CONTINUES NOW WITH THE "THE 11th
HOUR" WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS.
THAT’S RIGHT NOW.
>>> AND INDEED, GOOD EVENING
ONCE AGAIN.
WHILE THIS HAPPENS TO BE DAY 84
OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, WE
BEGIN YET AGAIN THIS EVENING IN
BROOKLYN CENTER, MINNESOTA, JUST
NORTH OF MINNEAPOLIS, WHERE IT
IS NOW 10:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME AND
THE CURFEW HAS JUST GONE INTO
EFFECT.
PROTESTERS REMAIN ON THE
STREETS, HOWEVER, FOR A THIRD
NIGHT AS ANGER AND OUTRAGE ARE
GROWING AFTER THE DEADLY POLICE
SHOOTING OF 20-YEAR-OLD DAUNTE
WRIGHT.
HE WAS SHOT AND KILLED ON SUNDAY
WHEN POLICE PULLED HIS CAR OVER
AND TRIED TO ARREST HIM ON AN
OUTSTANDING MISDEMEANOR WARRANT.
KIM POTTER, THE 26-YEAR VETERAN
OFFICE HERE FILED, FIRED THAT
SINGLE FATAL SHOT HAS RESIGNED,
AS HAS BROOKLYN CENTER POLICE
CHIEF TIM GANNON.
HE CALLED THE SHOOTING
ACCIDENTAL AFTER REVIEWING
POTTER’S BODY CAM VIDEO WHICH HE
SAID INDICATES SHE THOUGHT SHE
WAS DEPLOYING A TASER.
INSTEAD, FIRED ONE SHOT WITH, OF
COURSE, HER HIGHLY LETHAL AND
VASTLY DIFFERENT .9 MILLIMETER
SERVICE WEAPON.
THAT SINGLE SHOT, FATAL, NOW A
20-YEAR-OLD, DAUNTE WRIGHT,
ISN’T ALIVE ANYMORE.
THIS AFTERNOON THE MAYOR OF
BROOKLYN CENTER REACTED TO
POTTER’S DECISION TO RESIGN.
>> THE OFFICER STEPPING DOWN HAS
THE EFFECT, I THINK, OF SPEAKING
TO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE
COMMUNITY, THAT FOLKS WHO HAVE
BEEN OUT HERE PROTESTING HAVE
BEEN CALLING FOR.
AND THAT IS THAT THE OFFICER
SHOULD BE RELIEVED OF HER
DUTIES.
THIS CASE NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO,
APPOINTED TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, SO I AM CALLING ON THE
GENERAL, SO I AM CALLING ON THE
GOVERNOR TO EXERC MOVE THIS CASE
FROM WASHINGTON COUNTY TO, UNDER
THE JURISDICTION OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL.
>> DAUNTE WRIGHT’S FAMILY ALSO
SPOKE OUT THIS AFTERNOON, AS
MEMBERS OF GEORGE FLOYD’S FAMILY
LOOKED ON.
WRIGHT’S MOTHER DESCRIBED SEEING
AND SPEAKING TO HIM BEFORE HE
WAS SHOT.
>> THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THAT I
SEEN MY SON.
THE LAST TIME THAT I HEARD FROM
MY SON.
AND I HAVE HAD NO EXPLANATION
SINCE THEN.
>> MY NEPHEW WAS A LOVABLE YOUNG
MAN.
IN OUR OTHER GUESTS IN THIS
FIRST SEGMENT TONIGHT, WE WANT
TO START IN BROOKLYN CENTER,
MINNESOTA.
AND OUR CORRESPONDENT CAL PERRY
IS WITH US LIVE.
HE’S BEEN WATCHING IT ALL BACK
AND FORTH.
CAL, IN WATCHING YOU REPORT IT,
IT APPEARS THINGS HAVE CALMED
DOWN A BIT WITH THE ARRIVAL OF
THE CURFEW.
>> Reporter: ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK POLICE SLOWLY RATCHETED
UP THAT PRESSURE.
IT STARTED WITH THE CS SPRAY,
THE CHEMICAL SPRAY, THE RED
IRRITANT THROUGH THE FENCE.
THEN POLICE MOVED OUT OF THE
COMPOUND, THE FENCED IN AREA
THAT COMPRISES THE POLICE
STATION.
AND WE SAW THE CROWDS THIN OUT,
THE POLICE BACKED BY NATIONAL
GUARD.
I WOULD SAY ABOUT 500 OF THEM
RUNNING AS FAST AS THEY COULD,
FLAT OUT DOWN THIS ROAD,
ARRESTING A NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT’S WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE
DECIDED, THAT WAS IT TO GO HOME.
THERE ARE BASE CLAY HANDFUL OF
PROTESTERS LEFT.
I WOULD SAY ABOUT TEN TIMES AS.
HERE AS THERE ARE PROTESTERS.
A HANDFUL TRYING TO ANTAGONIZE
MELISSA MURRAY OF THE NCU LAW
SCHOOL.
IN FACT, GIVEN THE NEWS WE’RE
TALKING ABOUT, PROFESSOR, I
WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH YOU.
HOW MAY THE LAW APPROACH THIS
CASE OF MR. WRIGHT, WE HAVE SEEN
HIM GET KILLED.
WE KNOW A POLICE OFFICER TOOK
HIS LIFE.
WE HAVE NOW SEEN IT ON VIDEO.
WHAT IS THE LEGAL APPROACH?
DO YOU EXPECT TO CHARGE?
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THAT CHARGE
TO BE?
>> BRIAN, I THINK A LOT WILL
DEPEND ON WHAT THE INVESTIGATION
OF THIS INCIDENT UNCOVERS.
IT IS STILL EARLY NOW.
ONE OF THE CASES RAISED TODAY IN
THE CHAUVIN TRIAL, RAND VERSUS
CONNOR, MAKES IT PRETTY EASY FOR
THE POLICE TO BE ACQUITTED ON
THESE CHARGES BECAUSE IT TAKES
INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEW THAT
POLICE OFFICERS TAKE INHERENT
RISKS IN THE CONDUCT OF THEIR
WORK.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WHEN WE
THINK ABOUT POLICE MISCONDUCT,
WE HAVE TO VIEW IT THROUGH LENS
OF THE REASONABLE POLICE
OFFICER.
WHAT SORTS OF THINGS WOULD THEY
HAVE BEEN THINKING OF, GIVEN THE
KINDS OF PRESSURE THAT’S THEY
FACE.
IN PARTICULAR MOMENT.
WITH A STANDARD LIKE THAT, THERE
IS A WIDE RANGE OF LATITUDE THAT
I THINK JURORS AND COURTS ARE
WILLING TO GIVE THE POLICE IN
THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO SOME OF THIS IS ALREADY SET
UP IN WAYS THAT I THINK
ADVANTAGE THE POLICE OFFICERS,
GIVEN THE INHERENT RISK OF THAT
KIND OF WORK.
>> DOES THAT ALL MEAN,
PROFESSOR, SOMETHING PEOPLE
SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR,
SOMETHING LESS THAN A STRAIGHT
UP CHARGE OF MURDER?
>> IT MAY BE THE CASE THAT IT
WILL BE LESS THAN A CHARGE OF
MURDER.
FOR ANY KIND OF HOMICIDE, AND
ALL OF THESE ARE GRADED IN
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA AND OTHER
STATES, IT DEPENDS ON THE STATE
OF MIND THE ACTOR HAD WHEN THE
ACT WAS TAKEN.
HERE WHERE THE OFFICER CLAIMS TO
HAVE MISTAKEN HER TASER, HER
GUN, RATHER, FOR HER TASER, IT
IS NOT CLEAR THAT THIS WILL RISE
TO THE LEVEL OF MURDER BECAUSE
SHE MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE
ASSUMED TO HAVE THE STATE OF
MIND FOR MURDER.
INSTEAD IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING
WHERE NEGLIGENCE OR SOME LESSER
STANDARD FOR INTENT MIGHT BE
INDICATED.
MAYBE A MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE.
A LOT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT SHE
CAN CLAIM WAS HER STATE OF MIND
AND WHAT CAN BE PROVEN GIVEN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE
INVESTIGATION THAT CONCLUDES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FORM EXPLANATION.
TO OUR VIEWERS, WE MAY LEARN
WHATEVER CHARGE AS EARLY AS
TOMORROW.
KATIE BENNER, BEFORE WE GET TO
YOUR REPORTING, LET’S TALK ABOUT
THE GIANT BUILDING AND
DEPARTMENT YOU COVER IN
WASHINGTON AT DOJ.
