As Trump’s hush-money trial nears an end, some would-be spectators camp out for days to get inside

NEW YORK (AP) — While some New Yorkers headed to the beach for Memorial Day weekend, a few set up camp outside the courthouse where Donald Trump’s criminal trial is set to resume next week, hoping to snag a seat inside the courtroom for the start of closing arguments.

Friday found a handful of people already in line for Tuesday’s court session.

They included professional line sitters with pup tents — and Richard Partington, 43, of East Hampton, New York, sitting on the hard pavement with a sleeping bag, pillow and blanket plus a journal to write in. He said he got in the line for the courtroom on Thursday.

“I think a lot of people didn’t even realize you could go inside the courtroom,” Partington said. “And now that the word has spread there’s just a lot more interest.”

Most of the seats inside the courtroom where Trump is on trial are reserved for lawyers, members of Trump’s entourage, security personnel and journalists. But a handful of seats are open to the general public. With news cameras banned from the trial, only people inside the courtroom or in a nearby overflow room with a video link have been able to watch.

In the early days of Trump’s hush money trial, getting one of those few seats for the public required an early start and some dedication. It has only gotten tougher since then. More would-be spectators are showing up as the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president nears its conclusion.

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