Enthusiastic Trial Watchers Line Up Outside Courthouse as Trump’s Hush Money Trial Heads Toward Its Conclusion
NEW YORK (AP) — While some New Yorkers chose to spend their Memorial Day weekend lounging on the beach, a dedicated few opted to camp outside a courthouse. They were vying for coveted courtroom seats as the criminal trial of Donald Trump, the former president, resumed. Closing arguments are set to commence next week.
By Friday, a small group had already formed outside the courthouse, aiming for a spot in Tuesday’s session. Among them were professional line sitters equipped with pup tents and Richard Partington, 43, from East Hampton, New York, armed with a sleeping bag, pillow, blanket, and journal. Partington had joined the line as early as Thursday afternoon.
“I think many people didn’t realize they could attend the courtroom sessions,” Partington mentioned. “Now that the news is out, there’s a surge in interest.”
Inside the courtroom, most seats are designated for legal teams, Trump’s associates, security, and journalists. However, a few seats are available to the general public. With cameras prohibited from the trial, only those in the courtroom or an overflow room with a video link can witness the proceedings.
Initially, securing a public seat in Trump’s hush money trial required an early start and considerable effort. As the trial progresses toward a historic conclusion—the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president—more people are determined to catch a glimpse.
On Day 16 of the trial, May 13, Joe Adams and Ruth TeBrake shared how they managed to secure seats in the overflow room by arriving at 6:30 p.m. the previous night.
“I haven’t experienced anything like this since my youth in the ’60s,” said TeBrake, who traveled from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. “There was electricity in the air.”
Adams, from Provincetown, Massachusetts, revealed they used a nearby bar’s restroom and thanked the bartenders with $20 tips.
Trump, the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, faces a 34-count felony indictment for allegedly trying to suppress allegations of extramarital affairs during his 2016 presidential campaign. He has consistently denied the charges, condemning the trial as a politically motivated ordeal.
Partington, a part-time teacher at a private school, has attended the trial courtroom four times and the overflow room another four since testimony began on April 22.
“It’s an educational experience,” Partington remarked. “Since Trump was president and could be again, understanding more about him is fascinating.”
While Partington refrains from discussing the trial with friends or family, he freely talks with fellow trial enthusiasts outside the courthouse, finding camaraderie among those sharing the experience.
To those curious about his impressions of the trial, Partington praises the conduct of Judge Juan Merchan. “He’s maintained a well-organized courtroom,” he said. He expressed understanding for Trump seemingly dozing off at times.
“I can’t imagine sustaining energy through such long days under fluorescent lights,” Partington empathized.
Interestingly, this isn’t Partington’s first time attending a high-profile trial. He also witnessed parts of the trial of cryptocurrency mogul Sam Bankman-Fried, held in a federal courthouse close to Trump’s current state trial location, finding that experience equally compelling.
Ultimately, as the trial nears its conclusion, the courthouse campsite epitomizes the heightened public interest in this unprecedented legal spectacle.
Contributed by Julie Walker of the Associated Press.
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