U.S. white ex-officer pleads guilty for killing of black motorist

A U.S. white former police officer on Tuesday pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges by shooting dead unarmed black motorist Walter Scott in April 2015 in North Charleston, the state of South Carolina.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a 250,000-dollar fine at sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled, local media reported.

Michael Slager, 35, the former North Charleston police department patrolman, was fired after cellphone footage of the killing went viral. In the footage which has been viewed millions of times worldwide, he pulled over Scott due to a broken taillight.

Scott, 50, then ran from the traffic stop and was struck five shots by Slager in the back.

Slager's murder trial ended last December in a hung jury. The state of South Carolina, as part of the plea bargain, will drop the murder case and file no new charges against the plea.

"The defendant used deadly force even though it was objectively unreasonable under the circumstances," the plea agreement says.

Slager's federal trial was set to begin on May 15, and jury selection was slated to begin May 9, according to a NBC News report.

"We hope that Michael's acceptance of responsibility will help the Scott family as they continue to grieve their loss," Slager's lawyer, Andrew Savage, said in a statement Tuesday.

Slager was also indicted last year on charges of using a firearm in committing a crime of violence and obstructing justice.

The shooting heightened tension between white police and black communities across the United States over alleged excessive use of force by law enforcement and systemic racism in policing. Endit