He was kind of Newman’s nemesis, but I always interpreted the ending as somewhat of a redemption for Judge Hoyle (O’Shea). He allowed the testimony of Newman’s witness, knowing it would sway the jury, because he was beginning to have doubts about the defense’s case. He went through the motions of upholding the defense objections and “warning” the jury not to give the testimony any credit, but he knew they had heard it and would not be able to ignore it in good conscience.
I forgot those details. It’s still one of my favorite movies. The actors (especially Paul Newman) are splendid and the script by David Mamet is terrific.