Who Is Robert Costello, a Defense Witness in Trump’s Hush-Money Trial? – The New York Times
Trump Hush-Money Trial
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Mr. Costello tried to cast Michael D. Cohen, the witness at the heart of the prosecution’s case, as a liar, but the judge lost his patience with the witness.
Ben Protess and
After the prosecution rested its case against Donald J. Trump on Monday, the defense began a simple mission: destroy the credibility of the prosecution’s star witness, Michael D. Cohen.
That tactic may not have paid off as expected, as the judge in the case almost immediately lost his patience with the defense’s witness, Robert J. Costello, a lawyer and fixture in New York’s legal world who once advised Mr. Cohen.
Shortly after Mr. Costello took the stand on Monday, prosecutors objected to a series of questions. When the judge sided with the prosecution, Mr. Costello muttered “jeez,” registering his dismay and irking the judge, Juan M. Merchan. Mr. Costello tried to walk back his remark, mumbling under his breath that he wanted to “strike” it from the record.
The testimony continued, but after a few more objections, Justice Merchan again grew frustrated with the witness. He dismissed the jury, and excoriated him: “If you don’t like my ruling, you don't say, ‘jeez,’ and you don’t say, ‘strike it,’ because I’m the only one who can strike testimony in court,” he said, adding: “Are you staring me down?”
He then cleared the courtroom, dismissing reporters while allowing a group of Mr. Trump’s supporters to remain.
When onlookers left the room, according to a transcript, the judge told Mr. Costello that his conduct was “contemptuous” and said, “If you try to stare me down one more time I will remove you from the stand,” adding, to the defense lawyers, “I will strike his testimony, do you hear me?”
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