Kim Potter gets a 2-year sentence - less than prosecutors and Wright's family requested

CNN —

Kim Potter, the former Minnesota police officer who mistakenly drew a gun instead of a Taser and fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop, was sentenced on Friday to two years in prison.

The sentence comes nearly two months after Potter was convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter. Prosecutors had requested seven years and two months while Potter’s attorneys argued for a lesser sentence, pointing to her lack of a prior criminal history and remorse for Wright’s death.

Potter will be required to serve two-thirds of her sentence in prison, or 16 months, according to state law. With good behavior, she will be eligible for supervised release for the remaining third.

Follow live updates: Kim Potter’s sentencing

Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu called the sentence “an extremely difficult decision.”

In justifying it, she pointed to several mitigating factors, saying it was undisputed that Potter never intended to use her gun. Chu told the court she took into account the four reasons for incarceration – retribution, incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation – saying retribution would be the only purpose served in Potter’s case.

“There rightfully should be some accountability,” she said.

But Potter is a “cop who made a tragic mistake,” the judge added. “She drew her firearm thinking it was a Taser, and ended up killing a young man.”

She called this case “highly unusual,” noting two other cases involving police officers tried in that court.

“The other officer cases tried in this court are distinguishable,” she said, alluding to the cases of Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering George Floyd, and Mohamed Noor, who was convicted in the death of Justine Ruszczyk.

“This is not a cop found guilty of murder for using his knee to pin down a person for nine and a half minutes as he gasped for air,” she said. “This is not a cop found guilty of manslaughter for intentionally drawing his firearm and shooting across his partner and killing an unarmed woman who approached his squad.”

Wright’s family was “completely stunned” by the sentence, their attorney Ben Crump said in a statement.

“While there is a small sense of justice because she will serve nominal time, the family is also deeply disappointed there was not a greater level of accountability,” the statement said. “The Judge’s comments at sentencing showed a clear absence of compassion for the victim in this tragedy and were devastating to the family.”

Shortly before she was sentenced, Potter tearfully apologized to Wright’s family, saying, “I am so sorry that I brought the death of your son, father, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew, and the rest of your family,” adding, “I’m sorry I broke your heart.”

“I do pray that one day you can find forgiveness,” the former officer said, “only because hatred is so destructive to all of us.”

After Friday’s hearing, Wright’s mother told reporters her family was “very disappointed” with the sentence.

“This is the problem with our justice system today. White women tears trumps justice,” Katie Wright said. She thought her own “White woman tears would be good enough,” she said, “because they’re true and genuine.”

Wright’s father similarly expressed his strong discontent with Potter’s sentence. “I feel cheated, I feel hurt,” he said.

“They were so tied up into her feelings and what’s going on with her,” Arbuey Wright said, referring to Potter, “that they forgot about my son being killed.”

Earlier Friday morning, Wright’s parents, two siblings and the mother of his child stood at a podium in court and urged the judge to impose the maximum possible sentence. Wright’s mother said Potter was a “police officer that took an oath to serve and protect for 26 years.”

“But not on this day. On this day, she did not protect,” she said. “She failed Daunte, our family and our community.”