Judge in Chauvin trial slams ‘Defund the Police’ rioters, says media and politicians complicated Floyd case

In his first interview since the trial, retired Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill spoke to the Minneapolis Star Tribune about the national spotlight on the case and how outside influences—including politicians and activists—added pressure. Cahill criticized those public officials, particularly the Minneapolis City Council, for fanning the flames at a critical time.

“It did not help that people were saying ‘defund the police’ — all these idiots on the Minneapolis City Council,” Cahill said.

The judge also said the city’s $27 million settlement with George Floyd’s family—announced right before the jury was seated—was a damaging move that should have been delayed until after the verdict.

He defended the decision to live-stream the trial, citing COVID-era restrictions that limited courtroom attendance to just six people. “The six seats were designated for family members. So is that a public trial?”

Cahill also said he was angered by a New York Times article that leaked details of a possible plea deal before the trial even began. He called the reporting a serious breach of confidentiality and fairness.

The judge didn’t hold back in criticizing political figures who, he believes, made the situation worse. He said he was frustrated by remarks from then-President Joe Biden, who said he hoped the jury would reach the “right verdict,” as well as comments by Rep. Maxine Waters, who told demonstrators to be confrontational.

“I was pissed off,” Cahill said, referring to the Times report.

He also admitted to having personal pro-police bias due to his background and family ties to law enforcement, something he said he worked to control during the trial.

"Part of my training is to check my bias. And to be honest, I think I have a pro-police bias… that I have to be careful not to act on,” he said.

Cahill noted that his brother is a police officer in Wisconsin.

Cahill made it clear that he disapproved of extreme voices on both sides: “The far right, you know, their daily bread is revisionist history. But in this particular instance, it’s a lack of trust in the judicial system as a whole, and the jury system, and that’s concerning."

“I think what concerns me most about the revisionist history is the lack of confidence in the judicial process – not even the system or the judges, the judicial process,” he added.

Cahill said, however, that he believes the jurors were fair. “We had 12 jurors from a variety of backgrounds who gave it good consideration. And I bet if you interviewed them, they’d say they don’t regret their decision,” he said.

He also said he changed the style of his eyeglasses to avoid being recognized in public: “I changed my look so I don’t look like that Chauvin judge,” he told the Star Tribune.

He also revealed that retired Judge Lance Ito, who oversaw the O.J. Simpson trial, wrote him a letter offering “peace and wisdom.”