âThatâs a lie,â Ms. Pitam said, shaking her head in response.
It was not until the first extradition hearing at the end of September that the two sides finally saw one another inside the Brooklyn federal courthouse.
Mr. Bisramâs friends and family numbered more than 40. Most were wearing business attire accented by yellow, in a show of unity. They filled four rows in the courtroom. Some of the 16 attending in support of Mr. Narinedattâs side had nowhere but the jury box to sit. They wore white T-shirts proclaiming âJustice for Faiyaz.â
One supporter of Mr. Bisram testily confronted a Brooklyn Hindu priest who claimed to be on Mr. Bisramâs side but also appeared to support his critic, Lakshmee Singh, a Queens television personality who had organized the local Diwali parade in which the priest was planning to appear.
Ms. Pitam brought her daughter, who fussed while the lawyers presented their arguments.
When he entered the courtroom, Mr. Bisram did not at all resemble the coiffed image he has maintained on social media. His hair was uncombed and his eyes were bloodshot, brightening only when his family and friends waved to him.
Credit Elias Williams for The New York Times