Ex-Cop Kim Potter Found Guilty On Manslaughter Charges For Killing Daunte Wright

A jury found former Minnesota police Officer Kim Potter guilty on both manslaughter charges Thursday for fatally shooting 20-year-old Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, a Minneapolis suburb, in April.

Jurors deliberated for more than 27 hours over the course of four days. The mostly white jury of six women and six men heard eight days of testimony, and on Tuesday, between deliberations, they asked the judge for guidance on what steps should be taken if the jurors could not reach a consensus.

Members of the jury, when you first came into the courtroom, I told you that jurors are the heroes of our judicial system, Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu said after the verdict. Well, the 12 of you are our heroes. ... Without civic-minded citizens like you, our system of justice could not function.

Former Minneapolis police officer Kim Potter has been found guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter for shooting and killing 20-year-old Daunte Wright.

Potter had claimed she mistakenly used her gun instead of Taser. pic.twitter.com/T1gQC7u4ld

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Former Minneapolis police officer Kim Potter has been found guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter for shooting and killing 20-year-old Daunte Wright.

Potter had claimed she mistakenly used her gun instead of Taser. pic.twitter.com/T1gQC7u4ld
The Recount (@therecount) December 23, 2021

Potter, who is white, was charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter after she shot Wright, an unarmed Black motorist, in the chest. She has said she meant to use her stun gun rather than her firearm. The shooting, which occurred with two other officers and a passenger of Wrights in close proximity, resulted in Wright driving away and crashing into an occupied vehicle. Potter resigned two days later.

In this case , the first-degree manslaughter charge accuses Potter of killing Wright while committing the misdemeanor offense of reckless handling or use of a firearm . The second-degree manslaughter charge accuses her of causing Wrights death by her culpable negligence. Prosecutors had reminded the jury that Potter was not charged with murder, and that the state was not accusing her of intending to kill Wright.

Sentencing for Potter has been set for Feb. 18. The maximum sentence is 15 years for a first-degree manslaughter conviction, and 10 years for a second-degree conviction. However, Minnesota judges follow sentencing guidelines that normally call for less time just over seven years for first-degree manslaughter, and four years for second-degree.

Chu announced after the verdict that Potter will be taken into custody without bail. The defense said they intend to file for dispositional departure, arguing that Potter deserves not to be incarcerated pending her sentencing hearing. Chu maintained that Potter would be held without bail.