Kim Potter Conviction Not Enough to End Police Violence

Media Contact: Noble Frank, noble@mnfreedomfund.org, (952) 353-6930

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MINNEAPOLIS — In response to a jury finding former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter guilty of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter, the following is a statement from Mirella Ceja-Orozco and Elizer Darris, Co-Executive Directors of the Minnesota Freedom Fund:

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“Today’s verdict is an act of accountability for the actions of one police officer in a system that regularly brutalizes Black, Indigenous and People of Color.

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“At the same time, no amount of prison time, money, or other forms of retribution can bring Daunte Wright back to his family and loved ones. That’s why this jury’s verdict is above all about the horrific loss of Mr. Wright, a young black man living in Minnesota, to police violence. We want to remember his life and uplift his family during this trying time. We long for the day that shootings like this aren’t initially shrugged off as just another example of police violence towards Black and Brown people.

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“We also want everyone to remember Daunte Wright’s name and to remember the names of the many others who have died because of the ongoing racism that is embedded in our law enforcement and criminal justice systems. These tragedies happen far too often, and every one of them leaves behind parents, children, and loved ones to pick up the pieces. We must support those left behind and continue to work towards ending the racial justice many of us have experienced at the hands of law enforcement in Minnesota and the United States.   

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“The Minnesota Freedom Fund is working to dismantle racist and unjust systems, beginning with the cash bail and immigration bond systems that criminalize poverty and take a disproportionate toll on communities of color. All of these unjust systems are interlinked, and we hope that our work to break one chain link will lead to drastic and necessary changes in law enforcement operations across the country. We pray that the family and friends of Daunte Wright will find a measure of solace from today’s verdict, and that other families impacted by police violence will one day see justice for their loved ones.”

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