DAUNTE WRIGHT-OFFICER TRIAL

Kim Potter guilty of manslaughter in Daunte Wright's death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A suburban Minneapolis police officer who said she confused her handgun for her Taser was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Daunte Wright. The verdicts at Kim Potter's trial Thursday prompted tears from the young Black man’s parents and a jubilant celebration by supporters outside the courthouse who chanted “Guilty, guilty, guilty!” Potter, who is white, was a Brooklyn Center police officer when she shot and killed the 20-year-old Wright during an April 11 traffic stop. She faces about seven years in prison under the state’s sentencing guidelines, but prosecutors said they’d seek a longer term.

DAUNTE WRIGHT-TIMELINE

Key moments in the police shooting of Daunte Wright

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A jury has convicted suburban Minneapolis police officer Kim Potter of manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Black motorist Daunte Wright. Potter, who served on the Brooklyn Center police force, was among three officers who pulled over the 20-year-old Black motorist in April and tried to arrest him after realizing he had an outstanding warrant. Potter says she meant to use her Taser on Wright after he pulled away from officers and got back into his vehicle, but that she pulled her handgun by mistake instead. Her body-camera video recorded the shooting, in which she can be heard shouting, “I'll tase you!” Prosecutors say Potter was an experienced officer and was trained to know better.

POLICE KILLINGS-GLANCE

A look at high-profile cases over killings by US police

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A suburban Minneapolis police officer who said she confused her handgun for a Taser was led away in handcuffs Thursday after a jury found her guilty of manslaughter in the death of Black motorist Daunte Wright. Former Brooklyn Center Officer Kim Potter's case is among the rare instances in which police have been charged with crimes in civilian deaths. Winning a conviction is harder in part because juries are often reluctant to second-guess an officer’s split-second decisions. Potter, who is white, faces about seven years in prison under sentencing guidelines, but prosecutors said they would seek a longer term.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MINNESOTA-VACCINE MANDATE

Judge halts vaccine mandate for St. Paul city employees

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A judge has temporarily halted a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for St. Paul city employees. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that Ramsey County District Judge Robert Awsumb issued a temporary restraining order blocking the mandate on Thursday. The mandate was supposed to go into effect at the end of December. The order comes after St. Paul police and firefighter unions and another labor group challenged the mandate as an unfair labor practice and Mayor Melvin Carter announced it without consulting the unions. Awsumb said the restraining order will remain in place until the unions and the city determine whether they're legally obligated to negotiate or go to arbitration. The judge set a scheduling conference for Jan. 20.

MEDTRONIC-KICKBACK SETTLEMENT

Medtronic pays $400K to settle South Dakota kickback case

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Minnesota-based Medtronic has agreed to pay $400,000 to South Dakota to resolve allegations that it paid kickbacks to a neurosurgeon. The settlement resolves allegations that Medtronic paid for more than 100 social events at a restaurant owned by Dr. Wilson Asfora. Medtronic allegedly sponsored the events over a nine-year period to persuade Asfora to use Medtronic products. The agreement is the latest settlement involving the former Sanford Health neurosurgeon. Sanford Health had already agreed to pay $20 million to settle its role in the kickback scheme. And, last year Medtronic agreed to pay $9.2 million to the federal government.

PROSECUTOR QUITS

Ramsey County prosecutor quits over diversion policies

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A key Ramsey County prosecutor has quit because he feels his office is too soft on offenders. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Wednesday that Richard Dusterhoft resigned earlier this month. He was the trial division director for the county. He said he was frustrated with policies that promote diversion programs over prison time. His former boss, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi, has introduced a number of initiatives that focus on rehabilitation. The Washington County prosecutor who initially handled Daunte Wright's death quit his job in May. Imran Ali said he was tired of activists trying to influence charging decisions. Minnesota County Attorneys Association Executive Director Robert Small says the resignations reflect a national trend.

BODIES FOUND-MINNESOTA

Authorities: Carbon monoxide caused deaths of 7 in Minnesota

MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) — Authorities say seven members of an immigrant family from Honduras whose bodies were found inside a Minnesota home last weekend died of apparently accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Relatives of the family discovered the victims Saturday night in a home in south Moorhead when they went to check on them after not hearing from them. Police are still working ton a time frame of the deaths but said the three children who lived there were not in school on Friday. Police Chief Shannon Monroe said Wednesday that the carbon monoxide came from either the home’s furnace or a van in the garage.

PRINCE ESTATE

Court officials edge closer to dividing Prince's estate

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Court officials are edging closer to dividing up pop superstar Prince's estate. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday that November tax filings show the Internal Revenue Service and Comerica Bank & Trust, the estate administrator, have reached an agreement on the total value of Prince's assets. The specific number hasn't been disclosed but it could be more than $100 million. The Carver County probate court is set to begin discussions in February on how to divvy up the assets. They'll likely be divided between New York music company Primary Wave and Prince's three oldest heirs or their families. Prince died of a fentanyl overdose in 2016. He didn't have a will.

News from © The Associated Press, 2021