SURRENDERING LEVERAGE WITHOUT
MAKING AMERICA, OUR ALLIES OR
OUR INTERESTS MORE SECURE.
>> MEANWHILE, AS WE MENTIONED
EARLIER, PROTESTS CONTINUE OVER
THE FATAL SHOOTING OF
20-YEAR-OLD DAUNTE WRIGHT KILLED
BY A POLICE OFFICER DURING A
TRAFFIC STOP.
THIS MORNING THAT OFFICER, NOW
FORMER OFFICER KIM POTTER WAS
ARRESTED, TAKEN INTO CUSTODY ON
A CHARGE OF SECOND DEGREE
MANSLAUGHTER.
SHE WAS RELEASED TONIGHT AFTER
POSTING $100,000 BOND.
HER FIRST COURT APPEARANCE SET
FOR TOMORROW.
THE CHARGE COMES A DAY AFTER SHE
AND THE BROOKLYN CENTER POLICE
CHIEF BOTH RESIGNED.
>> IN LESS THAN A WEEK, THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY MADE THE
DECISION THAT WE WILL CHARGE
THIS OFFICER AND THE FAMILY OF
THE NATION’S OLDEST NETWORK OF
PREDOMINANTLY BLACK JUDGES AND
ATTORNEYS, AND COUNSELOR,
INDEED, I’D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH
YOU TONIGHT.
LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS CHARGE
AGAINST THE NOW FORMER POLICE
OFFICER WHO WE SAW ON VIDEO
FIRING THE SHOT THAT KILLED
DAUNTE WRIGHT.
SECOND-DEGREE MANSLAUGHTER IN
THE PARLANCE OF THE LAW, MAN 2.
IS THE RIGHT CHARGE IN YOUR
VIEW?
>> FIRST OF ALL, GREAT TO BE
HERE TONIGHT, BRIAN.
IS IT THE RIGHT CHARGE?
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT GIVEN
WHAT WE SAW -- AND WE HAVE TO
TRUST OUR EYES -- I THINK THERE
SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GREATER
CHARGE, BUT BECAUSE OF HOW THE
EVENTS UNFOLDED, I BELIEVE THAT
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY FELT THAT
MAN 2 WAS PROBABLY THE BEST THAT
THEY COULD DO GIVEN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES.
I WOULD HAVE HOPED FOR A
STRONGER CHARGE, A HIGHER CHARGE
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT HER
BEHAVIOR WAS, QUITE FRANKLY,
UNACCEPTABLE AND RECKLESS.
IT WAS JUST COMPLETELY RECKLESS.
YOU KNOW THAT BEN CRUMP IS ONE
OF OUR PAST PRESIDENTS AND A
STRONG MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL
BAR ASSOCIATION, AND IVER’VE BEE
IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH HIM,
JUST THE CONDUCT WE’VE SEEN,
JUST WATCHING HER EYES, NOT
FILLING IN THE BLANKS BUT JUST
LOOKING AT THE FOOTAGE.
TRULY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY HOPE
THAT THERE WERE A STRONGER
CHARGE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY FELT THAT THIS
WOULD STICK.
THAT KILLING IS, AND YOU HAVE A
SEASONED 26-YEAR-OLD POLICE
OFFICER MISTAKENLY TAKES HER GUN
AND SHOOTS AND KILLS HIM VERSUS
A TASER WHEN THEY’RE A DIFFERENT
APPARATUS.
A GUN IS A GUN, A TASER IS A
TASER.
DIFFERENT COLORS.