A South Carolina judge has ruled against defense attorneys in the case of a white police officer charged with murder in the killing a black man who was running away from a traffic stop.
Attorneys for Michael Slager argued Friday that his statement to state agents after he shot Walter Scott in April 2015 should be thrown out because the agents told Slager's original attorney that they had not seen video of the shooting.
Circuit Judge Clifton Newman ruled that police are allowed to be deceptive with suspects and attorneys when they question them as long as they inform them of their rights.
Prosecutors say Slager's version of events don't match up with a bystander's video.
Slager's trial is set to begin Oct. 31. A motion to move the trial from Charleston will be taken up later.
Attorneys for Slager say the ex-North Charleston officer was left alone to patrol a high-crime area when he stopped Scott for a broken brake light in April 2015.
Related: Cop Who Killed Walter Scott Says He Felt Threatened
Defense attorney Andy Savage also said at a pretrial hearing Friday that physical evidence wasn't tested properly. He said there are indications that Slager was shot with his own Taser during a fight with Scott. Savage also called several of Slager's supervisors to testify. They said he was a good officer.
