A judge denied bail Monday for a white former South Carolina police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a black motorist, saying his release would "constitute an unreasonable danger to the community."
In a brief order, Circuit Judge Clifton Newman denied bond for Michael Slager. "After careful consideration of all the evidence presented and the nature and the circumstances of the offense, the court finds that the release of (the) defendant would constitute an unreasonable danger to the community and the request for release on bond should be denied," it says.
The former North Charleston officer has been held in solitary confinement since his arrest on murder charges in the April 4 shooting death of Walter Scott. A bystander's cellphone video showed Slager firing eight times as Scott tried to run from a traffic stop. The incident inflamed the national debate about how blacks are treated by law officers. Prosecution and defense attorneys sparred over the bond question during a hearing Thursday and met again to discuss the case Friday.
