Walter Scott shooting: Witness Feidin Santana to charge $10,000 fee to media for video use

News organisations that want to run the video of the South Carolina police officer shooting an unarmed man will have to pay $10,000 (£6,697.83), the publicist of the man who shot it has announced.

According to the New York Times, Sydney-based publicity and celebrity management company Markson Sparks has sent cease-and-desist letters to news outlets worldwide. Chief executive Max Markson, told the Times, "I think that the people who might be put off by this are the media outlets that had it for free. Now they will have to pay."

The 4 April video shows North Charleston police officer Michael Slager shooting Walter Scott in the back eight times as he fled during a traffic stop. Feidin Santana, who witnessed the shooting, took the video and later gave it to Scott's family, the Times reported.

Slager was charged with murder and remains in jail. He was fired from the North Charleston Police Department after his arrest.

Although Santana initially appeared surprised that media outlets would be charged for his video, he later told the Times the decision had been mentioned by his lawyer,Todd Rutherford. "The search for justice is served by turning the video over to law enforcement," Rutherford said. He added that news organisations seemed to be in "search for revenue".

The Times reported that Scott's family was aware Santana was charging for the video and did not have a problem with it. Justin Bamberg, one of the family's lawyers, said, "Without the video, we would not be where we are right now".