Despite a tearful apology on the witness stand, jurors convicted former Minnesota cop Kim Potter on manslaughter charges for the death of Daunte Wright Thursday, a 20-year-old man she shot and killed after confusing her gun for a taser.
Potter, 49, was convicted on both first and second degree manslaughter charges, according to USA Today. The decision was announced moments ago after four days of deliberations when observers were speculating it would end in a mistrial.
She was taken into custody after the verdict. Her sentencing has been scheduled for February 18. Her attorneys are trying to get her released on a $100,000 bond, according to Mediaite.
She had resigned from the Brooklyn Center Police Department within days of the shooting after 26 years on the job.
The incident took place on April 11, 2021 while Potter was training a rookie cop named Anthony Luckey.
Luckey, 26, spotted Wright driving a white car with an expired registration and an air freshener hanging from his rear view mirror which is a crime in Minnesota. He was also using his turn signal “inappropriately,” Potter testified, meaning he was in a left turn lane with the right turn signal blinking.
Potter testified that she normally would not have pulled the car over since it was difficult to update car registrations during the pandemic but part of the training process is to ensure the rookie cop make “numerous contacts with the public throughout the day.”
Wright had a misdemeanor warrant for his arrest which was when he was ordered out of his car. At first, he complied but then tried to get back into his car and drive off.
“Taser! Taser!” Potter yelled while pulling out her gun and shooting Wright to death.
Read more background on the case in our article from Wednesday. Watch the video below of her tearful testimony along with footage of the shooting where she broke down in tears moments after pulling the trigger.
some how…oops’y didn’t work this time! and then crying on the stand doesn’t work ether! WE THE PEOPLE are seeing right through the deception! just like the old tired and worn out “i feared for my life!”