CASE MICHAEL T. SLAGER (Former North Charleston, S.C. Police Offi.docx

CASE: MICHAEL T. SLAGER (Former North Charleston, S.C.
Police Officer)
Note: Please review this case before beginning Assignment 2:
Courts, Prosecution, and the Defense. This material is a
compilation and summary of articles from the New York Times,
CNN, and The Post and Courier in order to best present the
facts of this case from a wide lens. Links to all primary sources
are available within this case.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (NY Times)— More than two years after a
North Charleston, S.C., police officer fired eight rounds toward
the back of a fleeing and unarmed black motorist, the lawman
whose burst of gunfire was recorded on video stood in a federal
courtroom Tuesday to plead guilty to charges that he violated
the slain man’s civil rights.
The plea by the officer, Michael T. Slager, assured a rare
conviction of a law enforcement official for an on-duty killing,
and it left him facing the possibility of life in prison for the
April 2015 shooting of Walter L. Scott. Mr. Slager pleaded
guilty to a single charge of willfully using excessive force to
deprive Mr. Scott of his civil rights.
“We asked for justice,” Anthony Scott, one of Mr. Scott’s
brothers, said. “We received justice.”
Mr. Slager said little during a brief hearing in United States
District Court here, but he acknowledged the factual basis for
the plea agreement, which said he had “used deadly force even
though it was objectively unreasonable under the
circumstances.”
Minutes later, as Mr. Slager was led from the courtroom in
handcuffs, he passed crying members of Mr. Scott’s family.
Across the courtroom’s center aisle, members of Mr. Slager’s
family stood silently and tearfully.
The plea deal effectively resolves all of the pending charges
against Mr. Slager, 35, who had also been indicted on a charge
of murder in state court. While the arrangement offers certain

benefits to Mr. Slager, such as a possible reduction under
federal sentencing guidelines for acceptance of responsibility,
the agreement is mostly a victory for people who have spent
years raising alarms about police conduct in the nation.
Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will ask the court to
apply sentencing guidelines that in effect would be for a
second-degree murder charge. Notably, the deal expressly
allows prosecutors to urge Judge David C. Norton, who did not
immediately set a sentencing hearing, to order Mr. Slager to
spend the rest of his life in prison.
“The Department of Justice will hold accountable any law
enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of our citizens
by using excessive force,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said
in a statement. “Such failures of duty not only harm the
individual victims of these crimes; they harm our country, by
eroding trust in law enforcement and undermining the good
work of the vast majority of honorable and honest police
officers.”
The agreement was greeted here with measured surprise.
Although one of South Carolina’s top lawyers, Andrew J.
Savage III, was in charge of Mr. Slager’s defense, a jury
signaled in December that it nearly returned a conviction for
either murder or manslaughter during a state trial.
Those proceedings ended in a mistrial, but some people here
had wondered whether they would ultimately prod Mr. Slager
into an agreement with prosecutors.
It was not publicly clear until Tuesday morning that it would.
But Mr. Slager abruptly dropped the defense that he had offered
since Mr. Scott’s death in April 2015: that he had feared for his
life after a traffic stop that went awry and a struggle over a
Taser device.
The early moments of Mr. Slager’s fatal encounter with Mr.
Scott were not in dispute. Mr. Slager, a patrolman in North
Charleston, stopped Mr. Scott for a broken taillight. After a
brief, cordial interaction, Mr. Scott fled on foot. (His family has
suggested that Mr. Scott ran because he feared being jailed over

