Socialites, come get into this: Kim Potter, the white former Minnesota police officer who was convicted of manslaughter after mistaking her handgun for a taser and fatally shooting Daunte Wright in 2021 was released from prison this Monday.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections confirmed that Potter was released at 4 a.m. local time after serving just 16 months of her two-year sentence. Now, she will be placed on supervised release for the remainder of the sentence.
DOC spokesperson Andy Skoogman said in a statement, “Based on the intelligence we gathered, we released Ms. Potter at a time we felt was safest for her and for everyone at the correctional facility.”
As we previously reported, Skoogman gave the heads-up announcement last week about Potter’s early release. He said at the time that the exact timing of her departure Monday from Minnesota Correctional Facility-Shakopee will not be disclosed for security reasons. “Our criminal investigative analysts are working closely with law enforcement to monitor the situation to ensure Kim Potter, like all incarcerated persons, is safe as she leaves our facility,” Skoogman previously said in a statement.
More On The Shooting Death Of Daunte Wright
On April 11, 2021, Daunte Wright was pulled over for an expired registration tab and a hanging air freshener in the rearview mirror, according to police. While at the scene, Potter determined Wright had an outstanding warrant for a gross misdemeanor weapons charge and tried to detain him, according to former Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon.
During the traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minn, Potter, who was a 26-year police veteran claimed she had intended to stun the man with her Taser gun but accidentally drew her handgun instead and fired once. Wright died due to her mistake at the age of 20.
His death sparked days of protests, and Potter even resigned just two days after the killing as did police Chief Tim Gannon. Potter was eventually arrested and convicted of first- and second-degree manslaughter for the horrific incident. Although she pleaded not guilty to both charges, she was still handed down a 2-year prison sentence and a fine of $1,000, which was far below what the prosecution had asked for.
To note, the maximum sentence for first-degree manslaughter is 15 years with a $30,000 fine. Second-degree manslaughter is 10 years and a $20,000 fine.
A judge ordered Potter to serve 16 months in prison and eight months on supervised release. She already had a credit of 58 days served in jail while awaiting sentencing, according to ABC News.
Judge Regina Chu previously said during the sentencing hearing, “I recognize there will be those who disagree with the sentence. That I granted a significant downward departure does not in any way diminish Daunte Wright’s life. His life mattered. And to those who disagree and feel a longer prison sentence is appropriate, as difficult as it may be, please try to empathize with Ms. Potter’s situation.”
The family of Wright has not yet released a statement on the early release of former officer Kim Potter.