'Unbelievable!' CNN analyst shocked as Trump witness antics spur courtroom chaos

Michael Cohen's former attorney Robert Costello's behavior in the courtroom was "unbelievable" and "truly shocking," CNN legal analyst Paula Reid said on Monday.

Justice Juan Merchan took the extreme measure Monday of clearing the courtroom so that he could chastise the defense witness for his behavior on the stand, spurring anchor Jake Tapper to ask Reid, "Have you ever seen anything like this?"

"No, this is unbelievable," said Reid. "I know Bob Costello quite well. I've talked to him for about a decade. The fact that he would allow this happen on the stand, it suggests in many ways that he is probably posturing for the defendant."

Reid argued Trump had likely demanded Costello testify despite warnings from his own attorneys.

"They said this is not a good idea, do not put Costello on the stand," said Reid. "He overrode them because he loved Costello's performance in Congress last week where he attacked not only Bob Costello [sic], but also this case. And the judge."

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Tapper asked Reid to discuss Costello's background as an attorney and what it meant that he could be heard on the microphone saying, "Jeez" and rolling his eyes.

"He knows how important it is more than the Average Joe on the street to show respect and deference to a judge's rulings ... for him to do that, that's knowing hostility," Tapper said. "I mean, that is knowing animosity towards a judge's ruling."

"This is unbelievable that he would engage in this kind of conduct, force the entire courtroom to be cleared," said Reid.

"This is so over the top, undermining everything the defense has tried to do for their client over the past week or so. It's unclear what impact this is going to have on the case itself, but this is exactly why certain members of the defense team did not want to call him. But again, I've dealt with him for a decade. I am pretty shocked that this is the way that he's behaving on the stand. Look, he has animus towards Michael Cohen, no doubt. He also has some ill will towards the judge. But the fact that he would engage in this kind of behavior if you're in a criminal courtroom and the historic case of this nature is truly shocking."

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