Welcome back to The Flyover, your daily 1 p.m.(ish) digest of what local media outlets and Twitter-ers are gabbing about.
Potter Guilty on Both Charges
Kim Potter, the Brooklyn Center police officer who killed Black driver Daunte Wright at a traffic stop in April 2020, has been found guilty of both first- and second-degree manslaughter. The jury had completed three days of deliberations yesterday without reaching a verdict, at one point asking Judge Regina Chu what would happen if they failed to reach consensus. Jurors agreed on the second-degree manslaughter verdict at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, but did not agree to the first-degree manslaughter verdict until 11:40 a.m. today. The judge ordered Potter to be immediately taken into custody and held without bail. Sentencing is set for February 18. First-degree manslaughter carries with it a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Lawsuit: Cop-Dad Cleared Cop-Son of Assault
A Minneapolis police sergeant reviewed a use-of-force incident by his own son and improperly cleared him of wrongdoing, a case filed in federal court alleges. Damarlo West is suing several Minneapolis police officers, including Officer Tyler Klund, for stomping him in a north Minneapolis chicken restaurant in July 2020. The officers claim he was reaching for a gun; West says he was complying. His suit states that the cops hid bodycam footage of his beating and chose not to acquire the restaurant’s surveillance footage, and that Sgt. Darcy Klund conducted the review that OK’d the police response. The city attorney claimed the suit “exaggerates Darcy Klund's role in the force review,” according to the Star Tribune. “No role” seems like it would have been the most appropriate.
City of Mpls Ends Work from Home, Pandemic Must Be Over
Good news: According to the city of Minneapolis, the pandemic will be over by January 10. Why else would they be requiring city workers to return to the office on that date? Granted, the city’s state of emergency doesn’t expire until February 13, but I’m sure that’s some kind of technicality. Max Nesterak reports that the city is calling this the “Next Normal” plan. (Did they hire the folks who came up with WeDo to come up with that?) With the city council still Zooming into its meetings, why can’t some city worker with a desk job continue to work from home? Commuting in January sucks anyway. Just a taste of the Very Strong Mayoring we have to look forward to in 2022, I suppose.
The Winter Carnival is Pushing Buttons
People of the Twin Cities, let's talk buttons. Local comic/illustrator/map-maker Kevin Cannon is the featured button maker for 2022’s Saint Paul Winter Carnival, and his take on the event is pretty different from past button designers. His are shaped like comic-book covers, and there are four versions to choose from: a royal family one, a scavenger hunt one, one featuring the ice castle, and one featuring people doing… stuff. (I think it’s a slightly more abstract nod to ice and snow sculptures). These buttons score you perks like free parking, meal deals, and admission discounts. If you’re unfamiliar with Cannon, you might still recognize his work. Recently he’s been a featured poster artist at the Minnesota State Fair; has created all kinds of cool illustrations for stories in Mpls St.Paul Magazine, Star Tribune, and City Pages; and has taken on projects for Metro Transit, First Avenue, and Planned Parenthood. This will be the 136th year for the festival celebrating our winter hellscape, events have already started up, but the main party starts up at the end of January.
