Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Police Weapon Use Under Fire, As More Videos Emerge

A video released by police shows North Charleston officer Michael Slager using a taser on the motorist after he had been pinned to the ground. (Screenshot)
A video released by police shows North Charleston officer Michael Slager using a taser on the motorist after he had been pinned to the ground. (Screenshot)

Bob Bates, the 73-year-old reserve police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who fatally shot a man after police say he confused his gun for his taser, now faces a second-degree manslaughter charge.

Meanwhile, in North Charleston, South Carolina, more video has surfaced showing another violent arrest by officer Michael Slager. Slager is being charged with murder after fatally shooting an unarmed motorist who tried to flee a traffic stop.

The latest video shows Slager tasering a man who had been resisting arrest, after other officers had pinned him to the ground. The man has now filed a lawsuit against police.

Wesley Lowery, who covers race and law enforcement for The Washington Post, joins Here & Now’s Robin Young to discuss what he’s hearing from police and law experts.

Guest

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.