Update (Dec. 30, 2021): In a television interview released Wednesday, a member of the jury who found former police officer Kim Potter guilty in the slaying of Daunte Wright gave an inside look on the deliberations. The juror spoke on the condition of anonymity due to what the television station described as the “public animosity” surrounding the case.
In the interview, the juror said they felt the jury believed Potter “was a good person and even believed she was a good cop.” They said no one felt Potter was a racist, or that she meant to kill Wright when she shot him with a handgun instead of a taser.
“No one felt she was intentional in this,” the juror said. “It’s ludicrous that some people are assuming we thought she was a racist. That never came up or anything like that.”
However, the juror also added “a mistake does not absolve you from the fact she did commit a crime.”
“Being a good person doesn’t mean you’re above the law. I don’t think anyone felt she wanted to kill anybody that day. … This was just a tragedy all the way around,” the juror said.
Original Story (Dec. 23, 2021): The jury in the trial of Kim Potter, the former police officer who shot and killed Daunte Wright at a traffic stop back in April, found Potter guilty on two counts of manslaughter Thursday. The video above shows the verdict being read, as well as reaction from the Wright’s parents. Potter had said she accidentally used a gun instead of a taser as she was trying to prevent Wright from leaving the scene.
“She’s been convicted of an accident, convicted of being reckless,” Potter’s attorney Earl Gray said in a post-verdict hearing. He was arguing for Potter to be released from custody until sentencing. Clips from his argument can also be found in the video above.
“Her remorse and regret for the incident is overwhelming. She’s not a danger to the public whatsoever. She’s made all her court appearances, including all appearances in the court,” Gray argued. “It is a Christmas holiday season. She is a devoted Catholic, no less, and there is no point to incarcerate her at this point in time.”
Judge Regina Chu rejected Gray’s request, saying she “cannot treat this case any differently than any other case.”
Potter’s guilty verdict came after four days of jury deliberations. Time-stamps on the verdicts showed that the jurors agreed on the second-degree manslaughter count on Tuesday. However, it appeared they were split on the first-degree manslaughter account. They asked Chu Tuesday afternoon what to do if they were having difficulty agreeing. The guilty verdict on the first-degree count was reached at 11:40 a.m. Thursday.
“With the jury finding Kimberly Potter guilty today of manslaughter in the first degree and manslaughter and second degree in connection with Daunte’s death, we have a degree of accountability for Daunte’s death,” Minnesota Attorney General said after the verdict. “Accountability is not justice. Justice is restoration. Justice would be restoring Daunte to life and making the Wright family whole again.”
Potter faces about seven years in prison on the most serious count under the state’s sentencing guidelines. However, prosecutors said they would seek a longer term. The maximum for 1st-degree manslaughter is 15 years.
