Prosecutors request lighter sentence for ex-officer who killed Daunte Wright

Minnesota prosecutors will seek a sentence of just over seven years for Kim Potter, the former Minneapolis police officer who killed Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man. 

Potter is set to be sentenced on Friday after she was convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter in December.

Prosecutors have said that they think a sentence of just more than 7 years would be appropriate for Potter, according to The Associated Press.

Her attorneys will ask for less time than usual, including just probation, an ask with which prosecutors disagree, according to the report. 

State sentencing guidelines place the penalty for Potter’s actions at a sentence of slightly more than six years to roughly 8 1/2 years. While prosecutors previously argued for a sentence above the guidelines, recent court filings indicate they will seek the presumptive sentence, the AP noted.

“The presumptive sentence takes into account the main elements of the conviction: the death of Daunte Wright and Defendant’s recklessness,” prosecutor Matt Frank said, adding that “the State recognizes that this is a unique case given the context in which Defendant Potter recklessly handled her firearm,” the AP reported.

“No prison sentence can bring Daunte Wright back to life. A prison sentence is just a number, and that number cannot undo this tragedy or bring Daunte Wright back to his family,” Frank added.

Potter’s sentencing comes after she shot and killed Wright after he was pulled over for expired license plate tags and for having an air freshener on his rearview mirror.

After pulling Wright over, police learned he had an outstanding warrant for a charge related to weapons possession. During the encounter, Potter shouted that she was going to tase Wright, but she says she mistakenly grabbed her gun instead of the taser before fatally shooting Wright.