outstanding child support payments.)
Mr. Slager gave chase, and, he later testified struggled with Mr.
Scott in a vacant lot over his Taser. But Mr. Scott broke free
and continued to run. Mr. Slager then opened fire, striking Mr.
Scott in the back and sending him crumpling to the ground.
Part of the episode — some of the most controversial seconds
— unfolded as a local barber recorded it on his cellphone while
he walked to work. The stark images ricocheted around the
internet, made newspaper front pages and led television
broadcasts.
Mr. Slager was charged with murder and swiftly fired, and the
City of North Charleston reached a $6.5 million settlement with
Mr. Scott’s family. Meanwhile, Mr. Slager’s defense team
argued that he was a good officer swept up in an era of
discontent and protest over police tactics, especially in the wake
of a white officer’s killing of an unarmed black teenager in
Ferguson, Mo., in August 2014.
That defiance vanished on Tuesday.
“Our responsibility today is to be quiet,” Mr. Savage said after
Mr. Slager entered his plea. Earlier Tuesday, his office had
issued a statement that said, “We hope that Michael’s
acceptance of responsibility will help the Scott family as they
continue to grieve their loss.”
John O’Leary, a defense lawyer in Columbia, the South
Carolina capital, who is a former director of the state’s Criminal
Justice Academy, said it made sense that Mr. Slager would want
to avoid the troubled state prison system and bring the cases
that surrounded him to a conclusion.
“I think he’s lucky to get it,” Mr. O’Leary said of the deal.
Scarlett A. Wilson, the local prosecutor, suggested that her
decision to accept a plea arrangement was something of a
strategic choice. But she and Mr. Scott’s survivors emphasized
that they were in agreement about the outcome that many people
here said would not have been possible without the bystander’s
cellphone video, which showed Mr. Slager standing and firing.
“It’s not a joyous day,” Ms. Wilson said. “It’s sad to see such

an event like this happen, and to watch it before your very eyes
and to know how many good men and women in law
enforcement are also paying for what Michael Slager did. It’s
not fair.”
By late afternoon, Mr. Slager had been processed at the
Charleston County jail, where he will await sentencing and an
eventual transfer to a federal prison.
Standing outside the courthouse, Mr. Scott’s mother, Judy
Scott, said she forgave Mr. Slager, and although one of her sons
called for Mr. Slager to be sentenced to a life term, Ms. Scott
was less specific about what penalty she wanted her son’s killer
to face.
“Michael Slager admitted what he did,” Ms. Scott said. “That
was enough years for me because no matter how many years
Michael Slager gets, it would not bring back my son.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/02/us/michael-slager-walter-
scott-north-charleston-shooting.html?_r=0
(CNN) In a plea deal with prosecutors, former South Carolina
police officer Michael Slager admitted to using excessive force
in the 2015 shooting death of Walter Scott.
Slager shot Scott in the back as the unarmed man was running
away from Slager after a traffic stop. In a reversal from his
previous account, Slager admitted in court Tuesday that he did
not shoot Scott in self-defense and said that his use of force was
unreasonable.
Scott's death sparked renewed "Black Lives Matter" protests
after the 50-year-old became the latest in a series of unarmed
black men killed by police.
With his family and Scott's family present, Slager pleaded
guilty Tuesday in US District Court in Charleston to a federal
charge of deprivation of rights under the color of law. In
exchange for the plea, state murder charges, as well as two
other federal charges, will be dismissed.
The civil rights offense has a maximum penalty of life in

prison. The plea agreement states that the government will ask
the court to apply sentencing guidelines for second degree
murder, which carries up to 25 years in prison. He was taken
into custody after the hearing and will remain there until
sentencing later this year.
Scott's mother said the sentence mattered little to her now that
Slager had admitted responsibility.
"What made me feel good about it is that Michael Slager
admitted what he did. That was enough years for me," she said
in response to the question how much time she wanted Slager to
serve.
"No matter how many years Michael Slager gets, it would not
bring back my son," she said. "This is a victory for Walter. This
is justice for the family, but this is just the beginning."
The plea marks one of the first resolutions of a high-profile
police shooting under new Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He
has ordered a review of police reform activities of the previous
administration -- many of which were launched in response to
police-involved shootings.
"The Department of Justice will hold accountable any law
enforcement officer who violates the civil rights of our citizens
by using excessive force," Sessions said in a statement Tuesday.
"Such failures of duty not only harm the individual victims of
these crimes; they harm our country, by eroding trust in law
enforcement and undermining the good work of the vast
majority of honorable and honest police officers.
Slager was an officer for the North Charleston Police
Department when he pulled Scott over for a broken tail light. A
few moments later, Scott ran away.
A foot chase ensued, and a bystander's cell phone video
captured Slager firing eight times -- striking Scott five times in
the back.
Slager initially said he feared for his life because Scott had
grabbed his Taser -- but the plea agreement contains no such
claim.
Slager's first attempt to use his Taser did not stop Scott. The

