The dueling narratives were presented to jurors during opening statements in the trial of Kimberly Potter, a 26-year veteran of the police force in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center who is charged with manslaughter in the April death of Wright, 20.
Eldridge spoke at length about the extensive training received by Potter, which included two Taser-specific courses in the six months prior to the incident. Eldridge said Potter "flouted" her training and escalated the traffic stop. Paul Engh, an attorney for Potter, called the shooting an accident and a mistake. Engh said it was Wright who created the volatile situation by trying to flee. Engh said Potter had a duty to stop Wright because Johnson could have lost his life if he had been dragged down the street in the fleeing vehicle.
Caught on Potter's body-worn camera, the shooting of Wright triggered demonstrations in Brooklyn Center, with critics calling the incident another example of police violence against Black Americans.
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