Kim Potter is expected to make a statement at her sentencing hearing.
The former suburban Minneapolis police officer who said she confused her handgun for her Taser when she fatally shot Daunte Wright was sentenced Friday to two years in prison, a penalty below state guidelines after the judge found mitigating factors warranted a lesser sentence. Kim Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 killing of Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist. She was sentenced only on the more serious charge in accordance with state law. For someone with no criminal history, such as Potter, the state guidelines on that charge range from slightly more than six years to about 8 1/2 years in prison, with the presumptive sentence being just over seven years. Prosecutors said the presumptive sentence was proper, but defense attorneys asked for a sentence below the guidelines, including a sentence of probation only. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. The mother of Daunte Wright said Friday she will never be able to forgive the former suburban Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed her son. Addressing the court during Kim Potter’s sentencing hearing for manslaughter, Katie Wright said she would only refer to Potter as “the defendant” because Potter only referred to her 20-year-old son as “the driver” at trial. “She never once said his name. And for that I’ll never be able to forgive you. And I’ll never be able to forgive you for what you’ve stolen from us,” Katie Wright said. “My life and my world will never ever be the same again,” she said. Potter was convicted in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 11 killing of Wright, a Black motorist. She’ll be sentenced only on the most serious charge of first-degree manslaughter, which carries a presumptive penalty of just over seven years in prison. Prosecutor Matt Frank said Friday that he believes the presumptive sentence is appropriate, given the loss of life and Potter’s culpable negligence. “His life mattered, and that life was taken,” Prosecutor Matt Frank said Friday. “His name is Daunte Wright. We have to say his name. He was not just a driver. He was a living human being. A life.” The defense has asked for a lesser sentence, including one of probation only, but Frank said: “We are not agreeing to that your honor, but we have recognize this is a unique case.
