Despite the intensive publicity surrounding the shooting, Scarlett A. Wilson, the local prosecutor, said Monday that she believed a local jury could be impaneled and would be able to arrive at an unbiased verdict. A trial date has not been set.

Image Mr. Slager was indicted by a grand jury on a murder charge on Monday in connection with an April 4 shooting. Credit... Charleston County Detention Center

Under South Carolina law, there is only a single murder charge, which Ms. Wilson described as being an “unlawful killing with malice aforethought” — with the premeditation required to exist for only a few seconds before a killing in order to gain a conviction.

“As long as malice is proven in the heart and mind, the state has proven its case,” she said.

The case was presented to the grand jury on Monday morning, and the panel returned the indictment within a few hours.

“The prosecutors’ work has just begun,” she said.

Rodney Scott, a younger brother of Walter Scott, said the Scott family was satisfied with the indictment.

“We are happy and pleased about that right now,” Mr. Scott said.

Andrew J. Savage III, the lawyer representing Mr. Slager, said in a statement Monday that he had not yet received material related to the case from prosecutors.