Kim Potter, the former Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, police officer convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright, was sentenced Friday to 24 months, with 16 months served in prison. The rest of the sentence will be served under supervised release.
Potter, who is white, fatally shot Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in April 2021. In December, Potter testified that she had mistakenly drawn her gun instead of her Taser before firing at Wright.
Prosecutors asked for roughly seven years in prison for Potter. Her attorneys sought a lighter sentence, including probation only.
Attorneys for Wright's family respond to sentence
Attorneys representing Wright's family issued a statement in response to the sentence, calling Judge Chu's sympathetic remarks toward Potter "devastating."
"Today's sentencing of Kim Potter leaves the family of Daunte Wright completely stunned," attorneys Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci and Jeff Storms wrote. "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," they continued. "Judge Chu's comments about Potter resembled those of a job recommendation and not that of a senseless and preventable death of a promising young life."
Here's a breakdown of Potter's sentence
Potter's 24-month sentence is well below the 86-month sentence requested by the state of Minnesota. Judge Chu said 16 months of the sentence are to be served in prison. She will serve the rest under supervised release if she has no disciplinary issues while in prison. She gets credit for 58 days already served in prison.
Potter will also have to pay a $1,000 fine.
Chu became emotional while addressing the court after handing down Potter's sentence.
"She never intended to hurt anyone," Chu said. "Her conduct cries out for a sentence significantly below the guidelines."
It's unclear what impact Potter's sentencing will have on future police brutality cases. As Ja'han Jones writes for The ReidOut Blog:
Potter’s criminal conviction was unusual given the documented history of police officers in the U.S. evading punishment for inflicting violence on Black victims. Her case challenged the jury’s willingness to accept an officer’s pretense for violence. Although the problem of anti-Black police brutality existed before Potter, and continues after her conviction, the rarity of police accountability has given her case outsize importance to activists and observers looking for racial justice.
Potter sentenced to 16 months in prison
Judge Chu sentences Potter to 24 months, with 16 months served in prison. The rest of the sentence will be served under supervised release.
Potter will also be fined $1,000.
Judge says Potter has proven to be ‘extremely remorseful’
Judge Chu calls this case “one of the saddest I’ve had on my 20 years on the bench.”
She says Potter made a “tragic error” in fatally shooting Wright.
“There is no question that Mrs. Potter is extremely remorseful,” Chu says, adding that she does not believe Potter presents “a danger of future crimes.”
Potter to Wright’s mother: ‘I am sorry I broke your heart’
Potter addresses the court through tears, apologizing to Wright’s family.
“I am so sorry that I brought the death of your son, father, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew and the rest of your family to your home,” Potter says.
“Katie, I understand a mother’s love and I am sorry I broke your heart,” Potter says, addressing Wright’s mother directly. “My heart is broken for all of you.”
Defense attorney calls for ‘mercy and forgiveness’ for Potter
“Mercy and forgiveness” should play a role in the court’s sentencing decision, defense attorney Engh argues. He says Potter is a “loving mother” to two sons and deserves a lesser sentence than what’s suggested by state guidelines.
Potter “should be helped,” Engh says, adding: “I don’t think she’s ever going to get over” killing Wright.
Engh also argues that Wright’s effort to evade arrest was a “violent act” that could have “harmed” officers at the scene. Wright wasn’t armed, and prosecutors argued during Potter’s trial that Wright wasn’t acting aggressively.
Judge Chu orders a 15-minute recess and says Potter will be given the opportunity to address the court when they return.
Potter’s mental, physical health declining in prison, attorney says
In arguing against a prison sentence, defense attorney Engh says Potter would be “vulnerable to assault” as a former police officer if put in a prison’s general population.
Potter is largely isolated in her current incarceration situation, which is causing her mental and physical health to “decline,” Engh says.
“If you send her to prison, you will harm her,” Engh says. “And we are not in the business of harming defendants.”
Defense attorney downplays Potter’s mugshot smile
Defense attorney Paul Engh tells the court that Potter didn’t mean to be “disrespectful” by smiling in her post-conviction mugshot. He says prison officials asked her to smile and she complied.
Engh asks the judge for a lighter sentence than what prosecutors are requesting, arguing she has shown adequate remorse for her crime.
“This was an unintentional crime,” he says. “It was an accident. It was a mistake.”
Mother of Wright’s 2-year-old son says she has PTSD
Chyna Whitaker, the mother of Wright’s 2-year-old son, wept as she addressed the court. She was in the car when Wright was shot on April 11.
“Kim Potter took my son’s best friend away from him and things haven’t been the same since,” Whitaker said. “I am now a single mother. Not by choice.”
Whitaker says she suffers from PTSD and has “extreme anxiety” of being pulled over by police.
Wright’s father, brother ask judge for maximum sentence
In a series of emotional impact statements, Wright’s father, Aubrey Wright, and oldest brother, Damik Bryant, also asked the judge to give Potter the maximum sentence.
“She was a police officer longer than my son was alive,” Aubrey Wright said, adding: “Daunte’s life was taken away way too soon and he’s never coming back.”
“We miss you more than ever,” Bryant said, referring to his slain sibling. “I think about you every day. I lost not only my best friend but my baby brother.”
Bryant also read a poem about his brother to the court, and condemned Potter for appearing to smile in her post-conviction mugshot.
Wright’s mother to Potter: ‘I’ll never be able to forgive you’
Wright’s mother, Katie Ann Wright, tearfully addresses the court, telling Potter that she will “never” be able to forgive her for killing her son.
“I will not give her the respect of calling her by her name,” Wright said of Potter. “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."
“For that I’ll never be able to forgive you,” Wright said, addressing Potter directly. “And I’ll never be able to forgive you for what you’ve stolen from us.”
She asked the judge to give Potter the maximum sentence.
“A police officer who’s supposed to serve and protect took so much away from us,” Wright said. “My life and my world will never ever be the same."
Prosecutor asks judge to sentence Potter to roughly 7 years
In arguments before the court, prosecutor Matthew Frank thanks the jury and Wright’s family. He asks Judge Regina Chu for Potter to receive a presumptive sentence of just over seven years behind bars.
“His name is Daunte Wright,” Frank says. “We have to say his name. He was not just a driver. He was a living human being, a life. The highest principle of law enforcement is the sanctity of life. And his life counted. His life mattered. And that life was taken.”
Potter’s “remorse is not enough,” he adds.
Supporters gather outside the courthouse
Small groups of people are gathering outside Hennepin County District Court, where Potter will be sentenced. Some of them are there to support Potter and others are there for Wright, according to local news reporter Lou Raguse.
Wright’s death proves an interracial America can’t save us
The killing of Wright, whose mother is white and father is Black, highlighted for MSNBC columnist Zach Stafford something painful about the myth of an interracial America.
As Stafford wrote in April:
“While our country may be becoming less and less "black and white" in some regards, it isn’t when it comes to a traffic stop in America — especially when "black and white" has become the biggest factor for an officer when they decide to be judge, juror and executioner during these moments.”
Jury didn’t buy Potter’s tearful testimony
A Minnesota jury wasn't convinced by Potter's tearful testimony during her trial in December.
From The ReidOut Blog's Ja'han Jones in December:
Potter's attorney made the former officer's incompetence central to her defense. Despite having 26 years of police experience, Potter made a simple “mistake” that was undeserving of punishment, her legal team argued.“I’m sorry it happened,” Potter testified through tears. “I didn’t want to hurt anybody.”Tearful performances of contrition have become part of the customary act white police and pseudo-police put on while facing charges for their violence.