The judge who handed down a two-year sentence to white former Officer Kim Potter on Friday cited the difficult duty of police officers and her sorrow as reasons for giving her a lenient punishment. As she read out the verdict, Hennepin County District Judge Regina Chu became emotional while reminiscing on the difficulty of selecting a penalty for Potter, who claimed she intended to utilize her Taser but instead shot her gun into Wright’s chest as he attempted to drive away from a traffic stop in April.
Wright’s relatives and attorneys attacked Chu, who is Asian American, for going far below the prosecutors’ recommendations. They noted that a Black ex-policeman convicted of shooting a white woman in 2017 in another Minnesota case did not receive any such compassion despite his claims of regret. Katie Wright (Daunte Wright’s Mother) Wiki, Bio, Age, Son, Facts.
Katie Wright (Daunte Wright’s Mother)
In a statement released by her attorney, Katie Wright, who is white, accused Potter of murdering her kid and declared that “the justice system murdered him all over again” with this verdict.
She accused Chu of being fooled by a performance she said was scripted, and why did her own tears elicit such compassion? “This is the problem with our justice system today,” Wright said. “White women tears trump — trump — justice. And I thought my white woman tears would be good enough because they’re true and genuine.”
Later that night, she joined a small group of demonstrators outside a downtown structure they thought housed Chu’s home. The phrase “white woman tears” has grown in popularity during the nationwide discussion on race, implying that white people use their emotions against people of color to defend their superior standings.
On Friday, Potter wept as she addressed Wright’s relatives for the first time in court. She sobbed again during her statement to the jury on December 20. “Katie, I understand a mother’s love and I am sorry I broke your heart,” Potter said. “My heart is broken for all of you.”
The family of the victim requested for the longest term. The state attorney general’s office initially asked for a harsher penalty than what is recommended by the state guidelines, before advocating for a probable sentence of around seven years. But Chu said Potter’s behavior over an otherwise outstanding 26-year career “cries out” for a lesser punishment.
Since her 2002 appointment by then-Gov. Jesse Ventura, Chu has worked in private practice and the attorney general’s office. Before Potter’s trial, she was the subject of a protest by a Minneapolis man who went into a condominium complex he believed was his, filmed himself making statements meant to pressure her into allowing broadcast coverage of the case, and uploaded the video to YouTube.
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Potter’s Sentencing
At Potter’s sentencing, Chu took the opportunity to explain her thinking. There are four primary reasons for incarcerating someone, she explained: “revenge, incapacitation, deterrence, and rehabilitation.”
But she stated that Potter does not need to be deterred or prevented from committing future offenses in order to become law-abiding. She said just retribution is required to compensate for the harm she caused.
“In this case, a young man was killed because Officer Potter was reckless,” she said. “There rightfully should be some accountability.”
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