A former Mississippi sheriff's deputy faces federal charges after being accused of planting a weapon near the body of a man he fatally shot while still on the job in 2013.
Walter Grant, 51, has since retired from his post with the Bolivar County Sheriff's Department but in 2013, he shot and killed 20-year-old Willie Bingham after a pursuit.
Grant shot Bingham in the back of the head, according to Jackson's Clarion-Ledger newspaper. Both men are black.
That shooting has come under heavy scrutiny after an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation found that Grant planted a baton near Bingham's body to justify his use of deadly force.
Grant has been tried twice on state manslaughter charges stemming from the shooting. Both were declared mistrials after juries couldn't reach a unanimous verdict.
The new federal charges, announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice, could lead to a prison sentence of up to 20 years if Grant is convicted.
Clint Davis is a reporter for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis. Keep up to date with the latest news by following @ScrippsNational on Twitter.
