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Former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter sentenced to 2 years in Daunte Wright's manslaughter
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The former Minnesota police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright while yelling “Taser” during a traffic-stop-turned-arrest outside Minneapolis was sentenced Friday to two years in prison.
A Minnesota jury found Kim Potter, 49, guilty late last year of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April shooting in Brooklyn Center.
The first-degree manslaughter charge carried a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and/or a $30,000 fine and a presumptive sentence of six to eight-and-a-half years. But Hennepin County District Court Judge Regina Chu opted to give Potter a lighter sentence than recommended by state sentencing guidelines.
Potter is expected to serve 16 months in prison and a third of her sentence on supervised release.
In her ruling, Chu said “there will be those who disagree” with the sentence. She called on people to “try to empathize” with Potter and quoted former President Barack Obama.
“This is a cop who made a tragic mistake. She drew her firearm thinking it was a Taser and ended up killing a young man,” Chu said, adding, “She never intended to hurt anyone. Her conduct cries out for a sentence significantly below the guidelines.”
Chu said the sentencing was “an extremely difficult decision,” calling the case “one of the saddest cases I’ve had on my 20 years on the bench.”
Family members of Wright, who was 20 years old, spoke at the sentencing before Chu’s ruling.
“I will never be able to forgive you for what you’ve stolen from us,” Katie Wright, Daunte Wright’s mother, said before the court as she cried. “My life and my world will never, ever, be the same.”
‘I’M SO SORRY’:Ex-cop Kim Potter describes ‘chaotic’ moment she shot Daunte Wright
Wright said Potter “failed Daunte, our family and our community.” She noted Potter did not render aid to her son, whose car was held at gunpoint for more than five minutes as he bled out. “She didn’t try to save him. You should have done better,” Wright said.
Arbuey Wright, Daunte’s father, said his son was “every man’s dream.”
“I would watch Daunte as he slept for many years, thinking, wondering, how his future would be – what he would become,” Wright said, adding, “All we have is memories left of our son.”
Two of Wright’s siblings and Chyna Whitaker, the mother of Wright’s 2-year-old son, Daunte Jr., also spoke. “Kim Potter took my son’s best friend away from him,” Whitaker said. “I am now a single mother, not by choice but by force.”
Potter, who had been with the police department for 26 years, faced Wright’s family as she spoke Friday. “I am so sorry that I brought the death of your son,” Potter said, adding, “Katie, I understand a mother’s love, and I am sorry I broke your heart. My heart is broken for all of you.”
Minnesota offenders typically serve two-thirds of their time in prison and one-third on supervised release, according to The Associated Press.
Defense attorneys filed a motion late last month asking the court to sentence Potter to probation instead of prison, based on her “exemplary career,” “crime-free life” and “evident contrition.” They also argued Wright is to blame for creating a situation where Potter needed to use force and said Potter “will be a walking target in prison.”
“This is beyond tragic for everyone involved,” defense attorney Paul Engh told the court Friday.
Engh said Potter “has enormous community support” and has received “thousands” of cards from supporters while in prison. He held up a cardboard box full of cards and a stack of letters submitted on Potter’s behalf and read from several of them, including some from Potter’s family.
Chu said she also received “hundreds of hundreds” of letters.
‘SHE DID COMMIT A CRIME’:Juror says Kim Potter made a mistake but was still responsible
Prosecutors initially said there are “aggravating factors” at play in the case that merit harsher sentencing – that Potter’s actions endangered other people and she abused her position of authority as a police officer. But in a filing Tuesday, prosecutors said Potter’s presumptive sentence “reflects the seriousness of the loss of his life” and “could help the community heal.”
“This is a courtroom full of pain and anger,” prosecutor Matthew Frank said Friday morning, visibly emotional. “What can be done to help restore some of the faith and trust between law enforcement and the community?”
Potter, who is white, fatally shot Wright, a Black man, on April 11. She and a trainee officer said they pulled Wright’s vehicle over that day because he had a blinker on in the wrong turn lane, expired tabs and an air freshener hanging from his rearview mirror.
