Trial of ex-police officer who fatally shot Black motorist Daunte Wright may proceed, judge rules

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Kimberly A. Potter, the former Minnesota police officer who was charged with manslaughter for fatally shooting 20-year-old Daunte Wright, is set to stand trial at the end of the year, a Minneapolis judge ruled Monday.

Hennepin County Judge Regina M. Chu said during a virtual omnibus hearing Monday that she found probable cause to support the charge against Potter and set a tentative trial date for Dec. 6.

After a brief delay over technical difficulties, Chu started the hearing by offering condolences to Wright’s family members, who were in virtual attendance. Special Assistant Hennepin County Prosecutor Imran Ali raised concerns about the trial’s start date, citing the amount of discovery and witness selection the state has ahead of it, but Chu signaled she would try to hold to the early December date. Continue reading.

Officer Kim Potter to be charged with manslaughter in Daunte Wright’s death

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Kim Potter, the former police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright outside Minneapolis on Sunday, will be charged with second-degree manslaughter, Washington County Attorney Pete Orput told the Star Tribune Wednesday.

Why it matters: The shooting of the 20-year-old Black man in Brooklyn Center, Minn., just ten miles from where George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer last year, has reinvigorated Black Lives Matter protests and led to three consecutive nights of unrest.

Context: Second-degree manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, according to Minnesota law. Continue reading.