A judge said Friday he will rule "as expeditiously as possible" on whether to grant bail for a white ex-police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a black man in North Charleston, South Carolina.
However, Judge Clifton Newman gave no indication when that would be. During a morning hearing, former North Charleston police officer Michael Slager briefly stood and told the court he’s not a flight risk and he would adhere to any requirements the judge might set as conditions of bail.
Slager is charged in the April 4 death of Walter Scott after a traffic stop. During the hearing, prosecutors said they expected to be able to try the case in late 2016. Slager’s defense said it could be ready by spring. Prosecution and defense attorneys had sparred over the bond question a day earlier. On Thursday, defense attorney Andy Savage said small amounts of cocaine were found in Scott's system after he was killed, and he suggested that Scott tried to take Slager's Taser and use it against him.
