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Christopher Mullins
Mr. Foster
Business Legal Environment
October 6, 2016
Subject: The case on the shooting of Charlotte citizen Keith Scott.
The last few weeks in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, have been some of the
darkest times in the history of the proud city. What with the riots and pro “black lives matter”
protests, the civilians of Charlotte are on edge. Many of these residents are experiencing
conflicted feelings towards the death of a man named Keith Scott. Since this is an ongoing
investigation, the public is only being provided with limited evidence. The evidence provided by
the police is somewhat unclear and has prompted more questions rather than answers. In order to
access this case, with the limited factual information, you need to analyze all aspects of the case.
41 shots, Lena gets her son ready for school She says, “On these streets, Charles You’ve
got to understand the rules If an officer stops you, promise me you’ll always be polite and
that you’ll never ever run away Promise Mama you’ll keep your hands in sight”, (Bruce
Springsteen “41 Shots”). Also, in an article titled Clock vs. cop. Half a second. According
to experts, that’s how much time an officer has to pull a weapon when confronted with
someone perceived as dangerous and about to inflict harm (San Diego Union Tribune
Oct. 4, 2016).
On September 20, 2016, just before 4 p.m. the lives of many Charlotte citizens would be changed
forever. For Keith Lamont Scott his life would be ended with the shooting by a Charlotte police
officer. For Brentley Vinson, the police officer who shot Scott, his life would be changed not
only by the trauma of taking a life, but also from the questioning by the community, especially
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the African American community, over the circumstances surrounding the shooting. For the
African American community, who see Scott’s shooting as another example of the nationwide
epidemic of police shooting black men, both armed and unarmed. There are many questions that
have arisen from this shooting. Some of the questions are directly related to the events specific
to the Scott shooting. Why did the police confront Mr. Scott? Did the police use proper
techniques in confronting a subject? Did the subject have a gun? While other questions speak to
a much broader set of problems. Do police officers have an implicit bias against black males?
Do current policing techniques lend themselves to more deadly confrontations? And finally do
African Americans, especially males, distrust the police department so much that it effects their
behavior when approached? The answers to these questions will help explain the specific
confrontation between Mr. Scot and Officer Vinson, but also will give a broader context to the
