CHARLESTON, S.C. — A majority of the jurors in the Michael Slager murder trial in South Carolina are undecided about a verdict in the case. The jury provided the court a note to that effect early today.
The note also asked a number of questions of the court, including why was voluntary manslaughter added as a charge, how long must someone have malice in their mind toward someone to be convicted of murder. Jurors also asked whether the definition of self-defense for a police officer is different that for the average person.
The jury has now deliberated more than 17 hours over four days in the trial on whether to acquit Slager or find him guilty of murder or voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of 50-year-old Walter Scott. Slager is a former North Charleston police officer.
On Friday, it appeared that the stalemate involved only one juror. But today’s note said that a majority of the jurors on the panel of 11 whites and one black were still undecided.
First Published December 5, 2016, 4:28 p.m.
