With Potter in Court, Wright's Mother Considers Justice

Family's lawyer says seeing an officer charged is progress
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 15, 2021 5:40 PM CDT
With Potter in Court, Wright's Mother Considers Justice
Katie Wright, mother of Daunte Wright, speaks alongside her husband Aubrey, left and attorney Ben Crump, right, during a news conference Thursday in Minneapolis.   (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

The former Minnesota police officer charged in the shooting death of Daunte Wright made her first appearance in court Thursday. Kim Potter said little in the five-minute hearing, just an occasional "yes" in response to questions from the judge, KARE reports. She's charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Wright, 20, during a traffic stop Sunday afternoon. The Brooklyn Center police chief, who resigned Tuesday along with Potter, has said he believes she intended to use her Taser. Potter appeared on the Zoom screen only briefly. Her next court appearance is scheduled for May 17. At the same time, Wright's family held a press conference to discuss the case and their loss. Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for the family, said that unlike in past cases of Black men killed by police, an officer has been arrested and charged.

"So we are making progress," Crump said, "and I want to encourage those protesting—those young people, those activists—that you are making a difference." Wright's aunt, Naisha, questioned the police chief's explanation, holding up a picture of a Glock and a picture of a Taser, per CNN. "Y'all see the difference?" she asked. Crump said the Wright family wants "to get full accountability, to get equal justice." Wright's mother, Katie, questioned the concept, per NPR. "What is justice?" she said. "Do we get to see Daunte's smile? We don't get to see that." Even if Potter is held accountable, she said: "We're still never going to be able to see our baby boy that we're never going to have again. So when people say justice, I just shake my head." Crump said her son's funeral will be April 22. (More Kim Potter stories.)

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