NEW YORK — Former President Trump’s hush-money trial ended Monday after jurors were removed from the courtroom, where Judge Juan Machan admonished witnesses for improper decorum and ordered reporters barred from the courtroom. This caused some confusion for a time.
As tensions rose, reporters were abruptly told to leave the courtroom, the first time such a situation had occurred during a trial that was still ongoing. They were allowed back inside a few minutes later without any explanation.
Minutes earlier, the defense called a second witness, Robert Costello, a former legal adviser to former President Trump fixer Michael Cohen. He testified about Cohen’s state of mind when federal agents approached him in 2018.
Before reporters were removed, Mr Marchan told the jurors to leave the courtroom to reprimand Mr Costello for his behavior in court. The judge told the lawyers that he wanted to discuss “proper decorum” in court.
“When you have a witness on the stand, if you don’t like the verdict, you don’t say, ‘Oh no,'” Marchand said.
“You don’t look at me sideways. You don’t roll your eyes. You know that?” he later said.
Trump’s aides were allowed to remain in court.
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