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It's obvious that Merchan expects a conviction and is doing everything he can to ensure one. He allowed the prosecution to keep interrupting Costello so the jury would not get a clear idea of his testimony, and he didn't allow the expert on federal election law to testify at all. Trey Gowdy has opined that the jurors tend to side with the judge, and of course the judge did his best to exclude anyone who might be impartial. Then he lets the jurors spend the next seven days around family and friends and being exposed to the mainstream media (although I think he told them not to watch the news).

Some people are hoping for a hung jury and that is not impossible but I think the chances are pretty slim, maybe 10%.

Assuming the judge gets the conviction he wants, does he order Trump to prison immediately or let the appeals play out first? The White House and DOJ (who are behind the case in the first place) would love to see Trump imprisoned but that might be a bridge too far even for Merchan.

Costello pointed out that Bragg did not present his exculpatory evidence to the grand jury even though he was required to do so. If he had, the grand jury probably wouldn't have voted for a trial.