'He should be in prison': Judge Juan Merchan slammed after Trump witness Bob Costello recounts courtroom outburst

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Robert Costello, a former legal adviser to Michael Cohen, who once served as Donald Trump’s fixer, expressed his discontent with Judge Juan Merchan’s conduct during the hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump.

In a recent interview, Costello shared his perspective, accusing the judge of overreacting and targeting him during his testimony.

Allegations of judicial misconduct against Judge Merchan

During an interview on the 'Cats and Cosby Show' with hosts John Catsimatidis and Rita Cosby, Costello recounted his experiences in the Manhattan courtroom, where he testified in Trump's defense. Costello described several instances where he felt unjustly targeted by Judge Merchan.

One notable incident involved the judge accusing Costello of attempting to intimidate him with a stare.

Costello explained, “I guess I muttered … ‘Jeez’ … That’s all I did. The judge then went on a rant … I had to turn to my right to look at him. That’s what you normally do when somebody’s speaking to you.”

Despite his attempt to clarify his actions, Merchan allegedly cut him off. “He immediately said, ‘Are you trying to stare me down?’… [I said], ‘No. Can I explain?’ And he said, ‘No. This is not a discussion,'" Costello recounted.

Costello further claimed that the judge accused him of rolling his eyes, an allegation he vehemently denied. “A: I don’t believe I was. B: If I was, he couldn’t possibly have seen it because he’s behind me and to my right, and I was looking to my left to the jury box,” Costello asserted.

Judge Merchan’s handling of the situation extended to a point where he instructed the jurors to leave the courtroom to admonish Costello for his supposed courtroom demeanor. This action has raised questions about the judge's impartiality and conduct during the trial.

Costello’s recounting of the events came a day after Trump was found guilty on all 34 charges of falsifying business records. These charges were related to a payment made to an adult film actress during the early days of the 2016 election, aiming to silence allegations of an affair, which Trump has consistently denied.

Reflections on the jury and Judge Merchan’s role

Reflecting on the trial’s outcome, Costello expressed surprise and disappointment, having anticipated a hung jury. “I gave them more credit than they deserved … Judge Merchan helped them along that road [to a conviction] with his charge, which was absolutely absurd,” he remarked.

Costello speculated that Judge Merchan’s treatment of him might have been influenced by his previous testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, where he questioned the judge’s involvement in multiple Trump-related trials.

“My guess is that he saw that, and he was probably irritated at me for having said that, and he was waiting for an opportunity, and he took it,” Costello suggested. “But he totally overreacted.”

The alleged bias and aggressive behavior displayed by Judge Merchan may have influenced the defense team's strategy. Co-host Rita Cosby proposed that the defense team refrained from presenting additional witnesses after witnessing Merchan’s conduct toward Costello.

“It was an unfortunate experience brought on by a judge with thin skin, totally overreacting,” Costello said. “But maybe he did that on purpose, because no rational judge would have engaged in behavior like that.”

Costello, a seasoned lawyer, expressed his shock at the judge's actions. “I’ve been a lawyer for a long time […] I have never had a judge attempt to chastise me like that, and say, ‘Your behavior is contemptuous,’ especially since he was making up two-thirds of the allegations."

Merchan excoriated on social media

Costello’s remarks sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with many users criticizing Judge Merchan.

"Juan Merchan should be in prison for treason," one posted on X.

"Merchan must have been terrified of anybody with integrity," another wrote.

"There's no justifying anything that happened in this trial, Merchan needs to be thrown off the bench and disbarred," someone else fumed.

"Costello said Merchan completely lost control. That was obvious from the printed reports. I can’t imagine the shock that ran through those that were in the courtroom," a comment read.

"No wonder they didn’t want cameras in the courtroom," another chimed in.

The conviction of Donald Trump, coupled with the controversy surrounding Judge Merchan’s conduct, has cast a shadow of doubt over the trial’s fairness.

Trump’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 11, just days before the Republican National Convention, where he is set to be formally nominated as the GOP presidential nominee. Trump is expected to appeal the conviction, as reported by The Hill.

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