Catching up on some random thoughts.
Orange Tabby, fantastic job researching prior evidentiary coverage. I also tried to find an explanation and found nothing definitive. I couldn't find any general Indonesian prohibitions, although there was mention that the photographers were limited in number during at least parts of the Corby trial because of space (the tripods). I couldn't find anything indicating it was standard judicial practice to close the court during this stage of the trial.
Conclusion: beats me.
Judge Cohen: I'm not sure what's going on here, and I could be wrong, but I thought from the beginning that he didn't seem to like WW. At first, I thought perhaps it was what I call the 'white knight/daddy' syndrome: sometimes it seems like young females develop odd relationships with the older men around them: attorneys, judges, jailers. Caylee Anthony comes to mind, possibly Arias. I thought Cohen was awfully quick, based on the available public evidence, to act like WW might be a heartless gold-digger. I thought he saw a helpless preggers 19-year-old trapped in a terrible third-world country.
I think he's a little wiser about HM now, but it still seems like he really doesn't like WW and I don't understand why. I'm glad WW at least got the concerns about corruption documented. It wouldn't surprise me if HM got off, returned to the US, and tried to sue her trustee for mismanagement of all the $ she pays Soenardi. This puts the responsibility for supporting Indonesian corruption squarely on the shoulders of Cohen and Mackoff (and, of course, HM).
South Aussie, the Indonesia attorney fees are problematic. There does seem to be evidence that Indonesian attorney fees, not unlike US attorney fees, rise significantly when a wealthy individual is involved. I don't even want to guess what OJ Simpson's final legal bills came to. Besides, initially Elkin agreed to handle HM's case for $150K. If Soenardi was challenged, he could point out (rightfully) that if Elkin was going to get $150K when he can't even practice law in Indonesia, surely a 'death penalty specialist high-profile Indonesian lawyer' like Soenardi is worth just as much. To some extent, there's a feeling that the more expensive your lawyer, the better the chance you will get off.
OT, but....I've been reading a bit on another trial starting right now. It's a drug trial, New Zealander named de Malmanche, he's got a pro bono high-profile lawyer from New Zealand, Craig Tuck, trying to work with him. Apparently Tuck contacted Soenardi and some of Corby's old attorneys. He 'consulted' with Soenardi, who was supposed to ensure that de Malmanche had an Indonesian attorney with him before talking to the police.
Well....Soenardi's name is no longer being mentioned, Tuck was not happy to find out that the police went ahead and questioned de Malmanche without a lawyer present. Why? Well, Tuck has announced he's working for free, de Malmanche hasn't got any money and his family have only been able to raise <$15K. In other words, not worth the "death penalty specialist's" time.
One other bit about this trial that struck me: the trial was supposed to start this week but the first appearance got cancelled because the prosecutor didn't supply a licensed translator.
eta: Bugbear beat me to it, but I also wonder if HM really has any clue how money works? Is she doing the math? Every call to Scifo is billed; he got the OK for $48K, but is expected to bill another $50K when this is over. I find it hard to believe Elkin is going to walk away without getting at least two weeks' worth of pay and expenses, and I doubt that we've heard the last of Favia, whose billing was separate from Elkin's original $150K. HM won't be broke, by any means, but still....
I'm crossing my fingers that if and when HM returns to the US, she's met by the FBI (murder-for-hire), SS (social security fraud because she collected $ when she was not in school), and WW ('slayer statute').
BTW...what's with Cohen releasing $25K? Bad journalism? He originally said three payments, $150K total. Or did they 'disallow' some of Soenardi's charges? (like the half that is covering TS?)
I believe Schapelle Corby went this route towards the end of her stay. In fact I think that was how she ended up getting out. I wonder who sent the money to help with her situation? 
