Attorneys Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci, Jeff Storms say no reasonable officer would have shot Daunte Wright

Attorneys Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci, Jeff Storms say no reasonable officer would have shot Daunte Wright (Minneapolis, MN) — Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorneys Ben Crump, co-counsel Antonio Romanucci and Jeff Storms along with the family of Daunte Wright attended the first day of the criminal trial for former Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, police officer Kim Potter. Potter is charged with 1st and 2nd degree manslaughter for the shooting death of Daunte Wright during a traffic stop on April 11, 2021.

The attorneys who represent the family in civil legal matters, said the young man’s death was senseless and preventable:

“This is yet another death of a young Black man by police that defies common sense. No reasonable officer would confuse a sidearm for a taser.  We must not be fooled by the Defense’s cries of an ‘innocent mistake.’ No reasonable officer can confuse their taser for a gun, particularly one who had drawn both of those weapons from her duty belt countless times,” said Attorney Ben Crump of Ben Crump Law. “Additionally, Kim Potter had situational awareness, held the gun in her hand for 3-4  seconds, called out taser, taser, taser, and had adequate time to realize what was happening before she fired her weapon. She must be held accountable for her actions.”

“This encounter was a pre-textual, unnecessary stop of a young Black man for nothing more than a minor traffic infraction. Daunte Wright should not have been stopped or shot. States and local governments across the country have acknowledged the need to stop this senseless overreach of police by proposing or putting into law that these low-level matters should not serve as the basis for a stop, arrest, or the engagement of an armed officer,” said Attorney Antonio Romanucci of Romanucci & Blandin.

“Kim Potter’s conduct was not a mere accident or a mistake but an unlawful and unconstitutional use of force under the 4th Amendment. It never should have happened. Daunte should be here among us, hugging his parents, siblings, and young son during this holiday season,” said Attorney Jeff Storms of Newmark Storms Dworak.

Rev. De-Ves Toon from the National Action Network also attended the trial with the family, stating, “Traffic stops are entirely different for white versus Black teenagers. Even if Black citizens do everything police say they are still terrified they will end up injured or dead. From the moment a police encounter begins it can create intense fight or flight responses. Black citizens have a historical basis for their fears. This is an unfortunate but very real part of life in Black America and it has to stop.”

Daunte Wright’s family shared the following statement: “Daunte’s parents, his siblings and all those who cared about him are eager for accountability and to have people understand how much we still grieve his loss. The fact that this trial is taking place during the holidays further emphasizes his absence in our world and we hope the jury holds Kim Potter accountable for her actions.”