I NOTE THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL
TOP TIER VACANCIES THE INCOMING
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, OF COURSE,
WAS NOT ALLOWED THE USUAL
TRANSITION TIME TO GEAR UP AND
GET READY AND MAKE NOMINATIONS.
HOW CLOSELY DO YOU THINK THE
FEDS ARE WATCHING WHAT WE’RE
WATCHING TONIGHT?
THE STREETS, THE CIRCUMSTANCES,
THE CASE IN BROOKLYN CENTER,
MINNESOTA?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
EVEN WITHOUT TOP PEOPLE IN PLACE
INCLUDING THE HEAD OF THE CIVIL
RIGHTS DIVISION, WE’RE SEEING IT
HAPPEN TOMORROW.
HER COURT HEARING WILL BE
TOMORROW.
WE’LL SEE IF BIDEN GETS HIS
CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION NOMINEE
THROUGH.
EVEN WITHOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT
IN PLACE, ATTORNEY GENERAL
GARLAND HAS MADE CLEAR THAT HE
IS WATCHING EVERY ONE OF THESE
INCIDENTS.
KEEP IN MIND THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT HAS AN INVESTIGATION
INTO DEREK CHAUVIN HIMSELF.
HE HAS THE INVESTIGATION OPEN
INTO THE KILLING OF BREONNA
TAYLOR.
HAS THE INVESTIGATION OPEN INTO
THE KILLING OF AHMAUD ARBURY.
THE KILLINGS OF UNARMED BLACK
PEOPLE SO THIS IS ON THE RADAR.
WE DON’T KNOW YET WHERE IT WILL
GO.
WE DO KNOW THAT UNDER THIS
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT WILL SAY THAT IF ITS
OWN INTERESTS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
ARE NOT SATISFIED --
>> ASHLEY PARKER, LET ME PLAY
SOMETHING FOR YOU.
I HAVE A QUESTION SURROUNDING IT
AFTER WE HEAR IT.
THIS IS SENATOR JOHN, NO
RELATION, KENNEDY, ON FOX NEWS
TONIGHT.
>> IF YOU HATE COPS JUST BECAUSE
THEY’RE COPS, YOU DON’T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THEM.
NEXT TIME YOU GET IN TROUBLE,
CALL A CRACKHEAD.
>> AS I ALWAYS REMIND PEOPLE AT
MOMENTS LIKE THIS, THAT MAN WAS
EDUCATED AT VANDER BUILT UVA
LAW.
HAS THE PERSONA HE PLAYS AND
INTEL
INTELLECTUALLY, HE KNOWS BETTER.
HAVING SAID THAT, IS THE BIDEN
WHITE HOUSE UP TO THE JOB OF
COUNTERING THE NARRATIVE COMING
OUT OF REPUBLICAN PARTY, GETTING
FUEL AND FREE AIR TIME FROM
NETWORKS LIKE FOX?
>> THEY CERTAINLY FEEL THAT WAY
AS KATIE WAS JUST SAYING.
ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE THINGS
THEY TAKE INCREDIBLY SERIOUSLY.
WHEN BIDEN ANNOUNCED HIS BID FOR
THE PRESIDENCY, ONE OF THE KEY
REASONS WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT
HAPPENED IN CHARLOTTESVILLE WITH
THE WHITE SUPREMACIST RALLY.
NOT POLICE BRUTALITY BUT IT IS
ALL TIED TO THIS BROADER BUCKET
OF SYSTEMATIC RACISM IN SOCIETY.
AND BIDEN CAME INTO OFFICE,
IDENTIFYING FOUR MAJOR CRISES.
ONE OF THOSE WAS RACIAL
INEQUITY.
TODAY, WHEN HE MET WITH THE
CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS, IT
WAS A MEGT THAT WAS SCHEDULED
FOR ONE HOUR.
IT RAN TO TWO HOURS.
NOW HOW SUCCESSFUL THE WHITE
HOUSE WILL BE ENCOUNTERING THIS
STILL REMAINS AN OPEN QUESTION.
WE JUST SAW ANOTHER DEATH OF AN
UNARMED BLACK MAN WHILE WE ARE
WITNESSING THE TRIAL FOR GEORGE
FLOYD.
SO THE ADMINISTRATION IS FAR,
FAR FROM DECLARING ANY SORT OF