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Potter guilty of manslaughter in Daunte Wright’s death Tribune Content Agency MINNEAPOLIS — Jurors convicted former Brooklyn Center police officer Kimberly Potter on Thursday of both manslaughter counts filed against her in the April 11 fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, making her the third officer in Minnesota to be convicted of killing a civilian while on duty. Potter, 49, stood between two of her attorneys and showed little emotion as Hennepin County District Judge Regina Chu read the guilty verdicts for first- and second-degree manslaughter. Upon hearing each verdict, Potter, with her attorneys hands on either shoulder, turned her gaze from the judge to the table below her. Wright’s family let out cries each time; his mother, Katie Bryant, broke into sobs after the first guilty verdict. Potter’s husband, Jeff Potter, and their two grown sons watched in the courtroom, clasping all of their hands together. Potter displayed no obvious reaction as her attorneys argued unsuccessfully against Chu’s decision to immediately arrest her and hold her without bail to await sentencing. But as she walked to a sheriff’s deputy and placed her hands behind her back, her husband, a retired police See Potter, Page A9
Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic photos
Jerry Williams sits by his model train set at his home in Fairfield, Dec. 16, 2021.
‘It makes me feel like a kid, again’ Fairfield man’s life reflected in evergrowing, -changing holiday display Todd R. Hansen thansen@dailyrepublic.net
Aaron Lavinsky/Minneapolis Star Tribune/TNS
Damik Bryant, brother of Daunte Wright, celebrates the guilty verdict delivered outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Thursday.
FDA clears Merck & Co.’s Covid-19 pill Comes with warning to avoid in pregnancy Tribune Content Agency Merck & Co.’s Covid-19 pill was cleared by U.S. regulators Thursday, giving high-risk patients a second at-home treatment just as the omicron variant is causing cases to surge around the country. The drug, molnupiravir, received emergency authorization on the heels of Pfizer Inc.’s Covid19, pill being cleared Wednesday. The FDA said Merck’s drug is not recommended for use in pregnant people. The two treatments hold the potential to keep a sharp rise in infections from overwhelming U.S. hospitals. Molnupiravir, developed by Merck with partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, is intended to be used at home to treat Covid in people 18 and older at risk of developing severe illness. A study showed it reduced the risk of hospitalization or death among adults with mild to moderate disease by 30%. Molnupiravir works by introducing errors in genetic material to ultimately stop the virus’s replication, but it may affect growing human cells. Merck has established a pregnancy surveillance program for the drug and said men and women should use contraception while taking molnupiravir, if they’re having sex that might result in pregnancy. The U.S. has signaled a preference for Pfizer’s See Pill, Page A1 INDEX Arts B4 | Classifieds B7 | Comics A7, B5 Crossword A6, B4 | Obituary A4 Opinion B3 | Sports B1 | TV Daily A7, B5
A model train passes by an elf crossing area at Jerry Williams’ home in Fairfield, Dec. 16. Williams has set up an elaborate train set for the holidays that has taken over his living room.
FAIRFIELD — A picture on the wall of Jerry Williams’ Fairfield home shows the small shack-like house where he grew up in east Texas. There was no running water. When he joined the Air Force right out of high school, that was 1966, he and others with similar “country boy” backgrounds had to be shown how to use the showers, how to shave and he remembers how some would get sick because they had eaten so much during chow. “We had never seen so much food,” Williams, 74, said with a smile. He also recalls how airman who came from more comfortable backgrounds complained about the conditions and could not wait to get out of the service. See Display, Page A9
Keep pets safe during holidays Susan Hiland
shiland@dailyrepublic.net
VACAVILLE — The holidays are a time of good food, visiting relatives and friends. That is a great holiday season for humans but this time of the year can be incredibly stressful for our pets. Debbie Dillon, director of the Solano SPCA in Vacaville, has been working with the shelter long enough to see a pattern each year. “People need to keep their dog’s information on the microchips updated,” she said. “And we are going to see bites from stressed-out animals.” People travel with their pets and don’t remember that the information on the microchip may be for their home phone, not the cellphone they are carrying. “We want to get people reunited with their pets, but that misinformation means we will call the person’s house and miss them WEATHER 53 | 48 Mostly sunny. Five-day forecast on B11.
because they are not home,” Dillon said. “A lot of times people bring their pets to a home not realizing that it could result in bites,” she said. “Fights break out over toys or food. Then what happens is Animal Control gets involved.” Dillon suggests a way to help pets during the chaos of the holiday home would be to find a room for the animal to stay in while people are visiting. “It helps to give them space in the middle of the chaos,” Dillon said. Another thing to watch out for is toxic ingredients in holiday food and other things dogs or cats should not be eating. “Gravy and turkey are not good for dogs, it causes stomach upset,” she said. Also, bones that are really small can get stuck in the intestines. Water from the Christmas tree stand should See Pets, Page A9
Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic file (2019)
Charlie drinks from a water fountain for dogs at Centennial Dog Park in Vacaville, June 29, 2019.
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