Why Was Daunte Wright Shot by Kim Potter?
During a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, cops found expired license plates and an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror of Wright’s vehicle.
Potter shot and killed Wright after initially stopping him for an expired registration tag on his vehicle. Tim Gannon, the former Brooklyn Center Police Chief who resigned following the event, stated she realized he had an outstanding warrant for a gross misdemeanor guns accusation and attempted to detain him.
By attempting to re-enter his vehicle, Wright escaped officers seeking to detain him. According to Potter’s lawyer, it was at that point that she accidentally shot him with her gun rather than her stun gun.
Potter was found guilty in December of first- and second-degree manslaughter in connection with the April 11 killing. She will only be convicted on the most serious allegation of first-degree manslaughter, which carries a potential sentence of slightly more than seven years in jail.
In light of Potter’s egregious carelessness and the loss of a life, prosecutor Matt Frank believes the presumptive term is reasonable.
In the words of Frank, “His was an important life.” “His given name is Daunte Wright.'” His name must be uttered. But he was much more than that. He was a real person with a soul. Life is a precious gift.”
Wright’s death was “beyond terrible for everyone concerned,” Paul Engh, Wright’s defense counsel, told the court. “This was an inadvertent crime,” he continued. It was a freak accident. A blunder was made”
Paul Engh, Potter’s defense attorney, argued that sentencing guidelines are commonly ignored because they are overly harsh for many defendants, including first-time offenders. He indicated that Potter would be willing to meet with Wright’s family and to speak with police personnel about Taser mixups. – he said
