Group calling for arrest of responding police officer in Walter Scott shooting

LIVE 5 NEWS ^ | 10 APRIL 2015 | LIVE 5 NEWS

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

NORTH CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Officials with the National Bar Association are calling for the immediate arrest and indictment of a North Charleston police officer who responded to the shooting of Walter Scott. Officer Clarence Habersham was the officer on scene after Michael Slager shot and killed Scott.

According to the group, Habersham filed an incomplete police report on the shooting of Walter Scott and left "material facts out of his report."

Habersham gave the following narrative in a North Charleston Police Department report that was released to the media:

[Sherman Logan]

I would agree with you if there was any evidence at all that the cop’s life or that of anybody else was in danger.

But there isn’t. I’m perfectly willing to change my mind if such evidence turns up. But I’m not going to withhold judgement on the available evidence on the theory that there “might” be something out there that changes things.

An example: I was out of the country when the Zimmerman/Martin thing hit the news. I was outraged at the brutal murder of this innocent 12 year old boy by the brutal redneck. (That’s certainly what CNN showed.)

But as other evidence came out it became obvious my original take was wrong. So I changed it. Martin’s death was entirely due to his own stupid and criminal actions. Zimmerman was entirely justified legally in what he did, though it’s sad, for all involved, that he had to do it.

Provide some evidence that this cop behaved properly and I’ll evaluate it.

[Straight Vermonter]

Why is it that,in some trials at least,information about a defendant's past convictions (or matters concerning the defendant that are awaiting prosecution) are allowed to be brought up by the prosecution?

This usage is intentionally extremely limited because the court recognizes that it is so prejudicial. As an example: evidence that the defendant killed person #1 may be used to show the motive for killing person #2 who was a witness. On the other hand evidence that a person has 10 convictions for theft may not be used in a trial even for an identical theft because it is so prejudicial.

Also,what thoughts (if any) do you have regarding the case mentioned in Post #30?

I certainly understand the court's thinking on that but you have to admit that it is an loophole cops could drive a truck through.

Cops in other high crime countries manage to avoid killing their citizens by the hundreds. Maybe we should acknowledge that there is a better way.

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

This video should save him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbvU8HFROwI

Watch from 3:17 on....

[Usagi_yo]

It’s not just the shooting in SC, it’s the preponderance of shootings, beatings and police misbehavior over the last several months.

How long are you going to keep buying the story that these video recordings and reports of police misbehavior are rare? Rarer yet is a solid piece of video that hasn’t been taken or confiscated or destroyed.

Take their guns away from them and make them patrol in pairs without guns. That will cure their copitude.

[Usagi_yo]

“Hands up,don’t shoot!”

I found the kill shot, particularly revealing, where the officer paused, took careful aim and then executed the black man at 15 paces by shooting him in the back. He thought his life was in danger. He thought the black guy was running to get a mob ... and we couldn’t have that could we?

Probably because there weren’t 11 other officers to turn it into a good beating instead.

[Usagi_yo]

All that does is guarantee a fair trial. The problem is without dead nuts on video, as we have here, there rarely is a trial, nevertheless a fair one.

[Popman]

The second cop wasn’t there when his brother blue murdered the man, his report may have reflected his story...

[FreeReign]

it’s not just the shooting in SC, it’s the preponderance of shootings, beatings and police misbehavior over the last several months. How long are you going to keep buying the story that these video recordings and reports of police misbehavior are rare?

There.

Are.

900,000.

Police.

In.

The.

US.

[Usagi_yo]

The kill shot in the Charleston shooting was interesting to say the least. Watching the cop take careful aim, pause, then kill the 51 flabby black man by shooting him in the back from 15 paces.

Great shot right?

The Scene out in California was interesting too. Did you notice the man jump on the ground spread eagle? Did you note how quickly he put his hands behind his back to be cuffed? Did you notice that the deputies started beating him after he was cuffed?

Good Beating right?

[FreeReign]

Great shot right?

Good Beating right?

Don't ask those dumb rhetorical questions to me. There is absolutely nothing in my post that would suggest that I think those were good shots or beatings.

But apparently you think we should blame 900,000 innocent cops...or at least the white ones.

[Usagi_yo]

You mistake me. I'm not asking you if it was a 'good shot' as in legal. I'm asking as in generically it was a great shot right? As in marksmanship.

