Actually, they're not the same thing. A directed verdict occurs when the judge immediately steps in and overturns a jury verdict of guilt. A judge cannot direct a verdict of guilt in any jurisdiction I have ever heard of. A "factual finding of innocence" occurs in conjunction with a jury's acquittal, and is a finding from the judge, but not an actual verdict, which comes from the jury. Not all states have a "factual finding of innocence" available without some form of petition first, and perhaps some don't have it all. IF NC has it available, it would come in that form because NC does not have bench trials for felonies. You would know the law in NC on the availability of a factual finding of innocence there better than I would. NC has some strange laws, that is for sure, so a lack of such a possible finding would not surprise me, even through petition.
Oh, I wasn't discussing that part; I should have been clearer; I was talking about if they were to find them guilty, a judge can set aside the verdict.
I have never been involved with anything like that and frankly am not involved in cases where that would be a course anybody I work for or with would have to ever avail themselves of.
I tried to Google it, but couldn't find anything pertaining to NC; did you?