Read a PDF of our statement here.

Today, former police officer Kimberly Potter was found guilty on charges of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 2021 fatal shooting of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

In response, Puneet Cheema, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) Manager of the Justice and Public Safety Project, issued the following statement:

“Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Daunte Wright for their loss and for having to relive the traumatic events of his shooting during the trial. The conviction of Kimberly Potter presents only a measure of justice that can never fully erase the harm caused by her actions.

“Officers wield enormous power and they must be held accountable for their actions and the consequences of those actions. As a police officer, Potter’s tenure, extensive training, and oath to safeguard life cannot be forgotten. Potter failed her oath, she failed Daunte Wright, his family, loved ones, and the residents she pledged to protect. The shooting of Mr. Wright further highlights the larger need to reimagine public safety and reduce the scope of policing, particularly as it relates to law enforcement engaging in traffic stops for minor offenses.”

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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.

 

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