Kim Potter - the former Minnesota police officer who killed a young Black man after accidentally drawing a gun instead of a Taser - kept a straight face as she was found guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter on Thursday.
The defendant was ordered held without bail after the verdict was read. While Potter showed no little emotion, CNN reports that one of her lawyers rested his head on his hands.
Arbuey Wright and Katie Bryant - the parents of 20-year-old victim Daunte Wright - let out sighs and cries when they heard the conviction.
Watch the moment the verdict is read out below:Meanwhile, demonstrators carrying 'Black Lives Matter' signs and portraits of Wright were equally overjoyed, cheering and applauding the verdict from outside the courtroom.
Potter, 49, claims to have mistakenly drawn her gun instead of a Taser during a traffic stop on February 18. As a result, she fatally shot 20-year-old Wright.
The shooting occurred at a time of high tensions when the trial over George Floyd's murder was taking place nearby.
Jurors deliberated for approximately 27 hours over a four-day period before eventually finding Potter guilty on both charges.
Her first charge - first-degree manslaughter - refers to cases where the defendant causes death while attempting to commit a lesser crime. Meanwhile, her second charge - second-degree manslaughter - is used in cases where negligence or risk-taking results in death.
First-degree manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 15 years, while second-degree manslaughter is punishable by up to 10 years.
Potter's sentencing is scheduled for February 18. Because she has no prior convictions, Minnesota sentencing guidelines recommend a reduced sentence between 6 and 8.5 years of imprisonment.
After the verdict was announced, the former police officer was handcuffed and escorted out of the courtroom. Her husband - himself a former law enforcement officer - shouted "I love you, Kim," after her, to which she responded, "I love you back."
Meanwhile, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison spoke to news outlets after the trial, saying: "We have a degree of accountability for Daunte's death. Accountability is not justice. Justice is beyond the reach that we have in this life for Daunte but accountability is an important step, a critical, necessary step on the road to justice for us all."
He added that Potter "was remorseful" and that he wished "nothing but the best for her and her family."
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