In the case of the killing of the African American Daunte Wright in the USA, the accused white ex-police officer has been found guilty of manslaughter. The jury found the 49-year-old guilty on both counts in Minneapolis on Thursday – the sentence is due to be pronounced at a later date. The case had shaken the country. After the man’s death, there were massive protests.
Twenty-year-old Wright was shot dead in April during a police operation north of Minneapolis. The ex-officer had claimed that she had mistakenly drawn her pistol instead of an electric baton (taser). She had submitted her resignation after the incident. Wright died just a few miles from the Minneapolis courtroom where the trial of the brutal death of George Floyd was taking place. Floyd had also been killed in a police operation.
The ex-policewoman was found guilty of first and second degree manslaughter by jury. In German legal usage, manslaughter of the first degree corresponds most closely to manslaughter. Second-degree homicide, on the other hand, is more like negligent homicide. The judge refused to grant a motion to let the 49-year-old go free until the sentence was pronounced.
Former police officer Kim Potter testified during the trial that Wright had accidentally shot at traffic control. It was an unfortunate mistake, not a crime, said her lawyer. Wright tried to escape the officers when they tried to handcuff him because he was under an arrest warrant for gun possession. The prosecutor argued that the defendant acted negligently and recklessly. Wright’s death was avoidable.
The defendant burst into tears during the trial and apologized. Outwardly, she received the judgment calmly. Up to 15 years in prison for first degree manslaughter. However, the Minnesota judiciary adheres to guidelines, which typically provide lower sentences.