MINNEAPOLIS — The mother of Daunte Wright Sr.'s son filed a lawsuit Monday against Wright's parents and her lawyer, claiming she hasn't received "one single penny" from the fundraiser created "for the benefit of Daunte, Jr."
According to court documents filed in Hennepin County, Chyna Whitaker, Daunte Wright, Jr.'s mom, says her initial lawyer – Ben Crump – promised and "assured her up-front that any GoFundMe monies raised" would be split 50/50 between Wright Jr. and the Wright family.
Court documents say the GoFundMe, managed by Crump's firm, Ben Crump Law, PLLC, raised $1.038 million, but "not one single penny" had been turned over to Whitaker.
Instead, the lawsuit alleges, all of the campaign funds have been given to Wright, Sr.'s parents.
Whitaker and her lawyers also accuse the Wright family and Crump of using Wright, Jr.'s image and existence to raise over $1 million, and that they "turned their backs" on Whitaker and "the sole surviving heir of Daunte, Sr."
Whitaker requested the district court complete a full accounting on all of the bank accounts associated with the GoFundMe account set up for The Daunte Wright Sr. Memorial Fund.
Court documents say Whitaker is seeking a judgment of an "excess of $500,000" to be determined at trial.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson from Crump's law firm released the following statement to KARE 11:
“This is strictly a family dispute between the mother of Daunte Wright’s child and Daunte’s parents, who set up the GoFundMe account in question. Ben Crump Law never handled or controlled the money from this GoFundMe account, which was under the sole direction of Daunte’s parents. Ben Crump Law did not benefit from any of the funds raised, and we did not accept any fee in this case. Our hearts are always with the family, and we pray that they can find resolution.”
Wright, Sr., a Black man, was killed by white Brooklyn Center Police officer Kim Potter on April 11, 2021.
In December 2021, Potter was found guilty of manslaughter in Wright's death and was later sentenced to serve two years in prison.
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