The officers discovered Wright had a warrant for arrest on a weapons violation and an order of protection against him, and they attempted to detain him. During the struggle, Potter shot Wright, who drove down the street and crashed into an oncoming vehicle, injuring the passenger in his car as well as two others.
At trial, defense attorneys argued Potter mistook her firearm for a Taser but was justified in using deadly force to prevent another officer from being injured. Potter testified at the trial and said she was “sorry” and “didn’t want to hurt anybody.”
Prosecutors said Potter recklessly handled her firearm and caused Wright’s death through her “culpable negligence” – a conscious and disregard of a substantial and unjustifiable risk.
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Potter has been in state prison since the conviction nearly two months ago. A predominantly white jury deliberated for more than 27 hours in the case.
One juror who spoke anonymously to KARE-TV following the verdict said: “We felt like she was a good person, we felt she made a mistake, and that a mistake does not absolve you from the fact she did commit a crime.”
Potter has been segregated from the rest of the prison population and hasn’t had contact with other incarcerated women, said Sarah Fitzgerald, spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
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Razzies royally torch 'Diana' musical and 'Space Jam 2,' show love to Oscar favorite Will Smith
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In its proclamation of the worst films of 2021, the Razzies lambasted a critically reviled Princess Diana musical and LeBron James’ “Space Jam” sequel, but spread love instead of hate for Will Smith.
The Golden Raspberry Awards, annually announced the day before the Academy Awards, bestowed five dishonors on Netflix’s “Diana: The Musical,” a filmed production of the recent Broadway show that closed after 33 performances. “Diana” beat out “Infinite,” “Karen,” “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and “The Woman in the Window” for worst picture, plus picked up worst screenplay and worst actress for star Jeanna de Waal.
“New Legacy,” the live-action/animated hybrid basketball comedy featuring James hooping it up with Bugs Bunny and Co., earned three Razzie awards. James was named worst actor and also was saddled with worst screen couple – which went to James and “Any Warner Cartoon Character (or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On” – while the movie snagged worst sequel.
How to watch the 2022 Oscars:Everything you should know about Sunday’s Academy Awards
“House of Gucci” star Jared Leto lost his Screen Actors Guild race for best supporting actor but nabbed the Razzie for worst. And Bruce Willis does so many VOD movies now that he received his own special category (worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie) that, to no one’s surprise, he won – for “Cosmic Sin.”
Smith, who’s expected to win the best actor Oscar Sunday for “King Richard,” received this year’s Razzie Redeemer Award for previous Razzie honorees who’ve come back with quality efforts. Recent winners include Ben Affleck, Sylvester Stallone, Melissa McCarthy and Eddie Murphy.
The full list of this year’s Razzie “winners”:
Worst picture: “Diana: The Musical”
Worst actor: LeBron James, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst actress: Jeanna de Waal, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actress: Judy Kaye, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst supporting actor: Jared Leto, “House of Gucci”
Worst performance by Bruce Willis in a 2021 movie: Bruce Willis, “Cosmic Sin”
Worst screen couple: LeBron James and Any Warner Cartoon Character
(or WarnerMedia Product) He Dribbles On, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst remake, rip-off or sequel: “Space Jam: A New Legacy”
Worst director: Christopher Ashley, “Diana: The Musical”
Worst screenplay: “Diana: The Musical”
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As more marijuana dispensaries get targeted by robbers, SAFE Banking Act lingers in Congress
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CHICAGO — In a ridiculous coincidence, the Saint Peter’s Peacocks wrote NCAA Tournament history on National Peacock Day with a thrilling upset of Purdue.
The mid-major became the first-ever No. 15 seed to reach the Elite Eight, outdoing previous No. 15 seeds Oral Roberts (2021) and Florida Gulf Coast (2013). Exactly 0.8% of people picked the Peacocks to get this far, with the school from Jersey City, New Jersey, defying all odds. Is Saint Peter’s the best Cinderella of all time?
Meanwhile, the ACC is sitting pretty with three teams – Duke and now North Carolina and Miami (Fla.) – in the Elite Eight on the same day the Big Ten saw its last team go down.