To be able, under dire threat of death or worse, to pop off those rounds into the 51 year old black man's back.

I mean who can blame him for not wanting to chase after him. After all Charleston can get hot, even in early spring. As for letting the man go? No way. Just think of the humiliation he would receive from his fellow white officers for letting somebody in Child Support arrears get away.

But that kill shot. Oh that sweet kill shot. A nice pause to recenter the pistol, dramatic as it was professional. Presenting his profile to the target with pistol double cupped. Then squeezing out that beautiful kill shot. Jack Bauer couldn't have done better.

Wouldn't you agree? Great marksmanship under duress and imminent threat of bodily injury. Most would have probably just curled up into a ball and let the man run away 2 counties to get a gun to come back and shoot them.

[2harddrive]

NBA = Negro Bar Association.

[Karl Spooner]

But that kill shot. Oh that sweet kill shot. A nice pause to recenter the pistol, dramatic as it was professional. Presenting his profile to the target with pistol double cupped. Then squeezing out that beautiful kill shot. Jack Bauer couldn't have done better.

I also found it very professional how he went back and retrieved the taser and planted it by the body, right in front of the 2nd officer. Almost makes the movie Magnum Force look historically accurate.

[Does so]

This is arguably THE DUMBEST act of a cop EVER caught on tape!

The second-dumbest act was moving the evidence Taser——No, wait...

[samtheman]

No scenario backs a cop shooting a guy in the back 5 times when he is not a threat to anyone. Period, end of story.

I agree. Slager knew exactly who Scott was at that point. He had his car and his ID and his friend in the front seat of the car. Let him get away, arrest him later. It was the only justifiable action at that point. Slager should have used his radio, not his gun. Scott wouldn't have gotten that far.

[samtheman]

kinda like the Gentle Giant having had things to hide

Gentle Giant charged AT the police officer. Walter Scott ran AWAY from the police officer.

Night.

Day.

[Aleya2Fairlie]

Nope, just before your time I guess. “Stop or I’ll shoot” used to be sufficient. It was when the “warning shot” became a requirement that we got into trouble.

[flaglady47]

Scott, the alleged victim, wasn’t unarmed, he had two big fists. He was another big black male, just like the guy in Ferguson, Missouri who was beating on the Cop there in his squad car, and the guy who was beating up George Zimmerman in Florida. It appears this guy Scott was attacking the Cop here also, according to witnesses. We willl see, but as many here on FR have sided with the alleged victim, I’m siding with the Cop, the contrarian position.

The Cop sounded more than reasonable when approaching Scott in his car, and obviously had no idea that Scott would take off running. The Cop had no idea about the background of the guy he was chasing. It could have been an ax murderer for all he knew, and he was stopping a guy with a very possible criminal record, perhaps violent, from escaping to harm others. We shall see how this will pan out, but for now I’m on the Cop’s side and I think once again the initial hue and cry by the media will result in a bum rap for a Cop.

As to the video, the most important part of the transaction between the Cop and the alleged victim, when they were fighting (IMO the Cop was being attacked) is missing, isn’t it. Funny how the guy videotaping the incident somehow doesn’t have his tape rolling when the two were having their altercation. Hmmmm, selective taping? The alleged victim attacked the Cop? Just the part you’d want to have missing, isn’t it. And no one knows whether the taser was placed by the victim or not. No one knows what was dropped, be it sunglasses or something else other than a taser. So, I wait....

[flaglady47]

“What we saw was the ugly of white cops. I don’t even try to defend them anymore. Now I just want 50% of cops to flat out have their guns taken away and they’re to conduct police work without them. The other 50% with guns can wait around the precincts and patrol areas waiting for back up calls.”

Ok, so you hate cops. Been stopped a few times, perchance? Where did your abnormal hatred of cops come from, I wonder. And your prescription for cops above will leave society with nothing but anarchy. If you are ever in a tough and threatening position, make sure to never call the cops. Then RIP.

[free_life]

The video shows a cop that needs to be charged and convicted for homicide. The guy with a broken tail light is running away and has no weapon, he is not at that time a danger to the officer or anyone else.

Note as soon as the cop handcuffs the guy he immediately returns to pick up his taser and then drops it by the body of guy he shot. Why would he do that other than to make it look like there was a struggle between the two of them where the body lay? But there is video and he is caught. Lock this cop up he is a violent criminal.