Alan Dershowitz says Kim Potter ‘made an honest mistake’ shooting Daunte Wright

Famed lawyer Alan Dershowitz called for an early acquittal of the former police officer who shot a black man in Minnesota, claiming that she had made an “honest mistake.”

The Harvard law professor emeritus said Thursday on The Laura Ingraham Show that he does not see a viable manslaughter case facing Kim Potter, who shot and killed Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center earlier this month.

“There won’t be justice for Kim Potter unless she’s acquitted,” Dershowitz said. “In fact, there won’t be justice even if she’s acquitted, if she’s charged. They have to drop the charges. Now, there is no manslaughter case there. She did nothing that has an intent that satisfies manslaughter. She made an honest mistake, and she was screaming, ‘Taser! Taser! Taser!'”

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Dershowitz did, however, agree that Potter should be suspended over the life-threatening error.

Wright, a black 20-year-old, was shot and killed by Potter during a traffic stop on April 11 in Brooklyn Center, prompting a new wave of demonstrations and calls for police reform.

Police had pulled Wright over for a traffic violation, and a subsequent background check showed he had a warrant out for his arrest over carrying a firearm without a permit. Body camera footage showed the struggle between officers and Wright as he tried to flee in his car. Potter can be heard yelling, “Taser! Taser!” before striking him once with gunfire.

The Hennepin County medical examiner released its autopsy report, which said Wright, who crashed into another car several blocks away, “died of a gunshot wound of the chest and manner of death is homicide.”

Potter, a 48-year-old white woman, resigned from the police force and was later charged with second-degree manslaughter.

The 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center Police Department appeared in court for the first time on April 15, though no plea has been entered yet. She is being represented by defense attorney Earl Gray, who is also defending former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane, who was charged as an accomplice in the death of George Floyd in 2020.

Potter is next scheduled to appear in court on May 17 in front of Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu. If she’s found guilty of her charges, she could face up to 10 years in prison.

“I have loved every minute of being a police officer and serving this community to the best of my ability, but I believe it is in the best interest of the community, the department, and my fellow officers if I resign immediately,” Potter wrote in her resignation letter.

Police Chief Tim Gannon, who described the incident as an “accidental shooting,” also resigned from the force.

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A funeral for Wright was held on Thursday, with speakers including members of his family, Rev. Al Sharpton, and Ben Crump, attorney for both the families of Wright and Floyd.

Less than 10 miles away in Minneapolis, former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on Tuesday of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Floyd, a black man, during an arrest in May.

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