Name: DeSantis suggests Chauvin jury was ‘scared of what a mob may do’
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DeSantis suggests Chauvin jury was ‘scared of what a mob may do’

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AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 21, 2021 at 4:54 pmGov. Ron DeSantis implied that the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial could have happened because “the jury is scared of what a mob may do.”DeSantis, a lawyer and former Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Navy, was asked by Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Tuesday night if fear of violence caused the jury to convict the former Minneapolis police officer of the murder of George Floyd.AdvertisementShe played video of an unnamed person in New York stating, “If you continue to allow us to be murdered in the streets without justice, we will raise hell in America.”“That’s really, really troubling, Laura, because if that’s what a lot of people think, and I don’t know what happened with this verdict, but if that’s something that can potentially happen, where you basically have justice made meted out because the jury is scared of what a mob may do?” DeSantis said.AdvertisementHe couched his remarks by adding, “I’m not saying that’s what happened here.” But, he continued, “that speaker seems to suggest that that had an impact. That’s completely antithetical to the rule of law.”DeSantis said Monday the prosecution may have “bungled” the case against Chauvin.The governor’s office did not respond to a request Wednesday for further comment.In June, DeSantis called Floyd’s death a murder.“When I saw the video of that cop murdering George Floyd, I was just absolutely appalled by what I saw. ... I immediately asked folks at FDLE [Florida Department of Law Enforcement] and others, ‘How the hell did you get away with even doing that tactic?”’Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, a Democrat expected to challenge DeSantis for governor next year, tweeted in response: “Bulls--t, Ron. It was murder. Rule of law. You’ve said so yourself. Don’t be such a Tucker all the time,” a reference to Fox personality Tucker Carlson.DeSantis’s comments about the “mob” — his only reported remarks on the verdict — ran counter to the reaction from other Florida Republicans.WeeklyGet latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. &gt; “We’re blessed to live in a country with a strong judicial system that holds bad actors accountable,” U.S. Sen. Rick Scott said in a statement. “What happened to George Floyd was tragic, and my heart goes out to the Floyd family.”AdvertisementU.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Panama City, said in a statement that “justice was served. Derek Chauvin broke the law, and now, he is being held accountable for his actions. I believe the jury made the right decision based on the evidence presented.”DeSantis’ remarks come as he courts the conservative base in advance of his reelection campaign next year and a possible run for the presidency in 2024.Meanwhile, state Rep. Anthony Sabatini, R-Howey-in-the-Hills, tweeted shortly after the verdict on Tuesday, “Mob justice.”State Sen. Shevrin Jones called for Sabatini’s censure, calling Sabatini a “white supremacist.” House Speaker Chris Sprowls had no comment on the issue.👇🏾 White supremacist in 2021 wear suits and sit in the Florida legislature. Yep, I said it. — Shevrin “Shev” Jones (@ShevrinJones)Sabatini has come under fire for incendiary tweets, including threatening protesters with a picture of an AR-15 rifle and for promoting “Kyle Rittenhouse for Congress.” Rittenhouse is accused of killing two people at a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year.slemongello@orlandosentinel.com Advertisement

AdvertisementBy Orlando SentinelApr 21, 2021 at 4:54 pmGov. Ron DeSantis implied that the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial could have happened because “the jury is scared of what a mob may do.”DeSantis, a lawyer and former Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Navy, was asked by Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Tuesday night if fear of violence caused the jury to convict the former Minneapolis police officer of the murder of George Floyd.AdvertisementShe played video of an unnamed person in New York stating, “If you continue to allow us to be murdered in the streets without justice, we...

DeSantis suggests Chauvin jury was ‘scared of what a mob may do’

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