A former Minnesota police officer betrayed the “public faith and public trust” vested in her when she killed a 20-year-old motorist earlier this year, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
Assistant Attorney General Erin Eldridge raised her right arm and recited the oath taken by Brooklyn Center police officers, and then accused defendant Kim Potter of violating that vow on April 11 when she came upon motorist Daunte Wright.
“This is the oath of a Brooklyn Center police officer,” Eldridge told a Minneapolis jury. “This is the standard they hold themselves to and they take an oath to so. Their duty to their badge and to the community is to protect life, not to take life.”
The prosecutor added: “The badge is a symbol of public faith and public trust and the officers are each responsible for their own professional performance.”
Potter has pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree manslaughter charges in the death of Wright, a Black man she fatally shot during a traffic stop in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center on April 11.
The killing of Wright by Potter, who is white, happened about 10 miles away from the courthouse where former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was on trial for the slaying of George Floyd.
Days later, Chauvin, who is white, was convicted of second- and third-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter, in the May 25, 2020, killing of Floyd, a Black man, whose death touched off a summer of national protests calling for an end to institutional racism.
Wright was pulled over in Brooklyn Center due to an air freshener dangling from the rear-view mirror, prosecutors said.
When officers tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant, a struggle ensued and body camera footage appeared to record Potter repeatedly yelling “Taser!”
But a single gunshot was fired and she could be heard saying, “Holy s—, I just shot him,” as the car pulled away, according to footage.
The indictment quoted her as saying she grabbed the wrong gun.
Potter’s trial is being held in the same 18th floor courtroom where Chauvin was tried and convicted.
“We trust them (police officers) to know wrong from right and left from right,” Eldridge said. “This case is about an officer who knew not to get it dead wrong, that she failed to get it right.”
She added: “This case is about defendant Kimberly Potter betraying her badge and betraying her oath and betraying her position of public trust on April 11 this year. She betrayed a 20-year-old kid.”
There’s no reasonable explanation for Potter to have mistakenly grabbed her Taser, which she got by reaching across her body to take it from a holster on her left — her non-dominant side — the prosecutor said.
The Glock used to kill Wright weighed 2.11 pounds, compared to the .94-pound Taser which emanates lights and needed a safety switch to be pulled before use, according to Eldridge.
“There’s no do over when you take a young man’s life,” the prosecutor said. “On April 11, she betrayed her badge and she failed Daunte Wright.”
Defense lawyers are expected to argue that Potter needed to use force against Wright, who they say was resisting, and that she was not consciously aware that she was holding a gun, and not a Taser, when she pulled the trigger.
A police officer accidentally using his or her Taser instead of a gun is a rare but not completely unheard of event. Wright’s slaying brought immediate comparison to Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old Black man killed Jan. 1, 2009, on a commuter train platform in Oakland, California.
Bay Area Rapid Transit Officer Johannes Mehserle shot Grant in the back as another officer pinned his knee on Grant’s head. Mehserle, who said he believed he was reaching for his Taser, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served 11 months behind bars.
The story was adapted into the 2014 film “Fruitvale Station,” directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan.
This is a developing story, please check back here for updates.
A former Minnesota police officer betrayed the “public faith and public trust” vested in her when she killed a 20-year-old motorist earlier this year, a prosecutor said Wednesday.Assistant Attorney General Erin Eldridge raised her right arm and recited the oath taken by Brooklyn Center police officers, and then accused defendant Kim Potter of violating that vow on April 11 when she came upon motorist Daunte Wright.”This is the oath of a Brooklyn Center police officer,” Eldridge told a Minneapolis jury. “This is the standard they hold themselves to and they take an oath to so. Their duty to their badge and to the community is to protect life, not to take life.” The prosecutor added: “The badge is a symbol of public faith and public trust and the officers are each responsible for their own professional performance.” Daunte Wright, who was shot and killed by Brooklyn Center police during a traffic stop on SundayCourtesy Wright FamilyPotter has pleaded not guilty to first- and second-degree manslaughter charges in the death of Wright, a Black man she fatally shot during a traffic stop in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center on April 11.The killing of Wright by Potter, who is white, happened about 10 miles away from the courthouse where former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was on trial for the slaying of George Floyd.Days later, Chauvin, who is white, was convicted of second- and third-degree murder, as well as second-degree manslaughter, in the May 25, 2020, killing of Floyd, a Black man, whose death touched off a summer of national protests calling for an end to institutional racism.Wright was pulled over in Brooklyn Center due to an air freshener dangling from the rear-view mirror, prosecutors said.When officers tried to arrest him on an outstanding warrant, a struggle ensued and body camera footage appeared to record Potter repeatedly yelling “Taser!” But a single gunshot was fired and she could be heard saying, “Holy s—, I just shot him,” as the car pulled away, according to footage.The indictment quoted her as saying she grabbed the wrong gun.Potter’s trial is being held in the same 18th floor courtroom where Chauvin was tried and convicted.”We trust them (police officers) to know wrong from right and left from right,” Eldridge said. “This case is about an officer who knew not to get it dead wrong, that she failed to get it right.”She added: “This case is about defendant Kimberly Potter betraying her badge and betraying her oath and betraying her position of public trust on April 11 this year. She betrayed a 20-year-old kid.”There’s no reasonable explanation for Potter to have mistakenly grabbed her Taser, which she got by reaching across her body to take it from a holster on her left — her non-dominant side — the prosecutor said. The Glock used to kill Wright weighed 2.11 pounds, compared to the .94-pound Taser which emanates lights and needed a safety switch to be pulled before use, according to Eldridge.”There’s no do over when you take a young man’s life,” the prosecutor said. “On April 11, she betrayed her badge and she failed Daunte Wright.”Defense lawyers are expected to argue that Potter needed to use force against Wright, who they say was resisting, and that she was not consciously aware that she was holding a gun, and not a Taser, when she pulled the trigger.A police officer accidentally using his or her Taser instead of a gun is a rare but not completely unheard of event. Wright’s slaying brought immediate comparison to Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old Black man killed Jan. 1, 2009, on a commuter train platform in Oakland, California.Bay Area Rapid Transit Officer Johannes Mehserle shot Grant in the back as another officer pinned his knee on Grant’s head. Mehserle, who said he believed he was reaching for his Taser, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and served 11 months behind bars. The story was adapted into the 2014 film “Fruitvale Station,” directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan.This is a developing story, please check back here for updates.