The judge presiding over the trial of Derek Chauvin has warned that it runs the risk of being overturned.
According to The Independent, Judge Peter Cahill, who is currently overseeing the trial of the ex-cop involved in the death of George Floyd, called comments made by California Congresswoman Maxine Waters "abhorrent".
On Saturday, April 17, Representative Waters made a speech to a crowd of activists in Minneapolis protesting the recent police shooting of Daunte Wright by Brooklyn Center policewoman Kim Potter.
In her fiery diatribe, Waters stated that she hoped Chauvin was convicted of murder, adding: "We gotta stay on the street.
"We've got to get more active, we’ve got to get more confrontational, we've got to make sure that they know that we mean business."
However, in a statement made to the court on Monday, April 19, Judge Cahill showed frustration with the Congresswoman's rhetoric, although he denied a request from Chauvin's defense to move to a mistrial in light of the political nature of the case.
Take a look at Judge Cahill's comments in the video below:Per The Independent, although he labeled Waters' comments as "abhorrent," Cahill then stated the trial could proceed (for the time being) stating:
"I don't think it has prejudiced us with additional material that would prejudice this jury. They have been told not to watch the news. I trust they are following those instructions."
This comes a mere week after cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Rich told the jury that Chauvin's excessive use of force on Floyd, who was unarmed and handcuffed, resulted in oxygen starvation, which then led to a cardiac arrest.
Per CNN, Dr. Rich stated as part of his testimony: "After reviewing all of the facts in evidence of the case, I can state with a high degree of medical certainty that George Floyd did not die from a primary cardiac event and he did not die from a drug overdose."
According to the medic, Floyd had been "trying to get enough oxygen, and because he was unable to because of the position that he was subjected to, the heart didn’t have enough oxygen either, which means the entire body is deprived of oxygen."
In addition, while on the witness stand, Dr. Rich declared that Floyd's death was "absolutely preventable".
He said: "There was one moment in the video where I heard one of the officers say, ‘I think he’s passing out.
"That would’ve been an opportunity to quickly relieve him from that position of not getting enough oxygen, perhaps turn him into a recovery position, and allow him to start to expand his lungs again and bring in oxygen."