South Carolina Cop Michael Slager Charged With Murder for Shooting Unarmed Man in the Back

Michael Slager Booking Photo

Charleston, South Carolina

A police officer in South Carolina has been officially charged with murder, now that a video has surfaced showing him shooting an unarmed man who was running away.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced Tuesday that Michael Slager, an officer with the North Charleston Police Department, was arrested and charged with murder. Slager, if found guilty, could face up to life in prison or death.

The shooting took place Saturday morning after a traffic stop, SLED said. Video obtained by The New York Times shows what happened.

The victim was a black man, identified as 50-year-old Walter Scott. In the video, the victim breaks away from the white officer. Something falls, and the officer fires eight shots at the man as he runs away. Scott, who appears to be unarmed, drops to the ground.

"I can tell you that as the result of that video and the bad decision made by our officer, he will be charged with murder," North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey told reporters Tuesday. "When you're wrong, you're wrong. And if you make a bad decision -- don't care if you're behind the shield or just a citizen on the street -- you have to live by that decision."

Scott was remembered by his brother as loving, kind and outgoing, somebody who "knew everybody." He spent two years in the Coast Guard, and had four children.

"All we wanted was the truth," said Anthony Scott. "I don't think that all police officers are bad cops, but there are some bad ones out there, and I don't want to see anyone get shot down the way that my brother got shot down."

Slager’s attorney, David Aylor, initially said that his client followed the appropriate policies and procedures. Aylor later told CNN that he no longer represents the officer, and it was unclear whether Slager had obtained new representation.

Police reports show that Slager said he used his Taser. The officer later said: "Shots fired and the subject is down."

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina said on Twitter that he had watched the video and that "the senseless shooting and taking of #WalterScott's life was absolutely unnecessary and avoidable."

The Justice Department released a statement Tuesday saying it would "take appropriate action in light of the evidence and developments in the state case."

"The South Carolina Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened an investigation concurrent with the S.C. Law Enforcement Division and are providing aid as necessary to the state investigation. The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the South Carolina U.S. Attorney's Office will work with the FBI in the investigation," it read.

Houston Police Officer Noe Juarez Arrested by Federal Drug Enforcement Agents

Officer Noe Juarez

Houston, Texas

The Houston Police Department is short one man, after federal agents requested the arrest of an officer during the Tuesday morning roll call.

A spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Shauna Dunlap, confirms Officer Noe Juarez was arrested by Houston police and turned over to federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency and FBI after he arrived for work at the HPD Central Command. An arrest warrant had been issued for Juarez by a federal court in New Orleans.

Neither Dunlap nor Anna Christman, with the federal attorney's office in New Orleans, would discuss the specific charge against Juarez until the indictment is unsealed, but police sources told KPRC-TV that Juarez was arrested in connection with a federal drug probe.

Juarez has been a Houston Police Officer since 1995, and for most of his career served as a patrolman with the Central Patrol Division. In March, he transferred to he department's motorcycle detail.

Back in 2009, Juarez was named as one of the Houston Police Officers Union's officers of the year for his work with the Central Division Tactical Unit.

If his name sounds familiar, Juarez gained media attention In February 2008, as one of three officers involved in a shooting at Northwest Mall that left one of the policemen wounded, and a robbery suspect dead. Juarez did not fire the fatal shot.

In 2006, Juarez was named as a defendant in a federal wrongful arrest lawsuit that was settled out of court.

Juarez is scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate on Wednesday. Federal officials said more information will be made available following the court appearance.

Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Frank Augustine Jr. Arrested for Physical Violence Against Girlfriend

Frank Augustine Jr. Booking Photo

Houston, Texas

A deputy with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office is accused of violently attacking his girlfriend while she slept in bed.

Frank Augustine Jr. is charged with assault of a family member.

It all started with a family disturbance call at Augustine’s home on March 29. The woman, identified as Augustine’s girlfriend, told Investigators with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Domestic Violence Unit that Augustine physically attacked her.

The victim said Augustine struck her in the head with a motorcycle helmet while she slept in bed. During the assault, he allegedly strangled her to the point where she could not breathe, causing pain and injuries.

"We never know the real reasons why people get that far especially with a spouse or girlfriend, but it did get to that point where he assaulted her with a helmet, and not only that, he wasn't finished, he went ahead and tried to complete the job by strangling her," said Asst. Chief Tim Cannon, with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office.

Augustine, 52, was arrested and taken into custody, and an emergency protection order was granted for the girlfriend.

Augustine was released on a $5,000 bond. He's due back in court on May 4.

Racist Texts Leading 7 San Francisco Police Officers to Unemployment Line

San Francisco, California

A total of seven San Francisco police officers have been accused of sending racist and homophobic text messages. All have been suspended, and the police chief is recommending that they be fired.

