Jury instructions conclude in Trump's NYC criminal trial, here's what the jury was told

On Wednesday, Judge Juan Merchan, left, revealed the framework a Manhattan jury will use to consider the charges against former President Trump and reach a verdict. (Getty Images)

Jury instructions concluded on Wednesday in the  New York City criminal trial against former President Trump after the jury was given several critical directions on how to determine the guilt or innocence of the former president, including one controversial instruction that Fox News Contributor Jonathan Turley called the "coup de grace."

"Merchan just delivered the coup de grace instruction," Turley explained. "He said that there is no need to agree on what occurred. They can disagree on what the crime was among the three choices.  Thus, this means that they could split 4-4-4, and he will still treat them as unanimous."

Judge Juan Merchan also instructed the jury on knowledge of a conspiracy, according to Fox News' Lydia Hu, who was inside the courtroom on Wednesday. 

"He said, mere knowledge of a conspiracy does not make [the] defendant a co-conspirator. Prosecutors must prove intent," Hu reported.  "Also, being present with others when they form a conspiracy does not mean that the defendant is a part of the conspiracy."

This is an excerpt from a story on FoxNews.com