President Biden “praying” for guilty verdict in George Floyd murder trial

President Joe Biden told reporters in the Oval Office today that he is praying for the “right verdict” in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin as it draws to a close.

Biden said that the evidence was “overwhelming in my view” and explained how he had come to know the Floyd family before adding that he could only imagine “the pressure and anxiety they’re feeling”. He went on to say that he had spent time with them, including George’s daughter Gianna, calling her a “beautiful child”. 

Biden called Floyd’s brother Philonise in a “private conversation” on Monday after the 12-person jury was sequestered to undertake their deliberations on the charges of murder and manslaughter against Chauvin.

Philonise told NBC’s Today that Biden “knows how it is to lose a family member … so he was just letting us know that he was praying for us and hoping that everything would come out to be OK”.

The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, later claimed that the President wasn’t advocating for any particular verdict, rather expressing sympathy for the Floyd family. “He was conveying what many people are feeling across the country, which is compassion for the family,” she said. However, the damage was already done. 

Biden has previously denounced Floyd’s death, but has avoided weighing in on the trial until now. His unprecedented comments come as the jury began their second day behind closed doors. Biden made clear that he had waited until the jury were sequestered before speaking on the matter. 

Jim Sciutto, CNN Anchor and Chief National Security Correspondent commented on how this was a “remarkable statement from a sitting president on a criminal trial currently underway,” while constitutional law attorney Jenna Ellis said “the judge needs to declare a mistrial”. 

These comments followed outrage from Republicans after Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters called for Chauvin to be found guilty and for Black Lives Matters protesters to be “more confrontational”. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has introduced a motion to censure her for “inciting violence”.

Meanwhile, The White House has been in contact with leaders in Minnesota and in other cities and states that saw violence after George Floyd’s death last year to discuss the security situation in the event of further unrest following the verdict.