Judge Denies Mistrial Request Over Rep. Waters' 'Confrontational' Comment
Source: NPR
The judge in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin criticized comments made by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., over the weekend, calling them "disrespectful to the rule of law," but rejected a motion from the defense to use her rhetoric as grounds for a mistrial.
"I'm aware that Congresswoman Waters was talking specifically about this trial, and about the unacceptability of anything less than a murder conviction, and talk about being 'confrontational,' " Judge Peter Cahill said on Monday as the closing arguments wrapped up in the trial of Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd.
The trial is now with the jury.
Cahill said he wished "elected officials would stop talking about this case" but said that the jury had been instructed not to watch the news and therefore Waters' comments could not prejudice the jury and warrant a mistrial.
Read more: https://www.npr.org/sections/trial-over-killing-of-george-floyd/2021/04/19/988884471/judge-denies-mistrial-request-over-rep-waters-confrontational-comment
