Congresswoman’s ‘incite a riot’ comments ‘could lead to Chauvin guilty verdict being overturned’
THE judge overseeing the Minneapolis murder trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin has criticised a congresswoman after she called for “confrontational” protests if he is acquitted — saying her words could lead to a guilty verdict being appealed and overturned.
Maxine Waters, a Democrat representing California, is facing calls to be expelled by the US Congress for “inciting” a riot after telling protesters “to get more confrontational” if Chauvin is found not guilty over the death of George Floyd last May.
Chauvin’s lawyer Eric Nelson made a bid to have the case thrown out after the jury retired to start its deliberations last night, stating that there was no way it could be untainted by the excessive publicity surrounding the case, and citing the comments made by Ms
We have US representatives threatening acts of violence in relation to this trial. It is frankly mind-blowing Defence lawyer Eric Nelson
Waters. “Now that we have US representatives threatening acts of violence in relation to this trial. It’s frankly mind-blowing,” Mr Nelson said.
Judge Peter Cahill denied the motion but told him: “Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned.” He called her comments “abhorrent” and “disrespectful to the rule of law”. “But I don’t think it has prejudiced us with additional material that would prejudice this jury,” he said.
Ms Waters had joined protesters in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Center on Saturday night for a demonstration over the death of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old black man shot dead by a white police officer during a traffic stop on April 11.
“I hope we get a verdict that says guilty, guilty, guilty,” she said of the Chauvin trial. “And if we don’t, we cannot go away. We’ve got to stay on the street. We get more active, we’ve got to get more confrontational.” Republican minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, called for action to be taken against Ms Waters, and said he would be introducing a motion to censure her. Ms Waters defended herself telling CNN: “The judge says my words don’t matter”.
Mr Floyd, 46, died after Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, during an arrest for trying to buy cigarettes with a counterfeit banknote. The incident, captured on video, sparked protests around the world. Chauvin, 45, is on trial for murder and manslaughter. He has denied the charges and argued he used reasonable force in the arrest.