President Biden called the family of George Floyd on Tuesday after a jury found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts of murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death last year, Report informs, referring to TASS.
"I'm praying the verdict is the right verdict, which is -- I think it's overwhelming, in my view," Biden told reporters in the Oval Office. "I wouldn't say that unless the -- the jury was sequestered now and not hearing me say that."
Biden did not explicitly say whether the "right verdict" is guilty or not guilty. As president, Biden has been careful not to comment on a potential outcome in the former Minneapolis police officer's trial for murder in Floyd's death.
Later Tuesday, when questioned to be more specific about what he meant, White House press secretary Jen Psaki argued Biden was not necessarily advocating for one outcome over another.
"I don't think he would see it as weighing in on the verdict. He was conveying what many people are feeling across the country, which is compassion for the family. What a difficult time this is. This is a difficult time for many Americans across the country who have been watching this trial very closely. The jury is sequestered. That is different from where things stood just yesterday, and he noted that in his comments as well," Psaki said.