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Prosecutors, defense attorneys and Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu  finished their work Friday to pick a jury for the trial of Kimberly Potter, the former Brooklyn Center police officer charged in 

Fourteen jurors, including two alternates, were selected from a pool of roughly 250 people who 

 probing their views on race, police and crime. 

Chu has penciled in Dec. 8 for the start of opening statements in the trial. The trial is expected to end by Dec. 24, Christmas Eve.

Seven women and seven men were chosen. According to demographic information provided by the court, 11 are white, two are of Asian descent and one person is Black. Alternate jurors listen to the testimony but don’t deliberate the verdicts. 

A deeper look at the jurors 

8 key questions, answered

The 13th juror, seated Friday morning, told prosecutors society should be examining issues around race and policing. She said she generally trusts police but added they can’t always be trusted. 

The final juror selected was an Eden Prairie man who said he has a close friend who is a police officer, but added that wouldn’t affect his ability to serve.

first-degree and second-degree manslaughter

 in the killing of Wright as Brooklyn Center police attempted to take him into custody during a traffic stop on April 11.

Possible strategies surface in jury selection

Prosecutors are expected to argue Potter’s actions were especially reckless given her extensive Taser training months before the incident.

Potter's defense is expected to argue she meant to fire her Taser to subdue Wright, 20, but accidentally drew her service weapon and shot the man once in the chest, killing him. She has pleaded not guilty and is expected to testify in her defense during the trial.

The prosecutor’s questions during jury selection point to them building a very straightforward case of Potter’s guilt, said Twin Cities trial attorney Lee Hutton.

“They want individuals that will not only hold someone who makes a mistake that violates the law accountable, but at least are empathetic with regard to the world situation … whether it be officers’ interactions with people of color, gun control,” Hutton said.

Hutton said it’s clear that the defense team wanted some people who have experience with firearms or Tasers because they may be more sympathetic to the use of these weapons by police officers. But he said Potter will also need to address whether she followed her training and department policies when she drew a weapon.

“Her defense is going to be, ‘Yes, I shot the gun – that is undeniable. But it was an innocent mistake,’” Hutton said. “We'll have to see how, with her 20 years of training, the fact that she's a veteran officer, how can that mistake be so innocent in this type of situation?” 

Wright’s killing set off days of protests and property destruction in the Twin Cities suburb, with demonstrators saying Wright’s killing was an example of racial bias by police against Black people.

The prosecution is not characterizing Wright's killing as racially motivated. But civil rights advocates have pointed to a long history of officers not being held accountable when they kill unarmed Black people. Potter is white. Wright was Black. 

While the trial is being livestreamed, the court is protecting the identities of the jurors. That became an issue earlier in the week when Potter defense attorney Earl Gray twice used the last names of two potential jurors, asking questions of one juror about his life that made it easy to discover his name.

That juror later told the court he didn’t realize jury selection was being livestreamed. While  juror faces are not being shown in the broadcast, the juror said he was very troubled about his identity being easy to deduce. Gray later apologized.

Here’s a brief look at those seated Tuesday through Thursday this week:

Daunte Wright's family thanks supporters

Reporter Jon Collins takes us inside the coverage of the Potter trial

 Kimberly Potter shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in April. His killing set off days of protests and unrest in Brooklyn Center, with demonstrators saying Wright’s killing was an example of racial bias by police against Black people.

 The former officer is charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter. 

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Jon Collins

Jury selection ended Friday morning for the trial of the former Brooklyn Center police officer charged in the Daunte Wright killing. Opening statements are set for Dec. 8. Potter is expected to testify during the trial.

Jury selection ended Friday morning for the trial of the former Brooklyn Center police officer charged in the Daunte Wright killing. Opening statements are set for Dec. 8. Potter is expected to testify during the trial. MPR News reporter Jon Collins provides an update.

Kimberly Potter trial: Jury chosen; opening statements Wednesday

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Kimberly Potter trial: Jury chosen; opening statements Wednesday

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