MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A former Minnesota police officer convicted of killing a black motorcyclist when he used a handgun instead of a taser during a traffic stop has stayed out of prison and delivered a presentation at a law enforcement conference, sparking a heated debate about how officers convicted of bad behavior should atone for their mistakes. .
After Kim Potter serves her sentence for the murder of Daunte Wright, she meets with the prosecutor who is prosecuting the case. The former prosecutor, Imran Ali, said Potter wanted to do whatever he could to help other officers avoid killing. Ali sees the presentation as a path to redemption for errant police officers and an opportunity to promote healing in communities that have been shaken by errant police.
But Katie Wright, Daunte’s mother, said the plan was a horrific one in which her son’s killer would profit from his death and relive painful memories in the process.
“I think that Kim Potter has a second chance. She needs to go home with her kids. It’s her second chance,” Wright said. “I think when we look at police officers, when they make a quote mistake, they can still live in our community. They can still move on with their lives. It’s a second chance. We don’t have a second chance to bring our loved ones back.
Potter, who did not respond to phone and email messages, had been set to deliver a 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 Minnesota’s largest, have hosted presentations and continue to invite Potter to speak.
Some saw his presentation as short shrift, saying he could have shared his cautionary tale with others who must make life-or-death decisions in the field.
“This is the definition of why I decided to leave. You have someone who recognizes the need for reform, recognizes the need for redemption, recognizes the need to participate. And still,” said Ali. “When you’re in law enforcement in this country, there’s no redemption.”
Ali was initially the lawyer in the case against Potter. But he pushed back, saying “vitriol” and “partisan politics” made it difficult to pursue justice. Ali is now a law enforcement consultant and said he is working to help the department make changes that could prevent more officers from making Potter’s mistakes.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office took over Potter’s prosecution after Ali resigned, said the former officer’s public expression of remorse could help the public heal.
Wright died on April 11, 2021, in Brooklyn Center, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) from where the officer who killed George Floyd was tried. Wright’s killing sparked protests as communities in Minneapolis and beyond are still reeling from Floyd’s murder. A jury later found Potter guilty of murder. A judge said Potter never intended to hurt Wright and sentenced her to two years in prison. He was released after 16 months and then linked up with Ali.
“I was like, wow. Even after being convicted, even after being kicked out of your house, even after getting so many death threats against you and being in jail, you just don’t want to leave,” Ali said.
The pair have been a fixture at Minnesota Sheriffs Association events. They deliver training at conferences in June and September, with training to be held in October. They also took a presentation out of state in May when Potter presented at a law enforcement conference in Indiana, the event agenda shows.
Jeff Storms, Wright’s lawyer, said the description of the Washington training session in the contract prepared by Ali’s law firm reads more like an advertisement composed for police officers who feel embattled, rather than the heartfelt story of Regret Potter.
“The officers, and the prosecutor who resigned in protest, will give a dynamic presentation about the truth of what happened, the increase in violence and disobedience to law enforcement, the importance of training, and the steps that can be taken in the future,” said the contract for the training session. , obtained by The Associated Press.
The passage indicated Ali was in engineering support for Potter and the law firm, Storms said.
“She’s profiting from law enforcement training. So to say that this is just about a redemptive arc for Ms. Potter when she’s doing this training, it’s hard to believe that’s the case,” Storms said.
Ali’s company proposed a fee of $8,000 for the training sessions, which included speaking fees and travel expenses, the contract said.
“To say that my company is trying to benefit from an $8,000 contract is absurd,” Ali said.
He did not say how much money Potter will earn, but said the amount is far less than what he could earn for the story through a book deal or other project. Ali declined to share with the AP the full presentation he and Potter were set to deliver in Washington. But he explained Potter’s opening line, which read: “I killed Daunte Wright. I’m not proud. And neither should you.
Ali said he is committed to helping law enforcement agencies implement changes that will prevent more officers from making Potter’s mistakes. The reaction to Potter telling his story at the training session showed some that atonement for people convicted of crimes does not apply 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 teach, sometimes even young people,” 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 perspective of victims and their families should be considered by law enforcement agencies when deciding who to include in training sessions. But Potter’s voice may break through a law enforcement culture skeptical of outside criticism, he said.
“Police officers culturally have a pattern of not wanting to hear outside perspectives and not trusting that others can understand the situation,” she said. , I think the potential could be heard by officers rather than outsiders.
In an interview, James Stuart, executive director of the Minnesota Sheriffs Association, said Potter’s presentation would go ahead, despite the blowback. His organization has a responsibility to learn from the “moment of national upheaval” that Wright’s killing sparked to Potter.
“He’ll be the first to say he’s no hero and it’s a terrible tragic accident,” Stuart said. “I understand the concerns and criticism, but I also hope to understand the value of learning from mistakes and ensure that no other family finds themselves in the same situation.”
