Feidin Santana, a witness who video recorded the cold blooded murder of 50-year-old unarmed Afro-American by New Charleston Police Officer Michael T. Slager almost erased video for fear of his life.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
April 9, 2015
New Charleston, South Carolina - Feidin Santana, 23, from the Dominican Republic who recorded Officer Michael T. Slager, 33, fatally shoot Walter Lamar Scott, 50, as he ran away told NBC News that he thought about erasing the video for fear of his life or leaving the city. But when he saw the police report and news that Officer Slager had said that he feared for his life prompting him to kill Scott, Santana got mad and released the video to an attorney and the Scott family after getting advice from a friend.
Santana had told an officer at the crime scene, that Officer Slager had abused his authority and had a recorder. When the officer step away, Santana decided to run away and went to work. He knew that police were looking for him. He had a bad feeling and became afraid to release the video.Santana works as a barber about 10 minutes where the tragic incident happened on Saturday and no longer walks through the same route he usually did.
Santana has now become a news sensation for his courage to come forward with the video recording that was key evidence to charge Officer Slager with Scott's murder.
On Tuesday, North Charleston Police Officer Slager was charged for the April 4 murder of Walter Lamar Scott, an unarmed Afro-American who was shot at least eight times as he ran away from Slager. Officer Slager had reported that Scott had taken his taser during a scuffle, was in pursued, "shots fired and the subject is down, he took my taser." Slager says, that he had feared for his life.
Santana who video recorded the scene showed that a taser was dropped and Scott had ran away from Officer Slager who then fired at Scott striking him in the back multiple times. The video was turned over to police and it contradicted what Officer Slager had claimed and was arrested hours after the fatal shooting. The cellphone video showed Slager picking up the taser and then dropping it near Scott's body.
Scott was stopped for a traffic violation for having a broken taillight.
Officer Slager is facing 30 years to life in prison, if convicted. The video of the shooting was released to ABC News by Scott's family attorney.
Video: North Charleston Police Officer Michael Slager, 33, kills unarmed Walter L. Scott, 50, while fleeing. https://youtu.be/kbvU8HFROwI
Police dashcam video: Walter Scott flees from Officer Michael Slager moments before getting killed: https://youtu.be/WQa9zmxanZY
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