South Carolina police refuse to release video of officer killing 68 yr old man in driveway
South Carolina police refuse to release video of officer killing man in driveway
White officer followed African American Ernest Satterwhite, 68, home last year and ensuing shooting was caught on dashcam
When a white police officer in South Carolina chased a black man nine miles by car, then shot him to death in his driveway last year, the shooting apparently was captured on the officer’s dashboard camera – a video that state police have steadfastly refused to release.
North Augusta officer Justin Craven tried to pull 68-year-old Ernest Satterwhite over for drunken driving, then followed him with blue lights to his home after Satterwhite refused to stop in February 2014, authorities said.
When Satterwhite stopped in his driveway, Craven ran up to his car and fired several shots through the closed door, telling deputies later that Satterwhite tried to grab his gun, according to a report from Edgefield County deputies who joined the chase after it crossed the county line.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/03/south-carolina-police-dashcam-video-ernest-satterwhite
Craven faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of misconduct in office and discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle. A prosecutor sought to indict him for voluntary manslaughter, which carries guaranteed prison time and a maximum sentence of 30 years, but a grand jury refused.
Craven’s dashcam video has been shown to few people outside law enforcement. Several who have seen it say it is horrible and offensive, and Satterwhite had no time to respond to Craven. They will not speak on the record because they have been threatened with legal action since the video has not been publicly released.
= new reply since forum marked as read
