Charleston demands ‘No early release’ for former cop who killed Walter Scott

Charleston, SC – On Wednesday, May 13, organizers with the Lowcountry Action Committee (LAC), a South Carolina branch of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR), gathered in support of members of the family of Walter Scott against the early release of former North Charleston Police Department Michael Slager.

In 2016, Slager pleaded guilty to federal civil rights violations and was sentenced to 20 years in prison; this was after a South Carolina grand jury indicted him on a state murder charge, which ended in a mistrial. For many who have lost loved ones to police brutality, the outcome of the federal trial felt like a rare instance of justice.

Yet, nearly ten years after the sentencing, the Scott family says they recently received news from the Department of Justice (DOJ), that Slager’s sentence has been reduced through the First Step Act (FSA), a federal law aimed at reforming federal sentencing laws and lowering the federal inmate population. It allows eligible inmates to earn time credits for early release.

Inmates convicted of murder are typically ineligible for early release under FSA, but because Slager was charged with a federal civil rights offense – deprivation of a person’s rights under color of law as protected by the constitution – not murder, it appears he has been quietly shaving time off his sentence since 2020.

LAC co-founder Erica Veal, who has been working closely with the Scotts since 2025, said, “This is a clear misuse of prison reform law to allow a killer cop to skirt responsibility.” She went on to say, “The Lowcountry Action Committee and the National Alliance will push back every step of the way against Slager’s release. This is not justice and the Scotts deserve better.”

Since Walter Scott’s murder, his brothers Anthony and Rodney have become a voice for victims of police brutality. Anthony attended his first NAARPR Conference in Chicago, Illinois in November 2025 along with his wife Denise, who spoke on behalf of the family during the plenary session for Families of the Movement. Little did they know that, in April 2026, while planning the eleven-year Angelversary for Walter, they would receive news of the changes to Slager’s sentencing. Devastated by the news, the Scott family called on local organizers to help launch a campaign against Slager’s release.

At the press conference, Rodney said, “This news is deeply disturbing to our family, considering the pain and senseless killing made to our brother.” He went on to say, “We are standing here at the Four Corners of Law [a Charleston landmark] today demanding that justice be served and upheld for my brother Walter Scott.”

LAC member Matt Colburn said, “This is clear evidence of a two-tier justice system. Trust and believe, if the roles had been reversed, Walter Scott wouldn’t be eligible for early release.”

LAC and NAARPR plan to launch a coordinated call-in to the Bureau of Prisons to demand the rescission of Slager’s early release. In the meantime, the Scott family is asking for the community to support their campaign by signing a petition and sending impact statements to the DOJ.

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