Solicitor asking to reschedule Michael Slager’s murder trial

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson is asking a judge to reschedule the trial of former North Charleston police officer Michael Slager.

Slager’s trial is currently scheduled to begin on October 31. Wilson said she is asking it to be pushed up to August of this year or May of 2017.

Slager charged with murder in the death of Walter Scott, who was shot in the back after he ran from Slager during a traffic stop last year.

Moving the trial to August would mean it would precede the trial of Dylann Roof, who is accused of killing nine people during a Bible study at Emanuel AME last year.

Roof’s trial was supposed to start this July but has been moved to January, with jury duty scheduled to start in December.

Moving Slager’s trial to May of 2017 would give prosecutors time to try him after Roof.