“I wish elected officials would stop talking about this case, especially in a manner that is disrespectful to the rule of law and to the judicial branch,” he said, but added: 'A congresswoman's opinion really does't matter a whole lot. The judge told Chauvin’s lawyer: “Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned'.

Ms Waters has been widely criticised for her inflammatory remarks after she called for a guilty verdict on the most serious charges. Derek Michael Chauvin (/ o v n / SHOH-vn born March 19, 1976) is an American former police officer who was convicted of murdering George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Chauvin was a member of the Minneapolis Police Department from 2001 to 2020. Source: Getty Judge makes stunning statement about trial being 'overturned'Īfter closing arguments were done, Judge Peter Cahill rejected a request from the defence team for a mistrial based in part on comments California congresswoman Maxine Waters who told demonstrators to 'stay in the streets' and suggested protesters could get more confrontational if there is a not guilty verdict. High school students from across Minneapolis participated in a statewide walkout on April 19, ahead of the verdict. This wasn't policing, this was murder.'įellow prosecutor Jerry Blackwell said bystanders who filmed the incident and called for police to get off Mr Floyd knew it was wrong, including a nine-year-old girl who testified during the trial. 'It's exactly what you saw with your eyes. 'Unreasonable force, pinning him to the ground - that's what killed him. In closing arguments, prosecutor Steve Schleicher urged jurors to think about the footage which showed Mr Floyd slowly die while under the knee of Derek Chauvin. Jurors in Chauvin case told to 'believe your eyes' However the impending decision by the jurors had a slight shadow cast over it after the judge said inflammatory comments by a Democrat congresswoman could be grounds for an appeal which could see a verdict overturned. Derek Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on Mr Floyds neck for more than nine minutes during his arrest last May. The most serious charge carries up to 40 years in prison. Source: ReutersĬhauvin knelt on Mr Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, much of which was caught on camera sparking outrage and global protests against racial violence and police brutality. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin depicted watching a screen showing video of the scene in which George Floyd was killed.

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