A look at three key takeaways from Friday:
Saint Peter’s writes NCAA history
Coach Shaheen Holloway has this team playing inspired basketball, and now the Peacocks (22-11) are just one win from the Final Four. The best Cinderellas of the last two decades to reach Final Fours – George Mason in 2006, VCU in 2011, Loyola-Chicago (2018) all were double-digit seeded mid-majors. But none was as highly seeded as this Saint Peter’s team that’s now beaten No. 2 seed Kentucky, No. 7 Murray State and No. 3 Purdue.
WINNERS, LOSERS:Poised Saint Peter’s keeps the dream alive; bye-bye, Big Ten; hello, ACC
OPINION:Saint Peter’s embodies wackiness and uncertainty of this NCAA Tournament
ANALYSIS:Purdue’s loss leaves Big Ten shut out of Elite Eight. We could see this coming.
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While other bracket-busting NCAA Tournament darlings of yesteryear have had flair (FGCU’s “Dunk City”) or a lovable fan (Loyola’s Sister Jean), this team from the MAAC is doing it with defense, namely with nine steals. In spite of being undersized against the Boilermakers, the Peacocks used aggressiveness and hustle to outduel their seemingly superior opponent behind 6-8 freshman Clarence Rubert and 6-7 junior Hassan Drame. Daryl Banks III (14 points) is the go-to scorer for Saint Peter’s, but Mr. Clutch has been guard Doug Edert (10 points) off the bench. One stat to note: a 19-for-21 clip from the free-throw line. What’s been most impressive is the Peacocks’ ability to stay hungry and poised under pressure, winning close games in all three NCAA Tournament matchups.
Blue-bloods show title potential
Duke and Villanova advanced on Thursday, and fellow blue-bloods Kansas and North Carolina will now join them in the Elite Eight. And yes, if both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels win Sunday, we could see them meet in the Final Four.
Ever since North Carolina embarrassed Duke in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Heels have been red-hot – knocking out No. 1 Baylor in the previous game in overtime. That continued against a UCLA team that reached the Final Four last year and seemed destined to get back. Caleb Love was brilliant again, finishing with 30 points off six three-pointers. Armando Bacot’s tip-in with 22 seconds left sealed the win in another impressive outing for coach Hubert Davis’ resilient team.
The last remaining No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament, Kansas stayed alive, escaping Providence by five points. It’s coach Bill Self’s ninth trip to the Elite Eight with Kansas and 11th of his career, as the Jayhawks (31-6) are one win from the Final Four. They’ve now won eight in a row and are looking like a title contender after entering the NCAA Tourney having won the Big 12 tournament.
The secret weapon for Kansas has been guard Remy Martin. For the third consecutive tournament game, Kansas got a jolt off the bench from the fiery Martin (23 points), the Arizona State transfer who has erupted in these NCAAs after playing a reserve role throughout 2021-22.
ACC > Big Ten
Despite garnering nine NCAA Tournament bids on Selection Sunday – the most of any conference – the Big Ten is out following Purdue’s stunning exit vs. Saint Peter’s. The league tanked in the first two rounds, with No. 5 Iowa – the conference tourney champ – getting upset by Richmond in the first round. No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Illinois, No. 7 Michigan State and No. 7 Ohio State all lost in the second round. And now, with Michigan’s loss to Villanova, the overall underachievement is on full display. That’s a 9-9 finish in the tournament.
No Big Ten team has cut down the nets since 2000 (the Spartans), and it’s a depressing outlook for the league that posted the second-best NET score in 2021-22 and showcased several teams with Final Four potential.
The ACC, which finished with the sixth-worst NET score as a league, has Duke, North Carolina and Miami all in the Elite Eight. That’s after the Tar Heels, Hurricanes and Notre Dame were all bubble teams in early March. The NCAA Tournament is about matchups and pathways. No matter how well the Big Ten did in the regular season, much like the Pac-12’s surprising finish last year, the ACC is well-positioned with three teams still alive and two of them title contenders.
Follow college basketball reporter Scott Gleeson on Twitter @ScottMGleeson.
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