Kim Potter, an ex-cop at Brooklyn Center was found guilty on first and second degrees of manslaughter in the shooting death of Daunte Wright. This marks the conclusion of a dramatic eight day trial.
After close to 28 hours, jurors seemed at times hopelessly stuck during deliberations. The final decision was reached on Thursday
Six men and six ladies – two Asian, one black and nine white – informed the judge they reached a verdict just before noon on day four of the deliberations.
Potter, who is 49 years old, did not respond to her attorney’s reading of the guilty verdict, nor the announcement about Potter’s arrest.
As the verdict was read, one juror wept and shaken. Wright’s relatives let out loud sighs as each guilty count was read. Potter was taken away by handcuffs, and she was ordered held without bail until her February sentencing.
As she left the courtroom, her husband, who was present with the couple’s sons, shouted ‘I love you, Kim.’ Potter didn’t respond.
Kim Potter was found guilty Thursday of the first and second degrees manslaughter for killing Daunte, a black motorist aged 20, in Brooklyn Center. The incident occurred on April 11.
Potter was a passive participant in the negotiations between her lawyers and didn’t react to the verdict, or news about her being taken into custody.
After being convicted on both the manslaughter and murder charges (which carry respective sentences of 15 to 10 years), this ex-police officer reacts.
Potter was handcuffed and led out of court. Judge Regina Chu called for her detention without bail. She scheduled Potter’s sentence for February 18, 2018.
The judge Regina Chu read out the verdict and confirmed each jury member individually that it was their correct verdict. Group was told by the judge that they are ‘the heroes in our judicial system.
After Potter was taken from the courtroom by Erin Eldridge, the prosecutor and Wright’s father exchanged long hugs and hugged Katie Bryant (Wright’s mother) and gave Erin Eldridge a lengthy hug.
Minnesota State Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office was responsible for the prosecution. He also hugs the parents.
Ellison’s team, which included some of the same lawyers who assisted in Derek Chauvin’s conviction in George Floyd’s death eight months prior to this verdict, won the second most prominent police officer convict.
Ellison, who spoke briefly at the podium following the verdict said that Kim Potter was no longer an ’eminent member of the community’ and ‘an honored member of a noble occupation’. He also stated that he had been convicted for a serious offense.
He claimed that he wouldn’t want that for anyone.
According to the AG Potter’s conviction is an “important step towards justice” but not a true one.
Ellison repeated the remarks he gave following Derek Chauvin’s March conviction.
Justice, he declared, is restoration and making Wright’s family whole again. This, he added, was beyond his reach.
Katie Bryant Wright’s mother hugged Ellison, and she said that the verdicts had triggered “every emotion you can imagine.”
‘Today we have gotten accountability and that´s what we´ve been asking for from the beginning,’ Bryant said, crediting supporters for keeping up pressure.
She said, “We love and appreciate you. And honestly, it would not have been possible without you.”
Potter’s legal team pleaded to the judge that she reconsidered her decision not to give the ex-cop custody after the jury was released.
Paul Engh, the defense attorney, told Judge: “She’s a committed Catholic. She is not considered a danger to the public. Attorney Earl Gray stated that Potter has ‘deep roots’ in the community and is ‘not going anywhere’.
Judge Chu refused to compromise, telling both parties: “I cannot treat the case any different than any other.”
Officer Kim Potter, a 26-year veteran in the force, claims she accidentally shot Daunte Wright (right) when she reached for her gun instead of her taser during a traffic stop over his expired plates in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota on April 11
Daunte Wright’s brother Damik Wright (center), celebrates after Kim Potter, an officer convicted of manslaughter by the jury in Minneapolis
Many protestors watched the verdict from their smartphones, and braving frigid Minnesota temperatures to cheer on Potter as he was led off in handcuffs.
Courteney Ross, George Floyd’s girlfriend, reacts to the guilty verdict at the Hennepin County District Courthouse
She will now consider from the state regarding their so-called ‘Blakely issues’ – aggravating factors that they say speak to a need for a higher sentence than someone with Potter’s lack of criminal record might otherwise receive on the charges.
Her defense also stated that they would file a motion to request a lower or probational sentence. While the defense requested a month, the state stated that they would need to wait two weeks.
The date has been fixed for Monday, January 31, and sentencing is scheduled for Friday at 9:00 AM on Friday February 18.
Potter was handcuffed and taken to jail without bail.
Potter will be serving her sentence at Minnesota’s Shakopee Women’s Prison. Minnesota law allows for a maximum sentence of three years due to the seriousness of Potter’s convictions. This sentence would mean that she spends two years in prison.
The atmosphere in the courtroom was quiet and tense after the verdict. But outside the crowds cheered and celebrated as Potter was taken away in handcuffs.
Courteney Ross was George Floyd’s ex-girlfriend. She previously told DailyMail.com that she hoped for a guilty verdict. For this family, justice is needed. The jury will have to reconfirm her innocence if she is found guilty.
Two men stood up holding each other’s shoulders and leapt about. Others began to jump up and down and shout ‘Guilty! Guilty!
The media outside Hennepin County Courthouse was addressed by Attorney General Ellison, who focused on Potter’s victim.
He stated, “At the moment, I ask all of you to reflect on Daunte Wright’s life and what he might have become if he had the opportunity to grow up.”
“At twenty-two Daunte could do anything. Maybe he could get into the construction trade or start a business.
“What we do know is that he was young and proud of his son Daunte Jr. We also know that he loved his mother, his father and all his siblings as well as his large and beautiful family.
He could be anyone and could have had his entire life ahead. We all miss Daunte’s potential.
Ellison stated that nobody misses him more than his family. He extended his condolences to Arbuey Wright and Katie Wright, who stood by him.
Ellison stated, “There will be an empty seat at the Wright Family Table during the Holidays. That saddens us.”
Ellison thanked his jury, witnesses and team members and said that the verdict was not to be taken as an indication of discouragement or lack of effort by other law enforcement officers.
He stated that if a member is held responsible, it doesn’t diminish your ability to do so. The whole world sees that people like you who are responsible for enforcing the law want to live it.
“It restores faith and trust, as well as hope.”
He stated that the law does so by showing, “Nobody’s above the law.” No one is above the law.
After eight days of hearing testimony, the trial ended with the conviction.
Both the defense and state claimed that it was not difficult. It was not complicated, according to the state. The defense said that mistakes do happen.
Jurors suggested that jurors were having difficulty reaching a consensus on Tuesday to convict or absolve the defendant. It was announced that the jury had reached agreement on Tuesday on the second-degree count but not on the more serious.
After more than 13 hours, they then asked the judge: “If the jury fails to reach consensus on what length and how many steps should it take?” After more than 13 hours of deliberations, they asked the judge: ‘If the jury cannot reach consensus what guidance is given around how long and what steps should be taken?’ It took another 15 hours for them to finally get it right.
They would not have continued their deliberations today if Judge Chu hadn’t informed them, who had been kept in isolation at the hotel to witness this part of the trial. She said she would recall them on December 27, if they didn’t.
They are released now from all duties. It will then be up to the court whether or not their names will become public.
A few jurors raised concerns about the safety of their identities during jury selection. Their identity was kept private throughout proceedings.
Judging the jury, Judge Chu stated that the jurors of the judiciary system were heroes when he first addressed them after the decision was made. This case was won by twelve jurors.
Jurors were asked whether they would like to be selected before being chosen.
Judge: “You may recall,” he said. “Some of you checked, “No”, “Not sure,” while others did all three. [including yes]However, when I asked them if they would serve if selected by the parties, all of them replied “Yes!”
“You answered yes, even though there is a pandemic of Omicron in the community,” she continued. In light of the facts, you said yes even if there were concerns that you might not be able to serve.
“You agreed to the case even though it was likely that you wouldn’t be able to see your family and friends for much longer than Christmas.
“You sacrificed a lot to believe in our judiciary system.”
Judge Chu disqualified them, wishing them peace and beauty in the season. She said she would be sincerely grateful to each one of them individually.
It was clear that jurors struggled to reach a verdict on Tuesday after asking the judge for advice about what they should do if they were unable.
Regina Chu, Judge of the Court, returned to the Bench to address two jury questions that were filed at 4 p.m. CT following more than 13 hours’ deliberations.
First and foremost, the question was: “If the jury is unable to reach consensus on what length and how many steps should it take?”
Judge Chu replied by repeating her instructions given Monday when jurors were sent home following closing statements.
Second, they asked whether Potter’s gun could be removed from the evidence box. This would allow them to examine the weapon more efficiently.
Judge Chu granted the request, before sending the jurors out again to resume deliberations.
If they had continued to deliberate through today, Judge Regina Chu would have informed jurors who were being held in seclusion at a hotel during this section of the trial that she would recall them for the next part on December 27.
