The jury was selected in Manslaughter trial of ex-Minnesota cop Kim Potter, was charged in the death of Daunte Wright in suburban Minneapolis this past April.
The 12-member council consisted of six men and six women. Nine whites, two Asians and one black, as jurors identified themselves in court. Their age ranges from 20 to 60 years old.
Two other people were selected as replacements.
It is up to the jury to determine whether Potter is guilty first and second degree manslaughter in Wright’s death. Prosecutors say Potter, a veteran Brooklyn Center police officer, recklessly handled his gun and knowingly caused Wright’s death or bodily harm. Defense attorneys argued that Potter made an “innocent mistake.”
First degree manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and/or a $30,000 fine. Second-degree court fees carry a maximum sentence of 10 years and/or a $20,000 fine.
Bodycam video shows Potter shouting ‘Taser, Taser, Taser’
Potter and an intern drag Wright and another woman on April 11 because the car that Wright was driving had an air freshener hanging from the rearview mirror and the tag had expired, according to complaint.
According to the lawsuit, officers attempted to arrest Wright when they discovered he had an pending warrant. Full-body camera video of the incident shows Wright initially following instructions from officers to get out of the car and put his hands behind his back. Wright then backed away as an officer tried to handcuff him and get back into the driver’s seat of the car.
That’s when Potter shouted “Taser, Taser, Taser” and shot Wright with her gun, according to the body camera video. On the video, Potter can be heard saying that she “wrongfully picked up” the gun.
Wright drove his car down the street and crashed into another vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and the woman he was traveling with was taken to hospital. A medical examiner later found Wright dead in the murder from a gunshot wound.
‘Mistaken gun’ or manslaughter? Former Minnesota officer Kim Potter goes to court for the shooting of Daunte Wright
Who is on the jury?
The 12-person board includes: a nurse, a teacher, a retired teacher, a student, an engineer, an IT specialist, a former IT specialist, an operations manager at a Major retailers and an editor of medical publications, among others do not state their professions.
About 68% of Hennepin County residents are white non-Hispanic, nearly 14% are Black, 7.5% are Asian, and 7% are Hispanic or Latino, according to the Bureau of Investigation. United States census. data. The jury, with 9 members who are white, 75% are white.
Due to the high profile nature of the trial, jurors will receive a 15-page questionnaire before the jury chooses to poll their opinions on a wide range of topics. During the personal interrogation in court, the attorneys questioned prospective jurors about their responses to the questionnaire.
All jurors said they learned about the incident from the media, and nearly all said they had seen camera video of the incident. Five jurors said they had a “slightly negative” view of Potter, including three who also held a negative view of Wright.
One juror, a white woman in her 60s, told the court she recalls hearing Potter shout “Taser, Taser, Taser” in an audio recording of the incident that she heard on the news.
“When I first heard about this, my reaction was, how can this happen? And that’s where I’m still at,” she said.
How can a gun be mistaken for a Taser? There have been at least 16 ‘mistakes of weapons’ since 2001
A white man in his 40s who said he initially went to school to be a police officer said Potter should have had “enough muscular memory” to avoid mistaking her gun for a Taser. He also said Wright “made a bad decision” and “tried to get back in his car.”
Four jurors owned firearms, and two possessed or used to possess a stun gun. The attorneys instructed jurors that they would need to waive personal knowledge or firearms training in court.
The jurors answered a series of questions about their trust in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Five said they had families with military or law enforcement experience. One said he was a former soldier.
Three said the police in their community made them feel safe, and two said they disagreed with the “disgusting police” movement. Two others said law enforcement officers don’t get the respect they deserve. One said he was “a bit distrustful” of the police
The attorneys asked jurors whether it was right to predict police officers’ decisions in the blink of an eye. The three jurors said they disagreed that police should not face scrutiny over decisions they make because of their dangerous work. Another said he “partially agrees” with a similar statement.
Many jurors expressed doubts about the fairness of jury trials and the criminal justice system. “I think there’s a systemic racism problem in the system. I don’t think that’s necessarily affected this case,” said a seated juror.
Many jurors were asked about their views on Blue Living Matter, Black Living Matter, and the protests and devastation that followed Wright’s death. Four said they had an unfavorable view of Matter in Green Living, and one said they had an unfavorable view of Black Living Matter.
Many jurors said they were affected by looting and destruction following Wright’s death. One juror, an Asian woman in her 40s, said she did not feel safe at night after the shooting and “heard bullets” coming from her home.
Some expressed concern about their identities being made public and said they feared for their families. Judge Regina Chu of the Hennepin County Court ruled The jury will remain anonymous until the test ends.
The defense used all five of its mandatory strikes, and the state used three strikes, meaning it removed a juror without giving a reason.
On Thursday, the state issued a challenge to Batson after self-defense forces attacked a young Asian woman, claiming the strike was discriminatory. Chu ruled the strike was non-discriminatory and noted that two Asian women were on the jury.
Many jurors will be exonerated due to medical issues, work conflicts, vacation travel plans and language barriers. Some said they could not be impartial in the incident.
Potter sat next to the plainclothes attorneys and discussed with them throughout the jury selection process. Wright’s mother, father, and siblings attended the judges’ selections.
The trial is streamed live, opening remarks begin on December 8
The trial is being streamed live – the second time in Minnesota history that a judge has allowed cameras inside the courtroom for a criminal trial. First time is to try Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer convicted of killing George Floyd.
The opening statements for the trial, which will be broadcast live, are expected to begin on December 8. Judge Chu said she hopes the trial will end “on Christmas Eve.”
