Reporter Asks Jen Psaki About Kim Potter Getting 2 Years for Killing Daunte Wright: Was Sentence ‘Fitting for This Crime?’

A reporter asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki if President Joe Biden thinks former police officer Kim Potter’s two-year sentence for killing Daunte Wright was “fitting.”

On Friday, Judge Regina Chu, delivered a stunning sentence for the killing of Mr. Wright: two years, including time served — well short of the maximum sentence of 15 years. That decision drew outrage from the family of Daunte Wright, as well as many media figures.

At a White House press briefing Friday, Psaki was asked about the sentence. While she didn’t offer a comment on the specific legal ruling, Psaki had words of empathy for Daunte Wright and his family:

Q Thanks, Jen. The former Minneapolis — or suburban Minneapolis Police officer who was convicted of fatally shooting Daunte Wright was sentenced to two years in prison today. Is the President keeping track of this? Is he aware of this sentence? And does he think that this was a sentence that was fitting for this crime?

MS. PSAKI: Well, what I can say is that Daunte Wright should be here with his family and loved ones, and his death was the tragic result of a law enforcement officer’s error.

We know we have a long way to go when it comes to criminal justice and racial equity in this country. That’s why we are committed to not only engaging in conversations about meaningful policing reform, but we will also continue to ensure that the law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to properly train and equip officers to protect our communities. But I’m not going to speak to the specifics of the sentencing outcome.

Potter was arrested last April for shooting the unarmed Mr. Wright during a traffic stop, which she claimed was the result of mistaking her service Glock for a Taser. She was convicted of manslaughter in the killing in December.

Watch above via C-Span.