Former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter, who fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop after drawing her service weapon rather than her Taser, has been sentenced.
Potter was sentenced to two years in prison, less time than the prosecutors or the Wright family wanted. Prosecutors had recommended seven years, two months. She was convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter in December 2021.
In explaining her reasoning for the light sentence, Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu said it was “an extremely difficult decision,” but she said Potter is a “cop who made a tragic mistake. She drew her firearm thinking it was a Taser, and ended up killing a young man.”
Under state law, Potter will be required to serve two-thirds of her sentence, or 16 months.
