What I saw at the Theranos trial: long lines, superfans and the enduring power of Elizabeth Holmes

As a journalist, I have stood in pre-dawn lines and contested with Holmies' and true-crime fanatics for a courthouse spot

The trial of Elizabeth Holmes has seen plenty of courtroom drama, but outside the courthouse in San Jose, California, a spectacle of another sort has unfolded week after week.

On landmark days - such as opening arguments, testimony from star witnesses and when Holmes made the risky decision to take the stand herself - journalists, true crime fans and other spectators have turned out early to battle for limited seats inside the courthouse.