The whole case is an unholy abortion, but Merchan did not say the jury does not need to be unanimous. He said that in reaching a unanimous verdict the individual jurors need not base their finding of guilt upon the existence of the same predicate crime.
The merit of what Merchan did say is questionable, but he did say they have to reach a unanimous verdict.
See Post 130
We are saying two different things.
I’m not saying that he’ll allow one juror to say Trump didn’t commit a crime and still convict him.
I’m saying the Jury instructions violate the Sixth Amendment per the SCOTUS in that one can find him guilty of Crime X and another can find him Gulity of Crime Y and that’s good enough for a Conviction. SCOTUS ruling says the exact opposite.
Merchan knows this, but they found no way to avoid reversal by SCOTUS later.
They are playing their best hand, and they calculated enough voters will abandon Trump or not show up to Vote.
The only way this could have been done is tight coordination. How did the Prosecutor know the Judge would violate the Sixth Amendment and hide the second charge? And not let Trump call witnesses to defend himself for that secret charge?