Former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter received a sentence of 24 months after she was convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright.
On Friday, Judge Regina Chu handed down the sentence. Two-thirds of the sentence, or 16 months, is to be served in prison, while the other will be served on disciplinary release “assuming no disciplinary offenses or conditional release violations.”
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Former police officer Kim Potter sentenced to 16 months in prison + 8 months on supervised release in fatal shooting of Daunte Wright.
— The Recount (@therecount) February 18, 2022
Judge Regina Chu sentenced below the manslaughter guidelines, given Potter accidentally grabbed her gun instead of her Taser. pic.twitter.com/MZIEYQZRvo
Potter was charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Wright, a Black man, in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, in April 2021.
And in December, she was convicted on both charges.
As USA Today notes, “The first-degree manslaughter charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and/or a $30,000 fine. The second-degree charge has a maximum sentence of 10 years and/or a $20,000 fine.”
On Friday, Chu addressed the fact that the sentence was a “significant downward departure.”
She said it “does not in any way diminish Daunte Wright’s life. His life mattered.”
However, she added, “To those who disagree and feel a longer prison sentence is appropriate, as difficult as it may be, please try to empathize with Ms. Potter’s situation.”
She went on to quote former President Barack Obama, who said, “Learning to stand in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, that’s how peace begins. And it’s up to you to make that happen. Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world.”
Wright was shot during a traffic stop last year after he broke free while another officer was attempting to handcuff him after he was informed there was an outstanding warrant. He then managed to return to the driver’s seat of his car.
Potter was heard on bodycam footage saying, “I’ll Tase you!”
“Taser! Taser! Taser!” she shouted.
However, instead of drawing a taser, she drew her firearm and shot Wright in the chest.
During the trial, prosecutors argued Potter “recklessly” handled her firearm. Her defense said she confused her firearm for her taser and was justified in using deadly force.
