Ex-Minnesota Officer Kim Potter Released from Jail
Kimberly Potter, the former Minnesota police officer charged in the shooting death of a Black motorist, was released from custody Wednesday, according to jail records.
Potter, 48, was released from a Hennepin County jail just before 5:40 p.m. local time after posting a $100,000 bond.
She is charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center over the weekend. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.
In an interview with CNN, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Wright's family, said Potter has a right to a reasonable bond and a presumption of innocence. He added that he wished Black Americans were afforded the same.
Wright's death has ignited three consecutive nights of protests accompanied by riots and clashes between demonstrators and authorities. Potter, a 26-year veteran of the police force and head of its police union, resigned Tuesday along with Police Chief Tim Gannon, who said Potter mistakenly grabbed her gun under the belief that it was a Taser when she shot Wright during a traffic stop.
She was on administrative leave at the time of her resignation.
The New York Times reported that her home has been wrapped with barriers and concrete fencing. It was not clear if she will be staying at the residence while out on bail.
The shooting occurred a few miles from where George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody last year. It also renewed protests and looting that law enforcement agencies saw after Floyd's death.
Dozens of people were arrested Tuesday night and Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said the city would once again impose another curfew Wednesday evening.
"We know there are a large number of people who are there to protest peacefully … we know there are agitators that show up looking to stir things up and to confront and engage law enforcement," Elliott said during a Wednesday news conference.
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