Kim Potter, the former Minnesota cop who fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop with a gun instead of a Taser, was found guilty on Thursday of first- and second-degree manslaughter.
Potter was ordered jailed without bail after displaying no reaction as the findings were read. At the defense table, one of her lawyers leaned on his hands. According to a pool report, Wright's parents, Arbuey Wright and Katie Bryant, sighed and sobbed.
Kim Potter guilty of manslaughter in Daunte Wright's death
Jurors have been deliberating for roughly 27 hours since Monday, when a prosecution portrayed Potter's conduct as a fatal mishap caused by carelessness or negligence, while the defense framed the shooting as an honest mistake, not a crime, in final arguments.
First-degree manslaughter based on negligent use/handling of a firearm carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Because Potter, 49, has no prior criminal record, Minnesota sentencing guidelines suggest a sentence of 6 to 8.5 years in jail, CNN reported.
Judge Regina Chu expressed her gratitude to the jury, which looked to be having difficulty reaching a decision midway through their deliberations. A female juror sobbed. As she shook and cried, another juror consoled her. "There will be a vacant place at the Wright family table around the holidays," Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told reporters.
Daunte Wright family erupts in cheers
The family of Daunte Wright has reacted to former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter's guilty judgment in Wright's fatal traffic stop shooting. Potter was found guilty of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter, as per Insider.
After former Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, police officer Kim Potter was found guilty of manslaughter in the shooting death of her son on Thursday, Daunte Wright's mother thanked supporters and said she was allowed to exhale.
Katie and Arbuey Wright, Daunte's parents, commended the community for their support and dedication to justice since their son was slain during a traffic check in April. In a separate statement, the Wright family's attorney, Ben Crump, said the family was happy that the criminal justice system had provided "accountability for the needless killing of their son, brother, father, and friend."
Per Fox26, Potter is set to be sentenced on February 18, 2022. Potter was found guilty on both charges after jury deliberation. On April 11, the 49-year-old former cop fatally shot Wright during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center.
Wright was fatally shot in the middle of ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial for the killing of George Floyd. Potter was plainly seen firing a gun on body camera video from the incident. Outrage over the incident prompted protests outside the Brooklyn Center Police Department for many nights.
The defense argued that Potter, who is white, accidentally grabbed her gun instead of her Taser when she fatally shot Wright, who is black. Prosecutors claimed Potter was careless and negligent and that she should be sentenced to prison. If Potter is found guilty of any crimes and prosecutors successfully argue for a higher sentence, she will be sentenced to life in prison.