But when it reopened as Club New York, it kept much of the original layout, including a large circular bar in the middle of the floor. And that party was the start of Puff Daddy's current troubles. The notoriety of the gun-possession and bribery trial, however, is enough to draw the group I come to call the Oldheads. And somehow, the three elderly trial observers manage to get in the line to get into Courtroom 733 before me. An elderly black woman with long dreads, who declines to give her name, says both prosecution and defense have put up good arguments.
Courtrooms make strange bedfellows.
Right away, I start to notice there are very prescribed rules in the courtroom and a definite pecking order. And the security guards are in charge. Apparently, they have to jockey for the best position on the front-row benches on the left side of the courtroom. Reporters with court beats get the front row on the right side - a handful of coiffed and chicly outfitted women I come to call the Court Scribettes. Other reporters can sit in the two rows behind them.