For Immediate Release
December 23, 2021
Contact:
COLOR OF CHANGE: KIMBERLY POTTER’S CONVICTION IS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP TOWARD ACCOUNTABILITY, STILL FALLS SHORT OF JUSTICE
Scott Roberts, Senior Director of Criminal Justice and Democracy Campaigns at Color Of Change, issued this statement after a Hennepin County jury convicted former police officer Kimberly Potter for killing Daunte Wright:
“Today’s jury verdict marks the first step toward accountability for the killing of Daunte Wright. When former officer Kimberly Potter opened fire on Daunte and murdered him in cold blood, she tore his family apart, and upended the entire Brooklyn Center community. And while this verdict can’t undo the injustice of Daunte’s death or the trauma on this community, we hope that it provides a measure of comfort to his loved ones.
“Kimberly Potter’s actions were not accidental and it certainly was not an anomaly. The murder of Daunte Wright, as well as the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, and countless other Black people at the hands of police, is indicative of an entire policing system predicated on anti-Black violence. It’s a system propped up not only by local police departments, but also by dangerous police unions – like the Brooklyn Center police union, of which Potter was president – and police foundations that perpetuate this culture of violence. Aggressive, heavy-handed policing only makes our communities less safe. And while cases like this help to hold individual officers responsible for unconscionable crimes, they’re far from the systemic solutions we ultimately need in order to deliver justice.
“This verdict can’t bring Daunte back, but it creates a path toward accountability and an opportunity to prevent further tragedies. Brooklyn Center is already making progress with a $1.3 million plan to invest in public safety alternatives that don’t rely on police intervention. Regardless of trial outcomes, these are the decisions we need to protect Black communities.”
###
Color Of Change is the nation’s largest online racial justice organization. We help people respond effectively to injustice in the world around us. As a national online force driven by over 7 million members, we move decision-makers in corporations and governments to create a more human and less hostile world for Black people in America. Visit www.colorofchange.org