Michael Slager, the former South Carolina police officer who fatally shot a man in the back, intends to plead guilty to one federal charge of excessive use of force as part of a plea agreement, a source with direct knowledge of the plea deal said.
The charge is a felony and is punishable by up to life in prison. Slager is expected to plead guilty Tuesday afternoon.
Slager’s state murder trial ended in a mistrial in December after a jury failed to reach a verdict. The remaining state murder charges will be dismissed as part of this plea agreement.
Slager shot Walter Scott, an unarmed black man, as Scott was running away from him following a traffic stop in April 2015.
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After the mistrial, Scott’s family members said justice will eventually prevail.
“In my heart, I will find the peace to forgive Michael Slager,” brother Anthony Scott said. “But at this present time, until my family can see justice, no, there’s no forgiveness.”