second deployment dropped Scott to the ground but he got up
and took off running again. As he was fleeing, Slager shot him.
"We hope that Michael's acceptance of responsibility will help
the Scott family as they continue to grieve their loss," Slager's
attorney, Andy Savage, said.
Lawyers for Scott's relatives said they accepted the plea deal.
"What these government officials did is they told Walter Scott
and they told the Scott family, 'You matter.' And that is what we
need to see all across the country, not just when there is a
video," Justin Bamberg said.
Attorney Chris Stewart said the plea represented a rare show of
accountability compared to other police-involved deaths that did
not end in pleas or convictions.
"Today is rare. The Garners. The Blands. The Rice family. They
didn't get this type of justice that we got today," said Stewart,
who represents the family of Alton Sterling, who was shot by
police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"So it is a phenomenal day. And hopefully this will be the
blueprint of future success for civil rights because it's got to
change."
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/02/us/michael-slager-federal-plea/
(Post and Courier) Former North Charleston police officer
Michael Slager pleaded guilty Tuesday to violating Walter
Scott’s civil rights by shooting the fleeing black man five times
— a sudden shift after insisting for two years he had gunned
down Scott in self-defense.
Slager reached the agreement with prosecutors a week before a
jury was scheduled to be selected for his trial in federal court.
Under the "global" plea deal, state authorities promptly dropped
a separate state murder charge. Two other federal counts of
lying to investigators and using a firearm in a violent crime also
will be dismissed.
Though a sentence was not agreed upon, the plea eliminates the

unpredictability of a jury trial and will place key issues
affecting Slager’s punishment squarely in the hands of a judge
who'll decide in the coming weeks whether the officer
committed murder in shooting Scott.
The charge — deprivation of rights under the color of law,
carries as little as no prison time and as much as life behind
bars.
Scott's loved ones and their attorneys praised the occasion as a
rare felony conviction that never came in countless other police
shootings nationwide. They watched Slager stand in U.S.
District Court in Charleston and make a key admission, that he
had used excessive force against Scott and acted willfully with
an intent to break the law.
"Today, he told the truth," Scott's oldest brother, Anthony, said
after the hearing. "That is our victory."
Captured on video that spread worldwide, the April 2015
shooting following a traffic stop for a minor violation gave
credence to long-standing allegations of unfair policing in
North Charleston. The stark evidence brought intense scrutiny
to the city amid a broader inspection of police uses of force
against black people. Slager is white.
North Charleston ultimately paid $6.5 million to Scott's family.
"Justice doesn't look like a big settlement check; it looks like
today," Chris Stewart, a Scott family attorney, said. "Today is a
monumental day ... for civil rights."
Slager, 35, hugged his lead attorney after entering the plea.
From a front-row bench, his mother and wife watched as
authorities handcuffed Slager and led him from the packed
courtroom. He was later booked into the Charleston County jail
where he had spent about eight months after his arrest.
"We hope that Michael’s acceptance of responsibility will help
the Scott family as they continue to grieve their loss," his
attorney, Andy Savage, said in a statement.
The civil rights case, scheduled for May 15, would have been
the second trial Slager faced. The first, on the state murder
charge, ended last year in a hung jury.

Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, who prosecuted that
state case, said the federal conviction captures an element the
murder trial would not have: that a policeman had violated
Scott's rights. She hoped the resolution would make law
enforcement safer.
"We have to turn this around," she said. "My hope is that
accountability for Michael Slager means that fewer officers will
die, that fewer civilians will die."
Murder still a factor
The patrolman pulled over Scott’s car on April 4, 2015 because
of broken brake light. The motorist soon ran.
As the officer tried to subdue Scott with a Taser, they got into a
fight. Slager said Scott took the stun gun and that he fired out
of fear for his own life.
But bystander Feidin Santana stood behind a nearby fence
filming the action with a cellphone. The footage showed Scott
running as the Taser bounded along the ground. Slager started
shooting when Scott was more than 10 feet away.
Afterward, Slager picked up the Taser and dropped it near
Scott’s lifeless body, only to fetch it within seconds.
Slager wasn’t jailed until three days later, after the video
emerged publicly. By then, federal authorities alleged, Slager
had lied to state investigators by saying Scott was coming at
him when he fired, a contradiction to the video evidence.
U.S. District Judge David Norton can consider that alleged
deception in deciding a sentence.
Before the next hearing, federal probation agents will compile a
report portraying the various aggravating and mitigating factors
in the crime. But Norton will have other elements to consider.
The sentencing itself could amount to a days-long miniature
trial without the same rules of evidence.
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/ex-police-officer-michael-
slager-pleads-guilty-to-civil-rights/article_c6836d4c-2f2f-11e7-
a651-7f3c5a7bbf12.html

CAN USE OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS IMPROVE
THE QUALITY OF CARE FOR PATIENTS?
NURS 350
Dr. Jean Gordon
INTRODUCTION – clearly stated problem and purpose of the
study
Independent and dependent variables
Assumptions, hypothesis or questions (depending on research
type)
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK – description of the theoretical

framework to be utilized
Identification of the concepts to be explored
Rationale for choosing the framework
REVIEW OF LITERAture – AT LEAST FROM 4 SCHolarly
sources included
Review and proposal focus
METHODOLOGY – description of the study type (quantitative
or qualitative)
Description of the study design
Rationale for the use of the selected design
Inclusion of sample size, type, sampling method, data collection
Method of Protection of Human subjects ( consent)
Questionnaire consent forms must be included as appendices
DATA ANALYSIS - - data analysis method is appropriate for
study design
Method of data analysis is clearly stated
Medthod for displaying findings is stated
APPLICABILITY TO NURSING – Research focuses on a
problem significant to nursing
Research would contribute to nursing knowledge
Proposal is complete so that another researcher could replicate
the study
Statement about areas of nursing that would benefit this study
CASA
Court Appointed Special Advocates
Guardian Ad Litem Program

San Angelo, Texas (915) 653-4673
BACKGROUND
Use this section to explain the reason for the removal. Include
the date of the removal
and if it was an emergency removal. Include information about
whether the family was
involved in Family Based Safety Services. Also include all of
the child’s former
placements in this section. Add any other pertinent background
information.
CURRENT INFORMATION
Child’s name here Include the child’s age, level of care (if
established), and any
medications the child is prescribed. Include all relevant
information about the child,
including placement. If the child is school aged, include
grades, if known. Discuss the
child’s situation in the relative or foster placement and state
whether the child is placed
with siblings, whether the child has adjusted and bonded, if the
child is eating and
sleeping normally, etc. Include information about visitation
with parents and/or relatives.
You can include a separate paragraph for each child.
Mother’s name here State that she is the mother of the child.
Include information
about the mother’s participation in services such as counseling
and parenting and what
progress she has made. Include the following: any medications
prescribed; if she is/has
participated in rehab—where and when; any criminal history or
former CPS history;
whether she participated in a Family Group Conference and

when; any employment,
transportation or appropriate housing; her current visitation
with her child(ren); family
support; who she is living with; etc. Include information
regarding CASA’s contact with
the mother.
1
Report to District Court
Cause Title: Name of Case Cause No. C-00-0000-CPS
Court No.: 340th Judicial District Judge: Weatherby
Hearing Date: Month 0, 2011 Time: 00:00
A.M.
CASA/GAL: Volunteer’s Name CPS Caseworker:
Name
Case Mgr: Case Manager’s Name
Child(ren): Child’s Name DOB: 00/00/00 Gender:
M or F
Attorney Ad Litem: Name
Father’s name here State that he is the father of the child.
Include information about
the father’s participation in services such as counseling and
parenting and what
progress he has made. Include the following: any medications
prescribed; if he is/has
participated in rehab—where and when; any criminal history or

