Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended
3 years ago

Daunte Wright shooting: Kim Potter’s mugshot released as ex-police officer faces manslaughter charges

Louise Hall
Wednesday 14 April 2021 18:00 EDT
0Comments
Daunte Wright's mother honours son during protest over fatal shooting

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Kim Potter, the white police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop on Sunday has been charged with manslaughter.

A GoFundMe campaign for a memorial fund for Mr Wright has raised over half a million dollars towards covering funeral and providing support for his family.

Minneapolis faced its third night of civil unrest on Tuesday after the killing, which occurred in the suburb of Brooklyn Center. Tensions are already high amid the trial of Derek Chauvin, the white former Minneapolis police officer charged with murdering George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, last May.

Both Ms Potter and Brooklyn Center police chief Tim Gannon resigned on Tuesday. In body camera footage, Ms Potter appears to mistakenly withdraw her pistol when trying to pull out her Taser.

Mr Wright’s mother delivered a striking eulogy on Tuesday, praising him as both a father and a son, and saying she had no idea how she will manage without him.

“I just need everyone to know that he is much more than this. He had a smile that was angelic,” said Katie Wright, at a vigil attended by hundreds of people.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press

3 years ago

George Floyd's girlfriend once taught Daunte Wright

George Floyd’s girlfriend once taught Daunte Wright while he was in high school, the 20-year-old’s family and Mr Floyd’s partner have said.

CBS News reported that Mr Wright’s aunt, Naisha Wright, revealed the connection between the two families alongside their attorney, Ben Crump, on Tuesday.

Both Mr Floyd and Mr Wright died while in the custody of police in the Minneapolis area and ongoing tension in the city comes as the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the ex-officer charged with killing Mr Floyd, continues.

"The craziest thing is to find out today that my family has connections to this man, to this family,” Ms Wright said. “His girlfriend was a teacher for my nephew. My nephew was a lovable young man. His smile, oh lord, the most beautiful smile. Ya'll took that."

Courteney Ross, Mr Floyd’s girlfriend, said she knew Mr Wright, who was fatally shot by police on Sunday, The Washington Post confirmed.

Ms Ross is reported to have said Mr Wright was a student while she was a dean at Edison High School and was “a silly boy, as goofy as can be,” who required extra attention because he “needed a lot of love.”

Louise Hall14 April 2021 14:05
3 years ago

Three of fifteen officers who mistook guns for tasers convicted, report says

A review by The New York Times of 15 cases of “weapon confusion” over the past 20 years has shown that only three, including the only two cases in which people were killed, were eventually found guilty.

In 15 cases reviewed by The Times, two incidents in which people were killed resulted in manslaughter convictions by juries, the newspaper said. A third case in which someone was injured led to a third officer pleading guilty to a lesser charge.

“When you’re talking about cases where the excuse is it’s an accident, they’re just not easy to prove,” Geoffrey P Alpert, a criminologist at the University of South Carolina who studies the use of force, told the newspaper.

Two other cases are pending.

Louise Hall14 April 2021 14:17
3 years ago

‘An indefensible system’: AOC leads calls to abolish police after Daunte Wright killing

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has described the police killing of Daunte Wright as no “accident”, and once again led calls for the abolition of the police.

Gino Spocchia reports:

AOC leads calls to abolish the police after Daunte Wright killing

Democrat leads calls for reform of US policing as brands including Ben & Jerry’s issue demand for ‘a real system of public safety’
Louise Hall14 April 2021 14:49
3 years ago

GoFundMe raises half a million for Daunte Wright memorial fund

A GoFundMe campaign for a memorial fund for Daunte Wright has raised over half a million dollars towards covering funeral and burial expenses, mental health, and grief counseling, providing support for Mr Wright’s infant son.

The campaign, which was started two days ago, has already surpassed its $500,000 goal, having currently raised $572,778.

The GoFundMe page, which is being managed by Ben Crump Law reads: “Our family is distraught as we struggle to understand why our loved one was taken away from us in such a senseless manner.”

“The road to justice is very long, and the Wright family will not let what happened to Daunte be forgotten.”

Louise Hall14 April 2021 15:16
3 years ago

Forensic pathologist David Fowler takes the stand for defence

The first witness of the day is David Fowler, a forensic pathologist called by the defence.

Josh Marcus14 April 2021 15:35
3 years ago

George Floyd’s friend who was in the car during his arrest won’t be forced to testify in Chauvin trial

A friend who was in George Floyd’s car moments before he was arrested, and who allegedly sold Mr Floyd drugs in the past, will not be forced to testify in the Derek Chauvin trial. Judge Peter Cahill ruled on Wednesday that calling Morries Hall to testify, as the defence had demanded via a subpoena, would violate his 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination. “If he puts himself in that car, he exposes himself to possession charges,” Adrienne Cousins, Mr Hall’s lawyer, testified during a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday.

At the time of Mr Floyd’s fatal arrest, Mr Hall had outstanding warrants for arrest on felony firearms, assault, and drug possession charges, and reportedly gave a false name to police.

A police search later found drugs inside the car both men were sitting in prior to Mr Floyd’s arrest. I’ve got more details here.

Friend in car with George Floyd during arrest won’t be forced to testify

Morries Hall would have been the defence’s most important witness during the Derek Chauvin trial
Josh Marcus14 April 2021 15:57
3 years ago

Defence forensic witness is target of civil rights right suit in past

David Fowler, the forensic pathologist currently testifying for the defence, is also the target of a civil rights filed in December. It accuses him and others of having “covered up and obscured police responsibility” for the death of Anton Black, a 19-year-old who died as multiple officers were on top of him during a police restraint.

The Intercept has more background on that one.

Josh Marcus14 April 2021 16:02
3 years ago

Heart problems killed George Floyd, pathologist testifies at Derek Chauvin trial

George Floyd was primarily killed by heart problems, fentanyl in his system, police kneeling on top of him, inhaling car exhaust while he was on the ground, and a tumor in his hip, a forensic pathologist testified on Wednesday. “Ass of those combined to cause Mr Floyd’s death,” said Dr David Fowler, an expert witness for the defence.

Most medical experts in the trial so far have pinned the cause of death on police restraints to Mr Floyd, with other factors Mr Fowler mentioned playing a secondary role. I’ve got more details here.

Heart problems killed George Floyd, not police, pathologist testifies

Most medical experts who have testified so far blamed Mr Floyd’s death on police, not any underlying conditions
Josh Marcus14 April 2021 16:29
3 years ago

Here’s what other medical experts have said about George Floyd’s death

Police were not George Floyd’s primary cause of death, pathologist Dr David Fowler is not testifying.

Heart problems killed George Floyd, not police, pathologist testifies

Most medical experts who have testified so far blamed Mr Floyd’s death on police, not any underlying conditions

That goes against what many of the past medical experts have said in the trial so far. Here’s some of our coverage on this contentious issue in the Derek Chauvin trial.

Fentanyl didn’t slow George Floyd’s breathing, lung expert testifies

Defence argued drugs were what killed Mr Floyd, not police

George Floyd died from ‘no oxygen’ in body, second medical expert says

Mr Smock, a forensic medical specialist and police training doctor, is the second expert today to say Mr Floyd died because he couldn’t breathe
Josh Marcus14 April 2021 17:14
3 years ago

Kim Potter: Former police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright will face manslaughter charges

Kim Potter, the former Minnesota police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright, will face manslaughter charges, authorities say.

Graeme Massie is following that one. Read more here.

Police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright will face manslaughter charges

The former Minnesota police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright will face manslaughter charges, authorities say.
Josh Marcus14 April 2021 17:23

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

0Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in