Kim Potter faces up to 15 years in prison after being found guilty in the shooting death of Daunte Wright, and while the verdict seemed like “common sense” to the public, one juror said it was the hardest decision he’s ever had to make. 

In an interview with KARE 11 News, the juror, who requested anonymity due to public animosity, said while he first believed Potter was guilty on both counts, his judgment fluctuated as other jurors encouraged him to take a look at the facts and dig deeper into the law’s text. 

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“This case was interesting because there weren’t really facts that were in dispute,” he said, per KARE 11. “It was more our interpretation of our jury instructions and the law. Those last couple days were literally just focusing in on the language of the law.” 

The juror said deliberations became heated at times as the weight of it all hit everyone at once, with nearly every juror crying at one point during the trial. He made use of time by allowing himself to consider what the verdict would mean for Potter’s family after largely worrying about Wright’s. 

“As far as Daunte Wright’s family, I just felt a strong sense of loss,” he said. “… I feel really bad for Daunte’s family. It was hard having them on the witness stand. You can tell Daunte meant a lot to them. And it’s hard to think about Daunte’s son. I think that’s the hardest part for me.” 

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Professor Seth Stoughton, who testified that Potter’s use of excessive force was unjustified and that no “reasonable officer” would have acted the way she did during the ordeal, was the only expert witness who looked at the totality of the circumstances, according to the juror, whereas some of the other expert witnesses did not.  

Dr. Laurence Miller, who seemed knowledgeable, was also a favorite of the juror’s, though references to an interview he had with Potter raised a few eyebrows. 

In terms of Potter’s sentencing in February, the jury said that while he hopes for an “adequate” punishment, he doesn’t believe she deserves to have the book thrown at her. 

“But when you factor in the vehicle that got hit and also the injury Daunte’s passenger sustained, I am of the belief that Kim Potter’s responsible for that harm as well and that should play into her sentence,” he said. “It just hurts for me to say that because I do think this was a mistake. I also think that does not absolve you from responsibility for your actions.” 

Potter claims she mistook her police-issued firearm as a Taser when she shot and killed Wright during a traffic stop on April 11, an incident that occurred at the same time Derek Chauvin was on trial for killing George Floyd in May 2020. 

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She was convicted just before Christmas Day on charges of first and second-degree manslaughter. 

Judge Regina Chu noted the societal mood in the Potter case was less than it was immediately after the Chauvin verdict.