Merchan also cleared journalists from the court room. This is a major 1st amendment violation. If there were any justice in the US at the moment, this would result in the judge being disrobed. This is not the only 1st amendment issue in the case, the main one being the gag order against Trump, which impinges on Trumps 1st amendment rights, as well as the 1st amendment rights of journalists (who cannot ask questions of him that he can answer) and of the general public which is deprived of their right to hear what Trump has to say. This whole case is a shit show. It should have been a directed verdict at the conclusion of the State's case. Due to no evidence of the underlying crime (that is required to elevate the misdemeanor to a felony). No one even really knows what that crime is supposed to be, something about FEC violations, however the federal government already looked into that and determined that no crime was committed. In addition to that, the only substantive witness for the prosecution (Cohen) was shown to be a blatant liar who lied directly to the jury in this case about the key piece of evidence, the supposed phone call where he supposedly told Trump of the payments. It was clearly shown under cross examination that the call in question to Trump's body guard was about prank calls by some 14 year old kid. Cohen was utterly obliterated on the stand. Trump may still be found guilty, but only due to blatant bias by the judge and jury. If he is found guilty, no one will see that as legitimate. Even CNN is now saying this case is bullshit.