Chaos enveloped Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan Monday afternoon after a defense witness verbally tangled with Judge Juan Merchan, causing the courtroom to be cleared ― and earning a severe rebuke in return.
The drama began when the witness, an attorney and longtime Rudy Giuliani associate named Robert Costello, appeared to be upset at Judge Merchan for sustaining a series of objections from the prosecution about his answers.
Costello dramatically shook his head in exasperation at one point, then muttered “ridiculous” into the microphone while attorneys from both sides were discussing the proceedings with the judge.
After another objection was sustained, Costello exclaimed “Jeez!” prompting an annoyed Judge Merchan to ask Costello, “I’m sorry?”
“Strike it,” Costello responded.
Costello then rolled his eyes and sighed after yet another sustained objection, at which point the judge asked the jury to leave the room while instructing Costello to remain seated.
“I want to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom,” Merchan told Costello.
“I’m the only one that can strike testimony in this court,” he said. “You don’t give me side-eye, and you don’t roll your eyes. You understand that?”
Costello proceeded to glare at the judge.
“Are you staring me down?” Merchan asked. The judge then cleared the courtroom, including members of the press, who were hastily shuffled into an adjoining hallway.
After 10 minutes of what HuffPost reporter Sara Boboltz described as “utter chaos,” she said jurors were brought back into the room and the trial resumed. Boboltz, who’s in the courtroom, said it’s unclear how much of the shouting the jury overheard.
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