I’m betting that there will be no direct verdict. They are hoping for a hung jury so that they can start all over again and again and again to keep President Trump in the court room.
If Judge Merchan refuses to grant a motion to dismiss for some concocted reason of wanting to hear what the defense has to argue, President Trump should demand an immediate hearing before the New York State Court of Appeals for violation of his 6th amendment right to a speedy trial.
There is no valid reason for Merchan to keep a trial going if he knows the prosecution failed to prove the furtherance of another crime that justified bringing the expired misdemeanor bookkeeping charges to trial. Forcing Trump to put on a defense in a case that is past the statute of limitations would only be to keep him in court for punitive reasons, which is what the 6th amendment speedy trial protection was intended to prevent.
-PJ