Washington, May 3 (IANS): A US white former police officer has pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges for killing unarmed black motorist Walter Scott in April 2015 in South Carolina.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled, Xinhua news agency reported.

Michael Slager, 35, the former North Charleston policeman, was sacked after footage of the killing went viral. In the video viewed millions of times worldwide, he pulled over Scott due to a broken taillight.

Scott, 50, then ran from the traffic stop and was struck five shots by Slager in the back.

Slager's murder trial ended last December in a hung jury. The state of South Carolina, as part of the plea bargain, will drop the murder case and file no new charges against the plea.

"The defendant used deadly force even though it was objectively unreasonable under the circumstances," the plea agreement said.

Slager's federal trial was set to begin on May 15, and jury selection was slated to begin May 9, according to an NBC News report.

"We hope that Michael's acceptance of responsibility will help the Scott family as they continue to grieve their loss," Slager's lawyer Andrew Savage said in a statement on Tuesday.

Slager was also indicted last year on charges of using a firearm in committing a crime of violence and obstructing justice.

The shooting heightened tension between white police and black communities across the US over alleged excessive use of force by law enforcement and systemic racism in policing.