A policewoman charged after the death of a young black man near Minneapolis

Police officer Kim Potter on April 14, 2021, while imprisoned in Minneapolis, in a photo provided to AFP from Hennepin County Sheriff’s Services (Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office / -)

The policewoman who shot dead a young black man was charged near Minneapolis on Wednesday, then released on bail after three nights of violent protests in the northern US capital.

Kim Potter, accused of “manslaughter,” was jailed Wednesday and released at the end of the afternoon, in exchange for paying bail at $ 100,000.

Local media reported that they would be brought before a judge on Thursday for a preliminary hearing.

The 48-year-old white policewoman faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

On Sunday, Kim Potter shot a 20-year-old African American Don Wright during a regular traffic stop in the Brooklyn Center, a suburb of Minneapolis. Then she claimed to have mixed her servicing weapon with her electric pistol.

Prosecutor Peter Orbott’s services commented: “We intend to demonstrate that Agent Potter neglected her responsibility to protect the public when she used her service weapon in place of Taser.”

Clashes

The drama reignited tensions in Minneapolis, where the trial of white cop Derek Chauvin, who is on trial for the murder of African American George Floyd, is currently underway.

On May 25, the agent was kneeling for nearly ten minutes on the neck of the forty-year-old black man, whose torture, the photographer, led to massive demonstrations around the world.

Keen to avoid a new fire in Minneapolis, where several businesses and a police station were torched at the end of May, authorities announced a curfew on Sunday evening and called for reinforcements from the National Guard.

Despite this device, clashes between police and protesters have been happening every night since Sunday.

Donut Wright’s family took note of the policewoman’s trial on Wednesday, but criticized its justification: “A worker with 26 years of experience knows the difference between a Taser and a firearm,” their lawyer Ben Cromb wrote in a statement.

“We will continue to fight for justice for Daunte, her family and all marginalized people of color,” added Mr. Crump, who also advocates. “We will not stop until we have real reforms to the police and judiciary.” The Floyd family.

A mural of African-American George Floyd on the separation wall in Bethlehem, West Bank, March 31, 2021 (AFP / Emmanuel DUNAND)

Without commenting on this file, the White House considered that “the police frequently used unnecessary force and that this often resulted in the deaths of African Americans” and recognized “the need for reforms.”

– Battle of the experts –

Minneapolis is also anxiously awaiting the verdict of Derek Chauvin’s trial.

After a mindless two weeks of defense, the officer’s attorney scored points Wednesday with the testimony of the forensic scientist who contradicted the experts the prosecution had put forward.

Photo taken April 2, 2021 of former police officer Derek Chauvin (right), accused of murdering George Floyd, in a court in Minneapolis (POOL VIA COURT TV / -)

David Fowler, who has long overseen forensic services in Maryland, estimated that the forty-year-old black man died of cardiac arrest rather than asphyxiation, as confirmed by a pulmonologist or cardiologist summoned to the Syndicate last week.

For him, the heart stopped due to previous health problems, including high blood pressure that caused George Floyd’s heart to enlarge, and problems with the arteries. Dr. Fowler added that taking medications as well as inhaling exhaust fumes during his arrest “added adrenaline to this mixture and made it worse.”

Last Friday, Doctor Andrew Baker, who performed the autopsy on George Floyd, confirmed the health problems of the 40-year-old and the presence of fentanyl, a strong opioid, and methamphetamine in his body. But to him, these factors are not the “direct causes” of death, as the lack of oxygen remains due to the compression of the neck.

Attorney General Jerry Blackwell thoroughly questioned Dr. Fowler, in particular having him admit that the suffocation did not leave any visible traces upon autopsy.

On the day of the tragedy, Derek Chauvin had kept his knee on the neck of the African American, pinned to the floor and handcuffed, even after he lost consciousness and his pulse was undetectable.

Despite the lucid visuals of the drama, and the multiplicity of witnesses who marched against his client, Me Eric Nelson hopes to arouse suspicion in the mind of at least one juror and avoid his client’s conviction. If they are not unanimous, the trial will be declared null, and proceedings will have to start all over again.

The jury is expected to retire on Monday to deliberate.

chp-led / cjc