Sometime ago in South Carolina, we saw the video of a police officer shooting Walter Scott in the back. This video was one of the most disturbing and troubling incidents I had seen involving law enforcement. I argued then that Walter Scott posed no danger to the officer or anyone else involved. He was fleeing and had his back turned when the shot was fired.
Recently, I came across headlines reporting that an officer was being sentenced to 20 years in connection with the shooting of an unarmed man. I thought to myself that this was significant, and that accountability had finally been reached in a serious case. I hadn’t seen the full details at the time, but those who follow my work know I have spoken at length about the Walter Scott case. When I looked into it further, I realized the sentencing involved the officer responsible for Walter Scott’s death.
This outcome does not bring him back, and it offers little comfort to those who loved him. However, it does reflect that serious consequences can follow serious actions, and that the legal process can hold individuals accountable regardless of their profession.
I want to be clear that not all officers act this way, and many police shootings involve genuinely difficult and dangerous circumstances that require split second decisions. The circumstances surrounding Walter Scott’s death, however, raised serious and legitimate questions about the use of force. A man lost his life during a traffic stop while attempting to flee, and that outcome prompted necessary conversations about accountability within law enforcement.
The sentencing reflects that the justice system, while imperfect, can respond to cases where conduct falls outside acceptable and lawful boundaries.
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