The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s hush money trial briefly closed the courtroom Monday, forcing reporters into the hallway after he admonished a defense witness for his behavior on the witness stand. It happened minutes into the testimony of Robert Costello, a former federal prosecutor who has publicly blasted the prosecution’s star witness, Michael Cohen. Costello aggravated Judge Juan M.

Merchan repeatedly in his testimony by making comments under his breath and continuing to speak after objections are sustained — a signal to witnesses to stop talking. After excusing the jury, Merchan told the witness: “Mr. Costello, I want to discuss proper decorum in my courtroom.

When there’s a witness on the stand, if you don’t like my ruling, you don’t say ‘jeez’ ...

You don’t give me side eye, and you don’t roll your eyes.” The prosecution rested its case earlier Monday after several days of testimony from Cohen, Trump’s loyal attorney-turned-adversary who the defense sought to paint as a serial fabulist who is on a revenge campaign aimed taking down Trump. Story continues below advertisement Costello, a former federal prosecutor in New York, is relevant to the case because of his role as a Cohen antagonist and critic in the years since a professional relationship splintered in spectacular fashion.

1:52 Trump trial: Michael Cohen testifies in hush money case Costello had offered to represent Cohen soon after the lawyer’s hotel room, office and home were r.