former CPS history;
whether he participated in a Family Group Conference and
when; any employment,
transportation or appropriate housing; his current visitation with
his child(ren); family
support; who he is living with; etc. Include information
regarding CASA’s contact with
the father.
Foster/Relative placement information here (if noteworthy)
State any additional
information regarding foster placement or relative placement
that has not been
previously addressed. As the case progresses, information may
include the
placement’s intentions regarding permanency for the child.
PERMANENCY PLAN
The information in this section should state the Department’s
position and whether
CASA is in agreement. Some examples might be:
EXAMPLE: The Department’s plan is Family Reunification.
CASA is in agreement with
the plan at this time.
EXAMPLE: The Department’s plan is Termination/Relative
Adoption. CASA is in
agreement with the plan.
EXAMPLE: The Department’s plan is Termination/Non
Relative Adoption. CASA is not
in agreement with the plan. An appropriate relative has been
identified.
AREAS OF STRENGTH
This section should be written in bullet form listing the
strengths of the case. Examples
are bulleted below:

• The parents love their children and visit them regularly
• The children are placed together in a relative placement
• The children have adjusted well in their foster placement
• The parents have appropriate housing and transportation
• The child is receiving physical therapy
• The child is seen by ECI weekly
• The mother is employed
• The father is participating in outpatient treatment
AREAS OF CONCERN
This section should be written in bullet form restating and
summarizing the MAIN
concerns of the case. These concerns should be discussed in the
body of the report.
Examples are bulleted below:
• The child is ten months old, cannot sit alone, but is not
receiving therapy
• The father is unemployed and has no permanent home
• The mother refuses to address her substance abuse issue
• The children are very bonded but not placed together in care
• The father is not motivated to change and blames others for
his current situation
2
• The father is currently incarcerated
• The mother abuses drugs and has an extensive criminal history
• The mother has five children who have different fathers
CASA COMMENTS
Use this section to summarize the case or add any comments

that you believe are very
important. This could include your observations about the
parent/child relationship
(negative or positive), concerns about a visitation issue or any
other comment about the
child, parent or placement. For example, “CASA has observed
that the children have a
very strong bond with their mother. The mother has had
excellent compliance with her
service plan. She has also shown progress in counseling and
realizes that a lifestyle
change is necessary for her to be protective of her children. If
the mother continues her
success, the Department and CASA plan to recommend a
monitored return by the next
hearing.”
RECOMMENDATIONS
This section should include recommendations by CASA.
Recommendations should be
stated in a numbered bullet format following the introductory
statement. Any
recommendations should be supported in the body of the report:
Based on the above summary and observations, CASA
respectfully recommends:
1. That the Department maintain Temporary Managing
Conservatorship of the child
(ren)
2. That the child(ren) remain in his/her current placement at this
time
Examples of other recommendations are:
1. That the Department be granted Permanent Managing
Conservatorship of the

child(ren)
2. That the Department conduct a home study for the maternal
grandmother
3. That the child receive physical therapy
4. That the parents pay child support
5. That parent/child visits be increased
6. That parent/child visits cease, by recommendation of the
child’s therapist
LIST OF CONTACTS MADE BY CASA
This section can be two columns and include the name and
relationship to the child
(ren). Include all contacts made, whether in person, by phone,
or by record (if
appropriate). Never state the foster parent’s actual name in a
CASA report.
Name of child, child CPS Case Worker
Name of mother, mother CPS Supervisor
Name of father, father CPS Investigator
Relative Staff at Rehabilitation Facility
School teacher TGC Judicial Records
Foster Parents Pediatrician
Friend of family
3
Respectfully submitted,
_________________________________________
__________________________
Your Name, CASA/GAL Date

_________________________________________
__________________________
Case Manager’s Name, CASA Case Manager Date
_________________________________________
__________________________
Shirley Davis, CASA Program Director Date
4

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