From the song The Trial by Pink Floyd
The evidence before the court is incontrovertible
There's no need for the jury to retire
I know I shouldn't read too much into a song (which takes place in the mind of the protagonist), and I also know that "showing feelings of an almost human nature" is not a real crime, but I'd like to know if it has a little basis in reality. Is it legal for a judge to simply decide on a verdict because s/he decides the evidence is so strong that the jury (who have already sat through the case) isn't required?