Trial of former police officer Kimberly Potter starts Dec. 6
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office
The trial of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter, charged in the shooting death of Daunte Wright, is set to begin Dec. 6, 2021.
An omnibus hearing in the case against Potter was held Monday afternoon, during which Hennepin County Judge Regina M. Chu ruled the case could proceed and set Dec. 6 as the tentative start date for the trial.
The 48-year-old from Champlin, who served as a police officer for 26 years, is charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection with Wright's death. She was arrested on April 14, three days after the incident in which she fired a single shot, striking Wright in the chest.
The 20-year-old was pronounced dead minutes later. Wright was not armed and no weapons were found in the car he was driving, according to police. He'd initially been pulled over for expired tabs, but officers then tried to arrest him after discovering an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
The incident was captured on Potter's body camera, and Wright's killing sparked days of protests outside of the Brooklyn Center Police Department.
The charges against Potter, filed by the Washington County attorney, allege she "abrogated her responsibility to protect the public" when she reached for and fired her gun rather than her taser. You can read details from the charges here.
If convicted, second-degree manslaughter carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and up to a $20,000 fine.
The state has asked the court to allow audio and video coverage of the trial.
