BELLEFONTE — Seven women and five men poised to hear closing arguments in Jerry Sandusky’s child sexual abuse trial would begin jury deliberations without the benefit of having the former Penn State assistant football coach take the witness stand in his own defense.

More than a week of often-explicit testimony wrapped up Wednesday after Sandusky’s defense team rested without calling their client. That set up closing arguments for this morning, and jurors could start meeting behind closed doors this afternoon to start weighing Sandusky’s fate.

Once famed for his coaching acumen, Sandusky is charged with 51 criminal counts for the alleged abuse of 10 boys over 15 years in hotels, at his home and in the football team’s showers. Sandusky has maintained his innocence, and his attorneys have tried to weaken the prosecution’s case by discrediting police investigators and suggesting that accusers are hoping to cash in on potential civil lawsuits.

Sandusky’s arrest in November sparked an explosive scandal that led to the ousters of Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno and the university president, and cast a critical eye on the role of college administrators in reporting abuse allegations. The sweeping case also led to renewed focus on child abuse issues.

The defense called just four new witnesses Wednesday, including a physician who they used to try to poke holes in the story of a Penn State assistant coach who testified that he saw Sandusky sexually assault a boy in the team showers more than a decade ago.

Defense attorneys finished in three days, resting around lunchtime Wednesday. The trial has moved more briskly than the three-week time frame Judge John Cleland had estimated.

Cleland said he will begin today by issuing jury instructions. The defense would then present its closing remarks before the prosecution takes its turn.