N.Y. Jud. Law § 4

§ 4. Sittings of courts to be public. The sittings of every court\nwithin this state shall be public, and every citizen may freely attend\nthe same, except that in all proceedings and trials in cases for\ndivorce, seduction, rape, assault with intent to commit rape, bastardy,\nfiliation, or a crime formerly defined in sections 130.50, 130.45, and\n130.40 of the penal law, the court may, in its discretion, exclude\ntherefrom all persons who are not directly interested therein, excepting\njurors, witnesses, and officers of the court.\n