Trial date for Kim Potter set for December 6 News
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Trial date for Kim Potter set for December 6

A Minnesota judge has set the tentative trial date for former police officer Kim Potter for December 6, pending any scheduling conflicts. Kim Potter, a 26-year-old police veteran in the state, was arrested in April following the killing of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old black man.

On April 11, 2021, Daunte Wright was pulled over by Brooklyn Center Police Officer Anthony Luckey and his Field Training Officer, Kimberly Ann Potter, for having expired tags on his vehicle. The officers found there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest for a gross misdemeanor weapons charge. The incident began to escalate, and Duante Wright reentered his vehicle. At this time, Officer Kim Potter “verbalized she would tase the victim.”

The Statement of Probable Cause submitted by Plaintiff, the State of Minnesota, details what happened after Officer Potter verbalized her intention to tase the victim:

“The defendant presented her department-issued Glock 9mm handgun in her right hand and pointed it at the victim, verbalizing again that she would tase him at 2:01:58. At 2:02:00, the defendant again verbalized “Taser, Taser, Taser” and then pulled the trigger on her handgun at 02:02:01, firing one round into the left side of the victim. The victim then stated, “ah he shot me,” and the vehicle sped away for a short distance before crashing into another vehicle and coming to a stop. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene after medical intervention was unsuccessful.”

A judge in Hennepin County also found Monday that “probable cause exists to support the charge of second-degree manslaughter against former Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter in the killing of Daunte Wright,” finding the Statement of Probable Cause submitted by the Plaintiffs persuasive.

The State’s prosecutor, Imran Ali, filed a motion to the Court to allow audio and visual coverage during the trial. The defense is expected to combat this motion. The trial is set to begin on December 6.