MINNEAPOLIS —
- Jury failed to reach a verdict after third day of deliberation
- On Tuesday, Jurors asked judge about protocol if they can't reach a consensus
- State, defense issued closing arguments on Monday
Jurors in the trial for former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter have yet to reach a verdict after the third day of deliberations Wednesday. The jury will resume deliberations Thursday morning. Judge Regina Chu said earlier that if a decision isn't reached by the end of the day Thursday, deliberations will resume Monday, Dec. 27.
Tuesday was the first full day of deliberations for the the 12-person panel, which is tasked with determining if Potter is guilty or not guilty of first- and second-degree manslaughter in the April 2021 shooting death of Daunte Wright.
For the jury to reach a verdict, their decision has to be unanimous.
Around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the jury entered the courtroom to ask Judge Regina Chu some questions.
First, the jury wanted to know how long they have to deliberate and what next steps would be if they can't reach a consensus. Chu read aloud instructions previously given to the jurors and reminded them to discuss the evidence carefully amongst each other, consider each other's views and not to surrender their honest opinions in order to reach a verdict.
Second, the jury wanted to know if they could remove zip ties from Potter's gun so it could be held outside of the evidence box. Chu approved the request and explained to the jury the process in which it could be done. She reassured the courtroom that the gun wasn't loaded and had been fully secured.
Jurors deliberated until 6 p.m. Tuesday without reaching a decision and were sequestered for a second night in a nearby hotel. The panel is allowed to have limited electronic access with their families while sequestered.
More from the trial of Kim Potter
Watch more of KARE 11's coverage on the trial of Kim Potter on our YouTube playlist: