Just the News:
“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 and our function,” Cahill said.
After the prosecutors and defense attorneys presented their closing arguments in the Derek Chauvin trial, the defense moved for a mistrial because of media coverage of the case and comments by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA).
Judge Peter Cahill acknowledged that Waters might have given the defense an argument to use for an appeal, and scolded her for making “disrespectful” and “abhorrent” comments on the case, but did not feel that the issue rose to the level that would require a mistrial.
Defense attorney Eric Nelson argued that the high level of media attention was “so profound” and “so pervasive” that it was impossible for the jury to not have been tainted by it. The jury who will decide if Chauvin is criminally responsible for the death of George Floyd was not sequestered during the trial itself, and will only be sequestered now during their deliberations.
