Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office Tuesday afternoon, President Joe Biden said he is praying the jury in the George Floyd, Derek Chauvin trial hand down the "right" verdict. He also claimed the evidence in the case is "overwhelming," despite not being a member of the jury who saw all of the evidence presented throughout the trial.
"I’m praying the verdict is the right verdict. The evidence is overwhelming in my view," Biden said.
Biden is justifying his pontificating on the case, before a verdict has been rendered, because the jury is sequestered and in deliberations. He also called the Floyd family.
"I can only imagine the pressure and anxiety they’re feeling, and so I waited until the jury was sequestered and I called," he continued.
WATCH: Pres. Biden talks about Derek Chauvin trial while the jury is sequestered during deliberations: "I’m praying the verdict is the right verdict, which is—I think it’s overwhelming, in my view."
— ABC News (@ABC) April 20, 2021
Biden spoke with the George Floyd family yesterday. https://t.co/cERnuF2UZz pic.twitter.com/6oXWmXu6eu
Shortly after the remarks were made, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was pressed on why Biden chose to weigh in ahead of a verdict, especially given the tense atmosphere in Minneapolis and the judge's requests that politicians refrain from commenting.
"I don't think he would see it as weighing in on the verdict," Psaki claimed.
CNN's Kaitlan Collins calls out Psaki for having said yesterday the WH wouldn't get ahead of deliberations, but now Biden has joined Maxine Waters in demanding a specific outcome.
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 20, 2021
Psaki says it's okay b/c the jury is sequestered and there must be "space for peaceful protest." pic.twitter.com/dI0Org7OcY
FNC's Kristin Fisher follows up on the questions from NBC's Kristen Welker about the double standard from the administration on judicial independence in light of their defense of Maxine Waters demanding a certain outcome.
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 20, 2021
Like usual with Fisher, Psaki attacked her credibility. pic.twitter.com/jxrWKY2lPe
Jen Psaki defends the trial tampering by Maxine Waters by saying people of color should be allowed to do so because of "the impact of trauma and exhaustion" felt from George Floyd's death is "more than it is on others," so they need to be allowed to make their feelings heard. pic.twitter.com/PCJzmJO1qp
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) April 20, 2021
During closing arguments Monday, Chauvin's attorneys argued comments made over the weekend by Democrat Congresswoman Maxine Waters to "get more confrontational" if the jury doesn't hand down a guilty verdict for murder, are grounds for a mistrial. The judge denied that request, but said the defense could use her statements during an appeal.
“I’ll give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned," the judge said.