The South Carolina shooting: Taillight execution

Gut-wrenching.

That's the only way to describe the cellphone video taken of a white North Charleston, S.C., police officer fatally shooting Walter L. Scott, 50, an apparently unarmed black motorist who attempted to flee after having been pulled over, supposedly for having a broken taillight.

That officer, Michael T. Slager, 33, has been charged with murder in the Saturday incident. That, only after the video appeared to directly contradict his statements and the police report. Among the discrepancies:

• Officer Slager, who said he fired in self-defense, alleged Mr. Scott had taken his Taser after being tased. But the video shows the officer walking back to the spot of the first encounter, picking something up and returning to drop it by Scott's body. It could be that Taser.

• Police suggested CPR was administered to Scott. The video shows no such effort. In fact, the video shows Slager placing handcuffs on Scott, lying face down.

Yes, Scott had a long arrest record, primarily for not paying child support; his father theorized he fled because he did not want to be jailed. Nearly 30 years ago Scott was charged with assault and battery; four years later, he was convicted for possession of a bludgeon.

But Scott does not appear to threaten the officer in the video. He was shot five times — three times in the back — running away from Slager.

Indeed, Walter Scott should not have fled. But neither should he have been executed for doing so, nor for owing child support, nor for having a broken taillight.