Walter Scott shooting: Former police officer who shot dead unarmed black man as he ran away jailed for 20 years

Michael Slager's state trial ended in a deadlocked jury - but he pleaded guilty in a federal court

The parents of Walter Scott, Walter Scott Sr. and Judy Scott, leave the courthouse after former North Charleston police officer Michael Slager was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 2015 shooting death of their son. (Grace Beahm Alford/The Post And Courier via AP)

Former police officer Michael Slager has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting dead Walter Scott, an unarmed black man in South Carolina. ​

Slager, who is white, was caught on a witness’ mobile camera chasing Mr Scott after a 2015 traffic stop and then shooting him in the back as he was running away.

That video footage taken by Feiden Santana proved crucial to the case.

Slager’s first state trial had ended in a deadlocked jury and mistrial last year. In May, he pleaded guilty to using excessive force and violating Mr Scott’s federal civil rights.

His plea resolved the pending state charges and ended the federal case against him.

US District Court Judge David Norton ruled the death was second-degree murder. He also found Slager guilty of obstruction of justice for lying to investigators.

Slager had pulled over Mr Scott, the father of four, for a broken rear light in April 2015.

In the initial state trial, the former police officer said that during the ensuing struggle Mr Scott attempted to take his taser.

However, Mr Scott had never reached for the weapon.

He shot at Mr Scott eight times, hitting him with five bullets. His lawyers attempted to argue his actions were in the heat of the moment.

Slager, fired from the North Charleston police department in the wake of the murder, is one of the few police officers in recent years in the US to receive prison time for an on-duty shooting.

Both men’s families were in attendance at the tense trial in Charleston, South Carolina.

US District Court Judge David Norton said: "What’s just for the Scott family is not necessarily just for the Slager family, and what’€™s just for the Slager family is not necessarily just for the Scott family...It’s a zero-sum game."

"Everyone recognises that this was a tragedy," he added.

"I wish this never would have happened. I wish I could go back to the day and change the events, but I can’t." said Slager, during his sentencing hearing on 7 December.

At one point during the sentencing trial, Mr Scott’s mother and several other family members said they forgave the killer.

Though Mr Scott’s brother Rodney said afterwards at a news conference that the family was "thankful...the justice system that worked on our behalf”, he said they feel "a lot of work" is still left to be done regarding relations between the police and minorities in the US.