In a statement released Friday, Chief Greg Suhr announced that he has asked a police oversight committee to approve firing the officers. He says six others will face disciplinary actions that include reassignment to positions that don't have contact with the public. Another officer has resigned.

The names of the officers have not been released by police, but attorneys representing three have identified them as Noel Schwab, 49; Rain Daugherty, 40; and Michael Celis, 47.

The questionable texts targeting blacks, Mexicans, Filipinos and gay men. according to authorities, were sent between 2011 and 2012. They were discovered by federal authorities investigating a former sergeant who was convicted of corruption and sentenced to prison.

Suhr calls the texts "despicable" and says those who sent them "clearly fall below the minimum standards required to be a police officer."

Meanwhile, San Francisco prosecutors say they will review dozens of old prosecution cases touched by the officers under investigation.

District Attorney George Gascon said his office will review all cases going back 10 years that the officers were linked to either by writing a report, submitting evidence or testifying in court. Since they were made public last month, city leaders have raised concern that prejudice by the officers may have led to unfair treatment, particularly in cases involving black defendants.

Travis County Sheriff’s Deputy James Sapp Fired Following Drunk Driving Arrest

James Sapp Arrest Photo

Austin, Texas

Officials have announced that a Travis County sheriff’s deputy has been fired after he was arrested and charged with drunken driving over the weekend.

According to a spokesman for the Travis County Sheriff's Office, 47-year-old James Sapp was terminated Monday after he was charged with driving while intoxicated, unlawful carrying of a weapon and possession of a controlled substance.

Sapp was arrested Sunday night after a police officer saw his vehicle swerving in Cedar Park.

The arrest affidavit alleges that Sapp showed signs of intoxication during a field sobriety test. The officer said he also found prescription pills in Sapp's pocket and a gun in his vehicle.

Sapp had worked for 24 years at the sheriff's office.

Accused Road Rage Shooting Deputy Kenneth Caplan Appears in Court

Harris County Deputy Kenneth Caplan

Houston, Texas

A former Harris County Precinct 6 reserve deputy who's accused of shooting a woman in a fit of rage appeared in court this morning and prosecutors said he had already been involved in a similar incident.

Kenneth Caplan, 34, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The shooting victim says that back on November 11, a driver cut her off on the South Loop by South Main Street. After she honked her horn, investigators say Caplan opened fire, shooting her in the head. The deputy then fled the scene. The woman survived.

During the investigation, authorities discovered evidence that led them to Caplan, he was arrested on Nov. 26.

Harris County Assistant District Attorney Angela Weltin says Caplan, "Attempted to hide evidence by reporting his car stolen. By destroying his weapon and by failing to report anything about this case until he was confronted by investigators."

Prosecutors believe Caplan may have sold his missing blue Camaro in Mexico.

Caplan’s bond was reduced in half to $100,000. If Caplan posts bond, he will be required to wear a GPS ankle bracelet and surrender his passport.

Prosecutors said Caplan had been suspended because of another road rage incident.

"Unfortunately this is not the only incident that we believe the defendant has been involved in with regard to road rage. I am seeking and looking for other victims of this defendant," said Weltin.

Caplan has been permanently relieved of his reserve deputy title. He's due back in court Jan. 26, 2015.

Embattled Cop Darren Wilson Resigns from Ferguson Police Force

Darren Wilson resigns from police department in Ferguson, Missouri

Darren Wilson, who may be the most unpopular police officer right now after fatally shooting an unarmed teenager in August, has resigned from the police department in Ferguson, Missouri. The resignation was announced by his attorney, Neil Bruntrager, on Saturday night.

Wilson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, in a telephone interview, that he resigned after the police department told him it received threats of violence if he remained an employee.

"I'm resigning of my own free will," he said. "I'm not willing to let someone else get hurt because of me."

He said resigning was "the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

The immediate resignation follows a decision by a grand jury not to indict Wilson in the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

The shooting sparked worldwide protests and the Monday announcement of no indictment triggered another round of demonstrations that continued through the week and into the weekend.

Wilson had been with the Ferguson Police Department for six years. He had been on paid administrative leave since the incident.

According to the Post-Dispatch, Wilson said he's not receiving a severance package. Wilson has not said what he plans to do next.

Wilson, 28, cited security fears in his letter of resignation, which reads:

"I, Darren Wilson, hereby resign my commission as a police officer with the City of Ferguson effective immediately. I have been told that my continued employment may put the residents and police officers of the City of Ferguson at risk, which is a circumstance that I cannot allow.

"For obvious reasons, I wanted to wait until the grand jury made their decision before I officially made my decision to resign. It was my hope to continue in police work, but the safety of other police officers and the community are of paramount importance to me. It is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal. I would like to thank all of my supporters and fellow officers throughout this process."
According to his attorney, Wilson had been in hiding since days after the shooting, when he received a phone call saying his home address was circulating on the internet. He was mowing the grass at the time.