Kim Potter, Ex-Officer Convicted in Daunte Wright Shooting, Sentenced To Two Years In Prison
Kim Potter, the former suburban Minneapolis police officer who was convicted in the 2021 shooting death of Daunte Wright was given a two-year sentence on Friday (Feb. 18) in a Minneapolis courtroom. She will spend 16 months behind bars and the rest on probation.
Katie Wright, Daunte Wright's mother, had a strong reaction to what the family said was a shockingly light sentence, and she was also upset that the judge's remarks appeared to sympathize with Potter.
"Kim Potter murdered my son and he died April 11. Today the justice system murdered him all over again," Katie Wright said after the sentencing.
She added, "To sit there pouring my heart out in my victim impact statement…to not get a response from the judge at all. But when it came to sentencing Kim Potter she broke out in tears. This isn’t okay…this is the problem. White women tears trump justice. I thought my white woman tears would be good enough, but when it comes to coercing the judge…I guess we didn’t have a win at all."
The family's attorney Ben Crump issued this statement:
“Today’s sentencing of Kim Potter leaves the family of Daunte Wright completely stunned. While there is a small sense of justice because she will serve nominal time, the family is also deeply disappointed there was not a greater level of accountability.
"The Judge’s comments at sentencing showed a clear absence of compassion for the victim in this tragedy and were devastating to the family. Judge Chu’s comments about Potter resembled those of a job recommendation and not that of a senseless and preventable death of a promising life.
"The death of Daunte remains excruciatingly painful and the family prays for greater peace and healing within their family and in their community. The Wright family appreciates the work of the jurors who found Ms. Potter guilty. Furthermore, our legal team will continue to fight for justice in the civil system in Daunte’s name.”
Crump told reporters after the sentencing that the family expected "an apples-to-apples comparison" to the sentencing of "[Black former Minneapolis officer] Mohamed Noor, who was convicted of a much lesser charge of manslaughter, got much more time.”
In 2017, Noor fatally shot an unarmed white woman, Justine Ruszczyk Damond, after she called 911 to report a possible rape happening behind her home. Noor was sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
“They don’t know why there was more consideration given to a white police officer who killed a Black man, than a Black police officer who killed a white woman,” Crump added.
The NAACP added its voice to those who are outraged by the sentence, which the civil rights organization called a slap on the wrist and yet another example of injustice.
“As scores of Black men sit in prison for the rest of their lives for committing non-violent crimes, Kim Potter will be a free woman in one year despite the fact that Daunte Wright’s son will live the rest of his life without his father. ”
Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu said she was aware that her sentence would get an angry response.
"I recognize there will be those who disagree with this sentence. That I granted a significant downward departure does not in any way diminish Daunte Wright's life," she stated from the bench.
Potter, 49, cried as she addressed Wright’s family shortly before Chu handed down the sentence. According to Minnesota state law, Potter was required to be sentenced on only the most serious charge, which was first-degree manslaughter (she also was convicted on a second-degree manslaughter charge). The maximum penalty for that charge is 15 years, but sentencing guidelines call for much less, although prosecutors wanted a lengthy term.
Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was driving his car along a road in Brooklyn Center, Minn., when he was pulled over by police for expired tags. When they realized he also had warrants out for his arrest, officers attempted to handcuff him. But Potter’s body camera shows that when he attempted to get back into his car, she shouted “taser, taser,” but instead of using the device, she pulled her service revolver and fired it. He reentered his car and drove away, but crashed into another car not far from the scene and was pronounced dead.
Potter, a 26-year veteran resigned from the Brooklyn Center police force as did police chief Tim Gannon. She was arrested within days and charged with second-degree manslaughter and the first-degree charge was added later. She claimed that she mistook her gun for her service weapon and never meant to shoot Wright. The entire affair took place in the shadow of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted on April 20, 2021, of murdering George Floyd almost a year prior.
She was convicted Dec. 23, 2021, on the manslaughter charges after a tearful testimony in which she said that the traffic stop “just went chaotic” after Wright tried to get back into his car and leave.
But after the verdict, Crump released a statement that expressed satisfaction that Potter was held accountable.
“From the unnecessary and overreaching tragic traffic stop to the shooting that took his life, that day will remain a traumatic one for this family and yet another example for America of why we desperately need change in policing, training and protocols,” the statement said.
Wright’s family gave emotional testimony during the impact statement portion of the sentencing hearing.
Katie Wright cried as she highlighted the disrespect and lack of remorse that Potter showed when testifying about her son.
"She referred to Daunte over and over again as the driver, as if killing him wasn't enough to dehumanize him. She never once 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," Wright said.
She urged the judge to hold the former officer fully accountable, underscoring Potter’s initial reaction to shooting Daunte.
Wright said, "Your honor, I'm asking you to hold the defendant to the highest accountability, to the person of authority who portrayed her badge not only when she shot Daunte but when she rolled around on the ground crying for herself, 'I'm going to prison ... when she should have in fact said, 'Please go save him. How is he doing? Is he OK? Please help him.' She didn't even try, your honor. She didn't try to save him. You should have done better."
Chyna Whitaker, the mother of Daunte Wright's two-year-old son, testified in her impact statement that their child is aware that his dad is gone.
"Kim Potter took my son's best friend away from him and things haven't been the same since. I am now a single mother, not by choice, by force," Whitaker said.
She continued: "I now suffer from severe PTSD; whenever I'm pulled over, I have extreme anxiety, afraid of making a mistake and something ending up going wrong. I can't watch any movies or videos that have to do with police brutality because it reminds me of Daunte being killed. I got my son a poster of his dad that I keep in his bedroom. Many times, I just find him staring at it. My son shouldn't have to wear a 'rest in peace' shirt of his dad."
