The Kim Potter Trial: should she go to prison?

Della said:
I understand that, but there's also the added stress of dealing with dozens of volatile situations every day, some of them involving dangerous weapons and violent people. Teachers don't often have to wrestle a huge man to the ground while he's kicking and struggling and still be expected to keep cool and always make good decisions. I think it's too much to ask that they be put in situations involving guns day after day and then be punished more than anyone else when something goes wrong.
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Ono the contrary, believe they MUST be held to a higher standard BECAUSE they are entrusted with the authority to use a gun when necessary -- "necessary" being the operative word. With that authority comes the responsibility to use the authority wisely. If they do not have the cool headed ability to do that, they shouldn't be on the streets as a police officer. They have other people's lives in their hands every day, and that's a huge responsibility.
 

Did you watch her overcome with emotion? You KNOW this was an accident! Her tears were REAL!
She is credible and has intense remorse! My heart goes out to her!
The prosecutor was relentless! The chaos of the arrest affected her motor skills, IMO.
It's my hope she will be exonerated or at least a minor manslaughter charge..
She didn't mean to hurt anyone! IMO Remember? She yelled out "Taser! Taser! Taser!?
 

I too @Gaer, believed her testimony to be genuine, and proves to me beyond doubt she was not only not qualified, but not well trained to be an officer in the first place.

Any lawsuit by the family should be easily won or settled quickly.
 
Pepper said:
I too @Gaer, believed her testimony to be genuine, and proves to me beyond doubt she was not only not qualified, but not well trained to be an officer in the first place.

Any lawsuit by the family should be easily won or settled quickly.
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I would not say she was unqualified. She spent 26 years as a dutiful good officer in an extremely high-stress job, and one day, makes an error in judgement in a fast-moving, chaotic action, IMO, does not vanquish the day after day 26 years of service. We all make mistakes.
If paths of our own lives had been different, we could have been in her predicament ourselves. I'm not going to judge her years of being an officer. I was married to a law enforcement officer. I know some of what they endure, and am in awe!
 
The prosecutor got her to admit that she had NEVER ever been in charge of a situation like this in those 26 years. The other officer with her, probably male, took over for her. Covered her job, I think it was @Chet who said that.

She probably mostly did the woman stuff most of her career. Filing? Social type work? When a soft unthreatening voice was needed? It appears she was sheltered from the tough cop stuff.
 
I admit I have not followed this case closely. It appeared to me that she had the young man out of the car but I never saw that he was secured in any way (minimally having his hands on top of car, feet spread) or handcuffed. That was a big mistake as it gave him the opportunity to move around and try to get back in the car and she lost control of him and the situation. Poorly trained, as so many in law enforcement are these days, to think that the only resolution if you lose control is to shoot with your gun or a taser. I doubt she will be convicted.
 
Gaer said:
Did you watch her overcome with emotion? You KNOW this was an accident! Her tears were REAL!
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Dunno if she cried more than once. In the clip I saw when her attorney questioned her, her face was scrunched up, her voice broke but there were no tears.
 
Crocodile tears won't bring back her victim whose child remains fatherless. If she is truly remorse let's see her offer at least half of her big fat taxpayer financed pension to the child so that he can get his medical, food, and educational costs covered for the rest of his childhood.
 
I would have felt really sorry for her when she was crying had she not said in the original video, "Oh my god. I'm going to prison". Seemed like she was more distraught about that than about killing someone. Only my opinion, but I think it was an accident. That said, drunk drivers who kill someone in a car accident don't set out to do so on purpose but they are still convicted.

 
"Oh my God, I'm going to prison" may be considered as what is known as an "Excited utterance". A human reaction in such a situation is not necessarily an adoptive admission of sorts of guilt.
 
J-Kat said:
I admit I have not followed this case closely. It appeared to me that she had the young man out of the car but I never saw that he was secured in any way (minimally having his hands on top of car, feet spread) or handcuffed. That was a big mistake as it gave him the opportunity to move around and try to get back in the car and she lost control of him and the situation. Poorly trained, as so many in law enforcement are these days, to think that the only resolution if you lose control is to shoot with your gun or a taser. I doubt she will be convicted.
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The other officer at the stop was a large male. He had Wright out of the car facing the car with his hands behind him while the officer was trying to cuff him -- it was at that point that Wright pulled away and jumped back in the car. It was the male office who lost control not Potter.

 
I watched her testimony on You Tube. She seemed to have been very well coached and prepared. I feel somewhat sorry for her. Her life is ruined no matter what the outcome of the trial. But, a young man's life ended tragically due to her negligence. Just a bad deal all the way around for everyone.
 
Pepper said:
I believe she will get off. I was watching her testify just now. I don't see how it can be proved she had intent. I believe she was eminently unqualified to be an officer. Ever.
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Couldn't agree with you more. Some people aren't cut out for police work. How this woman spent 26 years on the force is beyond me. Not just her stupid mistake but her post-event blubbering and out-of-control courtroom behavior.
 
JimBob1952 said:
Yes, but they intend to get drunk, and then put themselves behind the wheel. Not the same thing at all.
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It is fairly similar. It's acting recklessly which results in someone's death. Or like hitting someone in a fight and that person goes on to die.

The question of "intent" does not even arise in second degree manslaughter, anyway. The prosecution is not arguing that the officer intended to kill Wright. The question is whether Potter's reckless or negligent behavior caused the death of Duante Wright, and I believe the answer clearly is yes.
 
Looks like it may be a Hung Jury because the jury has asked what happens if they can't reach consensus. Not surprising, since this is such a controversial case. We'll see.
 
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