Over those two days, the defense only called eight witnesses and the state had more than twenty witnesses.
Potter was an important part of the defense. She broke down in tears and admitted to the court she wasn’t trying to hurt anybody.
This was the prosecutors’ view. They repeated to the jury that this was not a case of intent and they did not offer any’mistake defense’. According to the state, this case was one of conduct. Potter, however, was deemed criminally irresponsible.
Potter’s defense group, on the other hand, did exactly the opposite.
Led by Earl Gray – the attorney representing Thomas Lane one of the three officers still awaiting trial in George Floyd’s death – Potter’s attorneys told the jury of a career beyond reproach.
An officer, she was part of the Domestic Assault Response Team and a Field Training Officer. She also served as a member the Honor Guard and Casket Carrier for fallen officers.
She was a mother and sister and mentor to many. Potter (49) was a great cop, who admitted to making a mistake.
Daunte Wright died without any criminal intent. Wright alone is to be held responsible.
Gray and Paul Engh, co-chairs, said that if the 20-year old had surrendered Gray would still be alive today.
The defense claimed that Potter’s use a Taser to stop Wright fleeing was reasonable and an attempt at “de-escalation.” They argued that she would have had the right to use force to stop Wright fleeing. This could also be done to protect her officers.
The defense claimed that the case against the state was a confusing mess. In reality, three prosecution witnesses were contradictory and the defense made them their own when they cross examined.
Aubrey Wright said that Daunte’s dad was hoping for a verdict as Daunte entered courthouse.
Katie Bryant, mother to Daunte Wright (right), arrives in Minneapolis at Hennepin County Government Center on Thursday for the fourth day deliberations
The jury was shown dash and body cam footage earlier in the trial of Potter’s fatal shooting of Wright. Potter claims she mistookly took her gun from Wright after the traffic stop turned into chaos.
Kim Potter was a victim of first-degree manslaughter. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 15 years and 10 years respectively.
Potter wept as she gave evidence at her trial on Friday. She was trying to convince jurors that she wasn’t guilty of manslaughter in a case she claimed was a gun-Taser mismatch.
The jury wanted to know if the zip ties that were attached to Potter’s gun could be removed so they can examine the item more clearly. Photographed side-by side: Potter’s gun and the Taser
All three of the officers involved in this defense, Major Mychal Johnson (Patrol), Commander Garett Flesland (BCPD) and Mike Peterson (BCPD Taser Expert) agreed that using deadly force was reasonable and justifiable.
Contrary to this, the State’s Use of Force Expert Professor Seth Stoughton stated that Potter wasn’t justified in pulling the taser. He told the jury that there was some risk, but not enough to justify using force.
In closing arguments both sides rehearsed their central arguments – the prosecution at some length, with Erin Eldridge speaking for well over an hour and Matthew Frank mounting a rebuttal that the defense claimed was inappropriately wide-ranging in its scope and tantamount to a second closing.
Earl Gray’s final, though it was scattered and argumentative, was much more concise.
KIM Potter, MINNESOTA WOMENS PRISON WHERE KIM WOMENS WILL SERVE HER SENTENCE MANSLAUGHTER
Kim Potter will be serving her sentence in Minnesota’s Shakopee Female’s Prison. Minnesota law stipulates that the maximum possible sentence for her severe convictions would be three years. This sentence would mean that she spends two years in prison.
Shakopee Correctional Facility in Minnesota is the only state-run women’s prison. It originally housed 78 inmates and was founded as the State Reformatory for Women in 1920.
The prison was originally designed to’reform’ predominantly white sex workers, but it became more difficult for women to escape its confines.
The Minnesota Correctional Institution for Women was renamed in the 1970s, although prisoners still had to wear dress to dinner.
Minnesota Shakopee Women’s Prison
Today, the prison holds around 600 inmates from all five custody levels. It consists of ten buildings.
Inmates were on average 48 years old. Potter is 49 years old and has been arguably the highest-profile inmate of the facility to this point.
Today, the prison holds approximately 600 inmates from all five levels of custody. It is composed of ten buildings.
This includes six areas for prisoners, a mental unit, segregation facility and administrative buildings.
In addition to a treatment program for chemical dependency, the prison also offers programs that encourage good parenting and teach skills as well as several courses in college.
You can train service animals with dogs by women, too.
The prison was built without a perimeter wall or fence. It had a hedge surrounding it until 2016, when it became operational. Only eight inmates escaped, and they were all captured.
