Daunte Wright‘s mother, Katie Bryant, asked a Minnesota judge on Friday (February 18) to hand down the highest sentence possible to the ex-cop who killed her 20-year-old son. Instead, Kim Potter was sentenced to a far lesser prison term, two years –– 16 months of which to be served in prison and the remainder served on “supervised released.”
“She took our baby boy with a single shot through his heart,” Bryant said during the hearing, “and she shattered mine.” During her emotional plea to the judge, Bryant said she deliberately only referred to Potter as “the Defendant” because “she referred to Daunte, over and over again, as ‘the driver.”
“As if killing him wasn’t enough to dehumanize him, she never once said his name,” Bryant added. “And for that I’ll never be able to forgive you.”
Outside the courtroom, Bryant spoke to reporters about the sentencing, stating that “white women tears trump justice.” “Today, the justice system murdered him all over again,” she said.
Bryant said the family is “disappointed in the outcome” and pointed out that Judge Regina Chu broke down in tears when it came down to sentencing Potter, but not when she was speaking about their family’s loss in Daunte. See her full statement below.
Reading about Black trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.
