MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A former Minnesota police officer convicted of killing a black motorist when she used her gun instead of her Taser during a traffic stop is out of prison and giving presentations at law enforcement conferences, sparking a heated debate about how Officers punished for misconduct must pay for their misdeeds.
After Kim Potter served her sentence for the murder of Daunte Wright, she met with the prosecutor who charged her case. That former prosecutor, Imran Ali, said Potter wanted to do something to help other officers avoid taking someone's life. Ali saw the presentation as a path to redemption for police officers who have made mistakes and as an opportunity to promote healing in communities already shaken by police misconduct.
But Katie Wright, Daunte's mother, said the plan amounts to an angry scheme in which her son's killer would profit from his death and bring back painful memories in the process.
“I think Kim Potter has had her second chance. She was allowed to go home with her children. That was her second chance,” Wright said. “I think when we look at police officers, if they make citation mistakes, they can still live in our community. They are still allowed to continue their lives. That's their second chance. We don't have a second chance to bring back our loved ones.”
Potter, who did not respond to phone and email messages, was scheduled to give her presentation to a law enforcement agency in Washington state when it was abruptly canceled in September after news reports drew criticism. But other law enforcement groups, including one of the largest in Minnesota, organized the presentation and continue to invite Potter to speak.
Some see the cancellation of her presentation as shortsighted and say she could share a cautionary tale for others making life-or-death decisions in the field.
“This is the definition of why I decided to run away. You have someone who recognizes the need for reform, recognizes the need for redemption, recognizes the need to commit. And yet,” Ali said. “If you are in law enforcement in this country, there is no redemption.”
Ali initially served as co-counsel in the case against Potter. But he resigned, saying “vitriol” and “party politics” made it difficult to pursue justice. Ali is now a law enforcement consultant and said he is working to help departments make changes that could prevent more officers from making Potter's mistake.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office took over Potter's prosecution after Ali resigned, has said the former officer's public expression of remorse could help the community heal.
Wright was killed on April 11, 2021, in Brooklyn Center, about 10 miles from where the officer who killed George Floyd stood trial. Wright's killing sparked protests as communities in Minneapolis and beyond were still reeling from Floyd's killing. A jury later found Potter guilty of manslaughter. A judge said Potter never intended to hurt Wright and sentenced her to two years in prison. She was released after 16 months and later contacted Ali.
“I thought: wow. Even after being convicted, even after being driven from your home, even after receiving so many death threats against you and being in jail, you just don't want to leave,” Ali said.
The couple has become a fixture at Minnesota Sheriff's Association events. They conducted training at conferences in June and September, with a future training planned for October. They also took their presentation out of state in May when Potter presented at a law enforcement conference in Indiana, the event calendar shows.
Jeff Storms, Wright's attorney, said the description of the Washington training session in the contract drafted by Ali's law firm reads more like an ad tailor-made for police officers who feel embattled than a heartfelt story of Potter's regret.
“The officer and prosecutor who resigned in protest will give a dynamic presentation on the truth of what happened, the increased violence and non-compliance directed against law enforcement, the importance of training and the steps we take in the future can take. is stated in the contract for the training, which was obtained by The Associated Press.
That passage suggests Ali supports Potter and his law firm, Storms said.
“They benefit from the law enforcement training. And to say that this is simply some kind of redemption arc for Ms. Potter in going through this training, it sounds very hard to believe that that is the case,” Storms said.
Ali's firm proposed a fee of $8,000 for the training session, including speaking fees and travel expenses, the contract said.
“It's ridiculous to say my company is trying to profit from an $8,000 contract,” Ali said.
He did not say how much money Potter would make, but said the amount was far less than what she could make by telling her story through a book deal or other project. Ali declined to show the AP the full presentation he and Potter were scheduled to give in Washington. But he described Potter's opening line, which is said to have read: “I killed Daunte Wright.” I'm not proud of it. And neither should you.”
Ali said he is committed to helping law enforcement agencies make changes that would prevent more officers from making Potter's mistake. The reaction to Potter telling her story during the training session speaks to the view among some that redemption for those convicted of crimes does not extend to police officers, Ali said.
“We can give the benefit of the doubt to people who are former members of the Ku Klux Klan or former skinheads who come in and educate, sometimes even our youth,” Ali said. “But we can't give law enforcement that opportunity.”
Rachel Moran, a professor specializing in police accountability at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, said the perspectives of victims and their families should be considered by law enforcement agencies when deciding who to include in training sessions. But Potter's voice could penetrate a law enforcement culture that is skeptical of outside criticism, she said
“Police officers culturally have a pattern of not wanting to hear outside perspectives and not believing that other people can understand the situation,” she added. “So to hear from someone who is very much in their shoes, who is actually willing to admit a mistake I think this has the potential to be heard more by officers than by an outsider.”
In an interview, James Stuart, executive director of the Minnesota Sheriff's Association, said Potter's upcoming presentation would go ahead despite the backlash. His organization has a responsibility to learn from the “national moment of unrest” sparked by Potter's murder of Wright.
“She'll be the first to say she's not a hero and that it was a horrific tragic accident,” Stuart said. “I understand the concerns and the criticism, but I also hope they understand the value of learning from mistakes and ensuring that no other families find themselves in the same situation.”
