Kim Potter charged with manslaughter in Daunte Wright shooting
A jury found Kimberly Potter an ex mIneapolis police officer guilty, on two charges of manslaughter in the shooting death of Daunte Wright. Potter faces eight years in prison on the first-degree manslaughter charge and five years on the second-degree manslaughter charge.
The jury deliberated for 27 hours over a 4-day period returning a guilty verdict on Thursday.
Prosecutors were unable to convince the jury of 12 -- one an African male that Potter mistook her gun for a taser. The former Brooklyn Center officer was training rookies on April 11 when she shot Wright.
Judge Regina Chu ordered Potter into custody immediately and held without bail. after Defense attorneys Paul Engh and Earl Gray argued that Potter should be allowed to stay free on bail until sentencing, saying she is a law abiding person who made a mistake and would not commit any crimes while free.
Chu thanked the 12-member jury for serving during the pandemic, say they are the heroes of the justice system.
Pres. Biden said in an ABC interview that is in favor of a filibuster carve out for voting rights, but only as a last resort. In the last press briefing of 2021, Press Sec. Jen Psaki requoted Pres. Biden explaining, "I don't think we will have to go that far, but I would. Voting Rights advocates like Rev. Al Sharpton have been pressuring Biden to use his influence in this on-going laundry to get two key voting rights measures passed by any means necessary -- making this a top agenda item for the coming new year.
