US Jury Finds Ex-Cop Who Shot Daunte Wright Guilty on Two Counts of Manslaughter

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th December, 2021) A US jury found former Minnesota police officer Kimberly Potter guilty on two counts of manslaughter for killing black man Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in April of this year, Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu said on Thursday.

"We the jury on the charge of manslaughter in the first degree while committing a misdemeanor on or about April 11, 2021, in Hennepin County find the defendant guilty," Chu said when reading out the verdict.

Chu added that the jury also found Potter guilty of second-degree murder due to her "culpable negligence."

Potter was ordered into custody and will be sentenced on February 18.

Potter and a trainee officer pulled Wright over on April 11, 2021 for expired registration tags and a rearview mirror violation.

After making initial contact, the officers learned that Wright had an arrest warrant for a weapons violation and protective order against him, and subsequently tried to arrest Wright with the assistance of their supervisor who arrived at the scene.

Potter shot and killed Wright after he resisted arrest and attempted to re-enter his vehicle. Potter, who can be heard on video of the incident yelling "TASER, TASER, TASER!" before firing the first shot, maintains that use of the handgun was an accident. The defense argued that Potter had legal authority to use lethal or non-lethal force given the fatal risk of fellow officers being dragged by Wright's vehicle.

First-degree manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, and second-degree manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.