The former suburban Minneapolis police officer who said she confused her handgun for her Taser when she killed Daunte Wright was sentenced Friday to 24 months in prison for manslaughter.
Kim Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11, 2021 killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist.
"This is one of the saddest cases I've had in my 20 years on the bench," said Judge Regina Chu.
Chu said she believed Potter's remorse to be genuine and that her actions were reckless but a "tragic mistake."
In Minnesota, it's presumed that inmates who show good behaviour will serve two-thirds of their sentence in prison and the rest on supervised release, commonly known as parole.
The sentence was delivered after powerful victim impact statements.
Wright's mother, Katie, said she would only refer to Potter as "the defendant" because Potter only referred to her 20-year-old son as "the driver" at trial.
"She never oxjmtzywnce said his name. And for that I'll never be able to forgive you. And I'll never be able to forgive you for what you've stolen from us," a tearful Wright said.
"A police officer who was supposed to serve and protect so much took so much away from us.… My life and my world will never ever be the same again," she said, adding later: "Daunte Demetrius Wright, I will continue to fight in your name until driving while Black is no longer a death sentence."
- Former Minnesota officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright found guilty of manslaughter
- Minneapolis mayor halts no-knock entries after police fatally shoot Black man Amir Locke
Wright was killed after Brooklyn Center officers pulled him over for having expired licence tags and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror.
The shooting — which came in the midst of Derek Chauvin's trial on murder charges in George Floyd's killing — sparked several days of demonstrations outside the Brooklyn Center police station, marked by tear gas and clashes between protesters and police.
Wright's father and siblings earlier addressed the court to speak of their loss.
The mother of Wright's son, Chyna Whitaker, said Friday that Wright would never have a chance to play ball with his son or see him go to school.
"My son shouldn't have to wear a 'rest in peace' shirt of his dad," Whitaker said.
Defence argues prison would harm Potter
Prosecutor Matt Frank said Friday that he believes the presumptive sentence is appropriate, given the loss of life and Potter's culpable negligence.
"His life mattered, and that life was taken," Frank said. "His name is Daunte Wright. We have to say his name. He was not just a driver. He was a living human being. A life."
The defence has asked for a lesser sentence, including one of probation only, but Frank said: "We are not agreeing to that your honour, but we have to recognize this is a unique case. This is a very difficult case."
Former Minnesota officer Kim Potter found guilty of manslaughter in death of Daunte Wright
2 months agoDuration 2:04A jury has found former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter guilty on two manslaughter charges in the death of Daunte Wright. Potter shot and killed the 20-year-old Wright during a traffic stop in suburban Minneapolis earlier this year. 2:04
Defence attorney Paul Engh told the judge that Wright's death was "beyond tragic for everybody involved." But he added: "This was an unintentional crime. It was an accident. It was a mistake."
Engh held up a box displaying what he said were among "thousands" of letters and cards of support for Potter.
"People took the time to write her," Engh said. "This is unheard of for a defendant. I dare say no one in this room has ever seen anything like this."
He urged the judge to sentence Potter to probation, saying sentencing guidelines are often not followed because they are too high for many defendants, including first-time offenders. He said Potter would be willing to meet with Wright's family and to speak to police officers about Taser mix-ups.
If Potter is not sentenced to probation, she should get a lower-than-usual sentence, Engh argued, because Wright was the aggressor. The testimony of other officers on the scene showed it was a dangerous situation because Wright was attempting to drive away, he said.
"This was an aggressive act. I don't know how it couldn't be an aggressive act," said Engh, who also said Potter had the right to defend other officers and that she never should have been charged with first-degree manslaughter.
- Ex-officer Derek Chauvin pleads guilty to violating George Floyd's civil rights
Evidence at Potter's trial showed officers learned Wright had an outstanding warrant for a weapons possession charge and they tried to arrest him when he pulled away. Video showed Potter shouted several times that she was going to use her Taser on Wright, but she had her gun in her hand and fired one shot into his chest.
Potter has been at the state's women's prison in Shakopee, Minn., since the guilty verdict. Her attorney said Friday that her mental and physical health has declined because she is isolated for her safety.
"If you send her to prison, you will harm her," Engh said. "We are not in the business of harming defendants."
The Wright family has also explored a civil suit in the killing.
