Low Bids: Land auction caused by police shooting falls short of expectations

An auction of land to help offset the cost of a $6.5 million legal settlement with the family of an unarmed black man killed by a white North Charleston city police officer has fallen short of expectations.

The city spent $5 million to help pay for the settlement with the family of 50-year-old Walter Scott, who was shot April 4, 2015, as he ran from then officer Michael Slager, according to images from a passerby’s mobile phone.

To offset the cost, 28 acres of city-owned land were auctioned, but bids on Thursday reached the appraised value of one of the four tracts, The Post and Courier of Charleston reports.

The city reserved the right to refuse any bids below appraisal and city council will review the bids next week.

Former officer Michael Slager, 35, goes on trial for murder in October.

Scott’s shooting helped spark a national conversation on excessive police force, especially in cases involving white officers shooting black people.

The shooting in a vacant lot captured on cell phone video was taken by many as evidence that Scott’s death was akin to an execution rather than a legitimate use of force by a law officer.

But Slager’s lawyer has said there was a fight between the two men that was not captured on video and that Slager fired while in fear for his life.