Ex-cop charged with death of Walter Scott posts bond

A Charleston County sheriff's spokesman confirmed Monday evening that Michael Slager, the former South Carolina police officer charged with murder in the shooting of a black motorist has posted bond and has been released from custody.

Slager will remain under house arrest until his trial later this year. A state judge on Monday ordered that jury selection in the case will begin on Halloween.

Sheriff's Department spokesman Eric Watson says Slager, a former North Charleston police officer, was released about 7 p.m. He released a statement saying the county detention center staff has prematurely posted on its website earlier that Slager has been released when in fact he was still in jail custody.

An attorney for the family of the slain motorist urged the Charleston community to remain calm after a judge set bond for the ex-police officer charged with killing the man.

Justin Bamberg, an attorney for the family of Walter Scott, said damaging property or hurting innocent people would do nothing to help Scott's family or affect the trial process, but would only get the perpetrators arrested.

Slager was charged with murder in April in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man who was running away from the officer after a traffic stop.

The shooting April 4 was captured on video by a bystander and showed Slager firing eight times as 50-year-old Scott ran away. The shooting rekindled an ongoing national debate about the treatment of black people at the hands of white officers.

The 33-year-old Slager faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted. He had been jailed without bond since his arrest.

Confirmation of Slager’s release ended hours of confusion. A judge granted Slager a $500,000 surety bond at a hearing Monday afternoon and let him out out jail. Then, said Slager was released at 5:23 p.m. Monday. The website was later updated to say he was booked back in the jail at 5:51 p.m.

Al Jazeera with The Associated Press