Family of Deona Marie Knajdek prepares to face driver who killed her during Minneapolis protest
MINNEAPOLIS – A family is preparing to face the man who killed a woman they love.
Deona Marie Knajdek died in June of 2021 when an SUV drove through a protest in Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood. Nicholas Kraus was behind the wheel. A judge will sentence him on Wednesday.
Knajdek's mom Deb Kenney says her daughter wanted to make a difference.
"I don't know how many wonders there are in the world, but she was one of them," Kenney said.
The 31-year-old was killed when a driver crashed into a group of people protesting a police killing.
"She worked in the community, but she was standing up for a person she never even met," Kenney said.
Kenney says her family supported a plea deal for the driver instead of going to trial. Her only requirement: that he plead guilty to a level of murder.
"You took something from us, I want to take a little bit from you. I don't want to be vengeful, I'm not angry, I just, your actions was a murder," Kenney said.
A judge will sentence Kraus on Wednesday for second-degree unintentional murder and for injuring two others. Kenney is prepared to share how her loss has impacted her life.
"It's not that I'm a victim, I'm a daughterless mom, and that has to be the biggest impact," Kenney said.
She says getting through the court process will allow her family to fully process the loss.
"I know it's coming because now this part's over, and my actual grieving process can start because I had to wait," Kenney said. "I had to wait, and now my wait is almost over."
Several people delivered written victim impact statements to the judge, including Deona Marie's two daughters. Deb and her son will read theirs' in court.
WCCO will have a camera in the courtroom for sentencing. The prosecution and state agreed on a sentencing range of 17.5 years to 21 years.
