Given that the defense was denied the opportunity to present their Constitutional defense, perhaps they felt a guilty verdict was a given, and was just waiting for it so they could start the procedural appeal based on that denial.
IOW, maybe this is unfolding according to their game plan.
After what happend to Michael New, I still think his plan unwise. I have scanned his "Silver Bullet Letter", but it does not matter how Constitutionally valid his claims are in today's courts.