Trial Starts for Ex-Cop in Fatal Brooklyn Center Shooting of Daunte Wright
The trial of former Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter began its first full day Wednesday, Dec. 8, with opening statements given and two witnesses called by the prosecution.
Potter is facing first-degree and second-degree manslaughter charges after fatally shooting Daunte Wright on April 11, 2021. The former officer has stated she intended to draw her Taser but drew her firearm instead, firing one round into Wright as he attempted to flee.
Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Erin Eldridge gave opening remarks to the jury, telling them they can expect to hear about Potter’s history as an officer, including 26 years with the city. Eldridge argued to the jury that the training Potter had taken regarding her Taser should have made her aware that she was actually holding a gun.
Eldridge continued by talking about Wright, explaining that he was the first child his parents had and that he was a father himself. She said that on April 11, Wright was going to a car wash when he was stopped by Brooklyn Center officers.
Eldridge said officers stopped Wright after observing an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror. They later discovered that the vehicle registration tabs were expired and that he had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court on a gross misdemeanor weapons charge.
The state will also present autopsy photos and talk with the examiner that conducted the autopsy on Wright’s body.
Paul Engh, the defense attorney for Potter, also laid out what to expect from their side during the trial. He said the incident was a mistake. “This was an accident. She’s a human being but she had to do what she had to do to prevent a death to a fellow officer, too,” Engh said.
Engh placed some blame on Wright, stating that Potter made it clear that all he had to do was stop. He explained to jurors that Potter’s partner, Sgt. Michael Johnson was in the car attempting to get the keys out of the ignition and that if Wright drove away, Johnson would have been dangling from the vehicle and in danger. “So when she says, ‘Taser, Taser, Taser,’ and one last pause, the facts will show you Mr. Wright can stop, all he has to do is stop and he’d be with us, but he goes,” Engh stated.
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Former Brooklyn Center Police Chief Timothy Gannon will testify for the defense.
Gannon was with Potter later the night after the shooting. Also set to take the stand is an expert in psychology with expertise in traumatic events. During jury selection, Engh also hinted that Potter will testify in her own defense.
The first witness for the State was Katie Bryant, Wright’s mother. Eldridge asked Bryant about who Wright was as a person. Bryant told jurors that Wright enjoyed playing basketball on his high school team and that he had worked at Taco Bell and a Famous Footwear store.
Bryant stated that Wright had a child that was one year old at the time of the shooting.
Wright’s mother testified that on April 11, she was watching his son when he came over and asked for $50 to wash the car and fill it up with gas. The car was given to Wright about two weeks prior. Bryant stated they hadn’t updated the insurance or the registration to Wright’s name yet. After leaving with the vehicle, Wright called her and told her that he had gotten pulled over and she told him to take the air freshener down from the mirror and that she could explain the insurance information to the officer over the phone.
Bryant said that during the call, she heard the officer come to the vehicle and tell Wright to put the phone down. There was a commotion, then the call dropped shortly after. Bryant told jurors she tried to call back multiple times. Wright’s passenger finally answered a video call from Bryant who was screaming and said that Wright had been shot.
Daunte Wright in an undated photo shared on Facebook
Upon cross-investigation by defense attorney Earl Grey, Bryant admitted that the vehicle was uninsured, and that Wright didn’t have a drivers license. She was unaware that Wright had a warrant for his arrest, or that he used marijuana.
The second witness for the state was Brooklyn Center Police Officer Anthony Luckey. He was working with Potter on the day of the shooting. Potter was training Luckey, working as a field-training-officer. Luckey had just been hired by Brooklyn Center in February, but previously worked as an officer for around three years.
Luckey stated that Brooklyn Center had just transitioned from the Taser X26P model to the Taser 7 in March, about a month before the incident happened. He explained that it was policy for officers to carry a Taser on the opposite side from their firearms to prevent confusion. Luckey explained that he used to use a “cross-draw” with his Taser, or that he would grab his taser from his left side with his right hand. He then trained more and transitioned to a “straight-draw,” meaning he would use his left hand to draw his Taser from his left side.
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Luckey said he observed Wright’s vehicle turning left with the right blinker on, so he proceeded to follow the vehicle and ran the registration. After running the registration, they saw the tabs were expired. Luckey also saw the air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror and proceeded to make the traffic stop. After approaching the vehicle, Luckey stated he could see marijuana residue in the center console. Luckey asked for Wright’s license and proof of insurance.
Wright gave officers an expired insurance card with someone else’s name listed. Luckey instructed Wright to keep looking for a current insurance card while they ran information they had through the system. Luckey learned that Wright had a gross-misdemeanor warrant for a weapons charge and a protection order for a woman after running his information.
Officer Luckey re-approached the vehicle and asked Wright to exit the vehicle. He also instructed Wright to put the phone on the dashboard. After Wright exited the car, Luckey asked Wright to place his hands behind his back. Luckey said Wright did so after a little hesitation. Luckey said he heard the passenger tell wright to just do it. Luckey then informed Wright that he was being arrested on a warrant. A struggle with Wright ensued and he entered the car. Luckey said he heard Potter say, “I’m gonna tase you,” and then, “Taser, Taser, Taser,” before hearing a bang, which he knew to be a gunshot. Luckey then jumped back and saw Wright put the car in drive and take off.
The state attorney showed members of the jury dash camera and body camera video footage. In the footage, Potter can be heard saying, “I just shot him. I grabbed the wrong [expletive] gun.” A distraught Potter can be seen with Sgt. Johnson, telling her to sit and take a breath. Luckey said he notified other officers with his radio that shots were fired.
During cross-examination by defense attorney Engh, Luckey saud that the area of the traffic stop was known to be a high-crime area. He called for an officer to assist based on his gut feeling. Luckey stated that officers could probably find between two and five guns in traffic stops during a shift in Brooklyn Center. Luckey also stated that Wright never stopped resisting before the shooting. Luckey explained that he would have used his Taser based on Brooklyn Center Police policy. The policy states that it’s okay to use a Taser if the suspect is not in control of a vehicle.
The defense attorney rested just before 5:00 p.m. and the judge adjourned court until 9:00 a.m. Thursday.
