Former police Kim Potter was sentenced Friday to two years in prison for shooting Daunte Wright during a traffic stop last year in a Minneapolis suburb. Potter was convicted of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in December, but was only convicted of the most serious charge.
Potter, 49, may only serve two-thirds of his sentence, one year and four months, in prison if he behaves. The remaining time will be paid on supervised release. Potter was credited with serving 58 days.
“For those who disagree and consider that a longer prison sentence is appropriate, however difficult it may be, try to empathize with Ms. Potter’s situation,” Judge Regina Chu said after sentencing. and added that Wright’s life “mattered.”
“Officer Potter made a mistake that ended tragically,” Chu said. “He never intended to hurt anyone. His conduct cries out for a sentence significantly below the guidelines.”
According to prosecutors, Potter was facing an alleged sentence of just over seven years according to state guidelines. His lawyers demanded a lesser sentence or only parole.
After Friday’s emotional hearing, Wright’s mother, Katie Wright, said of her son, “Today, the justice system has killed him again.”
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His father, Arbuey Wright, said he felt “cheated.”
“I leave this court feeling that people are laughing at us because this lady got slapped on the wrist and we are still sitting crying every night, waiting for my son to come home,” he told reporters. “I’m upset.”
In a statement, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said he accepted the judge’s decision and urged people to do the same.
“I’m not asking you to agree with his decision, which doesn’t take anything out of the truth of the jury’s verdict,” Ellison said. “I know it hurts Daunte Wright’s loved ones. I ask that we remember the beauty of Daunte Wright, that we keep her memory in our hearts, and that you know that no number of years in prison could ever capture the wonder of this young man. the life of man “.
During the hearing, Wright’s family had asked Chu for the maximum punishment allowed.
“I can never forgive you for stealing from us,” Katie Wright told Potter.
Katie Wright said she wanted to see more of Potter during the trial.
“My heart wanted to see remorse, sadness in his eyes,” he said. “I wanted to see the words ‘sorry’ in her mouth, but she sat there with so much right and privilege. She never looked at us.”
Later at the hearing, Potter apologized, saying he did not believe he “had a right” to look at the family. “Katie, I understand a mother’s love and I’m sorry I broke your heart,” Potter said. “My heart is broken for all of you.”
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Defense attorney Paul Engh said Potter’s “five-second mistake” should be balanced against what he called a “virtuous life.”
Wright, a 20-year-old black man, was arrested at Brooklyn Center in April for having expired license plates and an air freshener hung from the rearview mirror of his vehicle. When Potter, who is White, and another agent attempted to arrest him with a pending warrant, Wright returned to the driver’s seat.
Before Wright left, Potter said he thought he had grabbed his Taser, but he pulled out his gun and shot Wright in the chest. While she was being questioned by the prosecution during her trial, Potter she broke down in tears on the podium of witnesses, saying in court, “I’m sorry it happened.”
Friday’s hearing comes a day after the funeral for Amir Locke, a 22-year-old black man who was shot dead in Minneapolis by a police officer executing a non-detonation order in an apartment. The shooting is under investigation.
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