murder is a significant reach given the actual events which occurred in the entirety of the several minutes of the physical struggle with Walter Scott which were not recorded or discussed in the media. (more…)

FINALLY – Good Legal Advice – Officer Michael Slager did not waive his right to a speedy trial, he invoked it.

However, the Judge denied the request.  Judge Clifton Newman and Lead Prosecutor, Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, have just opened themselves up for increased scrutiny.  Smartly, Officer Michael Slager, through his attorney, requested his constitutional and legal right to a speedy trial be invoked.

According to a local media report Prosecutor Scarlett Wilson filed a 10 page motion to request the defendants’ right to a speedy trial be denied.  As many of you are familiar, when facing malicious and political prosecution the (almost guaranteed) tendency of the State is to delay the trial.  (more…)

This is interesting and deserves being back on the radar.  In South Carolina the prosecution of Officer Michael Slager (Walter Scott Shooting) continues.

In a remarkable similarity to the fraudulent prosecutorial investigation of State Attorney Angela Corey in the ’12/’13 Zimmerman case, in South Carolina another rogue and racially inspired prosecution appears to be heading down a similar path adverse to Officer Slager.

Despite defense requesting “preservation of evidence”, and despite a judges order affirming the presentation, the State of South Carolina prosecutorial team shipped the Taser out of state without trying to protect DNA evidence: (more…)

Officer Michael Slager has been in jail since April charged with murder.  The first judicial hearing for Officer Slager, and the possibility for bond, will take place this Thursday.

Today media reports begin to surface from attorney Andy Savage which glean a considerable similarity in defense to our initial research discoveries:

• Walter Scott was “on top” of Slager during the initial struggle. (link) [we first discovered this in our initial research]
• Walter Scott’s DNA is on the tazer Officer Slager deployed. (link) [this was anticipated as a result of the visible struggle identified ]
• During the struggle Officer Slager was “tazed” twice by Scott using his own weapon (link) [our research previously identified this distinct probability]
• Walter Scott was “fleeing” Officer Slager due to outstanding warrant (child support)
• A strong possibility exists that a weapon was on the scene between the originating point of the initial chase to the final disposition where the video of the lengthy struggle begins. (link)

Here is the current media release containing defense attorney Savage comments. (more…)