Maxine Waters in hot water
A week on from the Chauvin verdict, there is still speculation and debate that Congresswoman Maxine Waters' comments on the case could constitute grounds for an appeal. Is this just politics? Or is there a legal case? We speak with attorney Susan Estrich to get her expert opinion and hear from voters in the Congresswoman's district to find out if they agree with her decision to go to Minneapolis and speak to the verdict.
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MAXINE WATERS MADE HEADLINES IN 1992 DURING THE LA RIOTS, WHEN SHE SAID SHE WOULD NOT TELL HER CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY HAD TO ACCEPT THE NOT GUILTY VERDICT IN THE RODNEY KING TRIAL. ECHOES AGAIN IN THE DEREK CHAUVIN CASE.
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"I WISH ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS CASE ESPECIALLY IN A MANNER THAT IS DISRESPECTFUL TO THE RULE OF LAW."
REP WATERS MET PROTESTORS IN MINNEAPOLIS PRIOR TO THE VERDICT LEADING TO SPECULATION THAT THE DEFENSE COULD HAVE GROUNDS FOR AN APPEAL- ESPECIALLY HER CALL FOR PEOPLE TO STAY ON THE STREET AND GET MORE CONFRONTATIONAL.
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SUSAN ESTRICH
you can expect the defense to want to poll the jurors as to whether any of them were aware of Maxine's threat at the time they cast their vote in the jury.
THE CONGRESSWOMAN NOT ALONE IN THIS CRITICISM, PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID HE WAS 'PRAYING FOR THE RIGHT VERDICT', PERHAPS IRRESPONSIBLE, BUT NOT ILLEGAL AS THE JURY WAS SEQUESTERED AT THE TIME.
VOTERS IN REP WATERS DISTRICT BACK THEIR CONGRESSWOMAN.
sot Janelle Angulo, South Central LA
I think she would be able to steer the steer the people one way or the other to say like, hey, hey, hey, like there's a correct way to do this or that we know the incorrect way to do that
sot Keith Wilkerson
So somebody needed to say it.
So if she said it, then she was the first one who said it
BUT MANY LEGAL SCHOLARS AND VOICES ON THE RIGHT SAY HER WORDS WERE IRRESPONSIBLE. NOTHING NEW FOR THIS CONTROVERSIAL CONGRESSWOMAN, BUT IF THE CHAUVIN APPEAL IS PICKED UP, THAT SPELLS BAD NEWS FOR DEMOCRATS.