Saturday, October 15, 2016

Wife of Keith Scott Blames Racism for His Death
WCNC 11:30 AM. EDT
October 13, 2016

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Keith Lamont Scott's widow told CBS News' Gayle King that she blames race for the fatal police shooting of her husband.

Rakeyia Scott told King in the interview that race played a "100 percent" role in the death of her late African American husband.  "I have no doubt in my heart because at the end of the day my husband was not there to bother you, or anyone else," Rakeyia said.

She also said she doesn't believe police are telling the truth about the African American officer who shot her husband.

"Officer Vinson, I don't believe shot my husband," Rakeyia said. "Because of the positioning when the shooting actually occurred, I did see him, but he was at a distance, he's not a part of the interaction."

The fatal police shooting occurred when officers were searching for another man with a warrant and noticed Scott sitting in his car, waiting for his child. The incident sparked week-long protests and violent riots throughout Charlotte with protesters calling it the latest example of a fatal police shooting of an African American on a long list.

Uncertainty flared after both Rakeyia released her cell phone footage and police released their dash cam and body cam footage to the public. In her cell phone video, Rakeyia can be heard telling Keith 'don't do it.'

When asked why she shouted those words, Rakeyia told CBS, "I'm not talking to Keith. I'm calling Keith's name for him to hear me. I'm talking to the officers that I actually see changing their stands, their positions," she said. "It's going in slow motion, but I see everything at one time."

Rakeyia told King that her husband did not have a gun. "He had no gun. He was not a threat."

"I know that he didn't have it. I didn't see a gun. Where that gun came from, I do not know," Rakeyia said.

Scott had been previously injured in a motorcycle crash, leaving him with a traumatic brain injury. Rakeyia said this played also played a role in his death.

"He takes almost 11 different medications since his accident on November the 2nd of last year. You have to give it time to kick in. If not, he's not, if you start a conversation with him, he's not going to remember the conversation once the medicine has kicked in," Rakeyia said.

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