The judge directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty.

法官指示陪审团作出无罪裁决。

《牛津词典》

If jurors cannot reach a unanimous verdict on their first vote, they must hear the views of the presiding judge, after which they may decide by simple majority.

如果陪审员们在第一次投票时无法达成全体一致，他们必须听取主任法官的意见，这之后他们可以通过简单多数作出决定。

youdao

Go to the priests, who are Levites, and to the judge who is in office at that time. Inquire of them and they will give you the verdict.

去见祭司利未人，并当时的审判官，求问他们，他们必将判语指示你。

youdao

Kasab,a Pakistani citizen, on July 20 made a surprise confession in court to some of the charges, and tried to get the judge to stop the trial and announce a verdict.

VOA: standard.2009.08.07

And given that doubt over the precise series of events, the judge said the only verdict could be one of not guilty.

BBC: The John Terry verdict explained

While clearing Clegg of the murder charge, the judge upheld an earlier trial's guilty verdict of attempting to wound the driver of the car.

BBC: Soldier cleared of Northern Ireland murder

The part of the verdict dealing with sentencing was delivered to Judge Danilkin while he was still reading out the verdict, she added.

BBC: MEPs urged to 'face the truth' on human rights in Russia