A Minneapolis jury convicted former police officer Kim Potter on both counts with which she was charged in the April shooting death of Daunte Wright. The verdict came after the court announced that an "outcome" in the trial had been reached earlier Thursday afternoon following more than 27 hours of deliberations.
The jury's verdict was read by Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu: Guilty on the first count of manslaughter in the first degree and guilty on the second count of manslaughter in the second degree.
Former Minnesota Police Officer Kim Potter found guilty on all charges in death of Daunte Wright. https://t.co/iJXHtk89uM pic.twitter.com/jMQoIESlAg
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 23, 2021
After reading the verdict and polling the jury, Judge Chu announced that Potter would be taken into custody and held without bail until sentencing which is set to occur in the beginning of the new year. Potter faces up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine on the first count and up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine on the second count.
A small crowd of demonstrators and press had gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis when the news broke that the jury had reached an outcome.
Crowd of protesters and press growing. A few members of the Wright family are here. pic.twitter.com/Uc4ZjhFcdp
— Kim Hyatt (@kimvhyatt) December 23, 2021
Potter, who was a 26-year veteran of the Brooklyn Center Police Department, testified during the trial that she didn't intend to shoot Wright, but mistakenly drew her firearm when she believed she was pulling her Taser to use as 20-year-old Wright attempted to evade arrest after it was discovered he had an outstanding warrant.
The shooting triggered the resignation of Kim Potter and Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon and led to the firing of City Manager Curt Boganey after he called for due process in the case.