According to witnesses in the courtroom of the Trump trial in New York City, the judge actually called out a witness asking, “are you staring me down?!” This comes after the prosecution’s star witness was caught lying under oath and the defense ready to question a rebuttal witness which the judge may not allow.
The outright ridiculous exchange between Judge Merchan and defense witness Robert Costello resulted in the judge clearing the courtroom. The behavior that provoked such a response from Merchan was described by CNN’s Jake Tapper.
“What’s going on is, Costello is really expressing disdain for Judge Merchan’s ruling. Costello shakes his head as if he were exasperated when Judge Merchan sustained an objection from the prosecution about one of the questions,” Tapper said. “At another time, when the prosecution objected, Merchan told the lawyers to approach the bench and Costello could be heard saying on the microphone, ‘Ridiculous!’”
“Then at another time, there was another objection, which was sustained, Costello lets out a ‘Jesus!’ That’s my interpretation,” Tapper explained.
Merchan then asked the jury to leave the courtroom and then ordered the witness, “Mr. Costello, you’re to remain seated.”
“I want to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom,” the judge said after noticing that he rolled his eyes and sighed. “You don’t give me a side eye and you don’t roll your eyes.”
“When there’s a witness on the stand, if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t say ‘jeez,’ you don’t say strike it,” Merchan said. During this time it was reported that Costello held a glare towards the judge. “Are you staring me down?” The judge bizarrely stated.
“I’m putting you on notice that your conduct is contemptuous. If you try to stare me down one more time, I will remove you from the stand,” the judge directed the witness and then talking directly to defense attorney Emil Bove he said, “I will strike his entire testimony; do you understand me?”
Even CNN legal affairs correspondent Paula Reid acknowledged the judge’s actions were unhinged and described the situation as “unbelievable and I know Bob Costello for years.”
The prosecution has failed to make any case against Trump and its obvious now that Biden-donor judge has to help the prosecution in any way he can. This trial is a clown show.