Fox News host Jeanine Pirro agreed with a Minnesota jury’s guilty verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and predicted the convictions would hold against an appeal.
Pirro, a former district attorney and an ally of former President Donald Trump who often praises law enforcement, said the decision to convict Chauvin of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd was “supported by the facts.”
“I’ve tried many murder cases, and I’ve sat as a judge on murder cases. It is rare that you even get a picture of the victim in a murder case … but here, we had a living, breathing person that the jury was able to relate to. … This was an emotional as well as an intellectual decision,” she said on Tuesday. “And when I say that, make no mistake: The facts are solid on this verdict. This verdict will be upheld on appeal.”
DEREK CHAUVIN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD
Pirro applauded the convictions as proof that “the American justice system works.”
“For all those people that want to burn down streets, just let the court do its job,” she added.
Judge Jeanine Pirro (yes, that Jeanine Pirro): “Clearly the verdict is supported by the facts… make no mistake, the facts are solid on this verdict, this verdict will be held on appeal.” pic.twitter.com/AvaKMZxShH
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) April 20, 2021
After Pirro shared her perspective, Greg Gutfeld, a co-host of The Five on Fox News, said he was glad Chauvin was found guilty because he hoped it would quell any violent demonstrations that might have taken place had the former officer been acquitted.
“Now, I’m just going to get really selfish,” he said. “I’m glad that he was found guilty on all charges even if he might not be guilty of all charges. I am glad that he is guilty of all charges because I want a verdict that keeps this country from going up in flames.”
Gutfeld’s remarks were met with groans from his fellow panelists.
“I’m at least being honest. My neighborhood was looted. I don’t ever want to go through that again,” Gutfeld said in response.
Pirro disagreed, responding, “We do not sacrifice individuals for the sake of how people feel.”
Gutfeld repeated that Chauvin is guilty, adding he’s “glad about the verdict.”
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in May 2020 after being arrested on suspicion of using a counterfeit bill. Chauvin was seen placing a knee on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe.
Chauvin, a 45-year-old white man, could now face decades behind bars and perhaps the rest of his life. The judge announced that his sentencing trial would take place in eight weeks.
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Defense attorneys for Chauvin can seek an appeal. If a request for an appeal is granted, a second trial will be held.
Floyd’s death, which occurred in May, initiated months of demonstrations and riots across the country, with many protesting racial inequality and police brutality.
