Daunte Wright shooting: 9 Jurors charged with manslaughter in the trial of a former police officer

Minneapolis(AP) –  Wednesday, 9 of the total 14 jury members seated for the trial of a suburban former police officer Kim Potter, included a woman judge who says she owns a stun gun.

Kim Potter, who was charged with the first and second-degree murder of a 20-year-old Daunte Wright shooting on Apr 11, 2021. Daunte Wright was a Black motorist who followed a traffic stop in Suburb Minneapolis of Brooklyn Center. Kim Potter, a White former Police officer defended her action saying that she meant to use her teaser but mistakenly drew her handgun.

The member with a stun gun asked about her device what she knows about her handgun – keeping it aside from what once she said that she never used it but she could – She said that she disagrees with the thought that Police officers could go wrong about their decisions.

“This is a servitude job, and when you get into this position, you need to understand that it’s a tough job and so you have to maintain that level of professionalism when you get into that position,” she said.

Also, there was a woman juror seated on Wednesday during the trial who said that she thought that protests against the police in the area had a negative effect due to the property damages that were caused. She also stated that she disagrees with the thought of defunding the police saying

“You’re always going to need police officers.” Another woman juror said she possessed “somewhat negative” impressions about both the involved – Wright and Potter.

The shooting of 20-year-old Wright by a White officer spiked the intense protest in the Brooklyn Center where Minneapolis Police were present in the area as the trial of the city’s fired officer Derek Chauvin case was being heard for George Floyd’s death.

Potter resigned from her position after shooting Wright with her handgun mistakenly when she was heard shouting Teaser Teaser in a video.

The big question that resides here includes whether the former Police Officer Potter’s actions brought out recklessness or negligence, negating what the law requires from the officers and authorities.

The defense attorney argued that Wright could be shot by any other Police officer as he was driving off from the protest and could have pulled an officer from the strong chains and heavy fences if Potter had not taken action.

“What we have basically is an innocent mistake,” defense attorney Earl Gray said in a preview of his arguments. “That she wasn’t culpably negligent and that she didn’t cause the death of Mr. Wright. He caused his death himself.”

Kim potter’s defense attorney said that she will testify at the trial.

To wind up the Jury selection process, six days are set aside with a Wednesday, December 8’s opening.