She just made up a story that directly conflicts with her previous statements.

I be dishonest and a murder trial unless you're the murderer.

From NBI Studios, this is Truth and Justice, a crowdsourced investigation in real time.

I'm Bob Ruff.

Something that is rarely seen and is typically not a great idea is a defendant testifying

at their own trial.

Human nature tends to urge us and to wanted to speak on our own behalf when we're being

accused.

Surely, if I can just explain to the jury what happened, they'll understand and they'll

quit.

The reality is that this is rarely the end result.

Jurors tend to have preconceived notions about what an innocent person should look like,

how they should act.

You didn't cry enough or you cried too much.

You looked them in the eyes or you stared at your feet.

And you're also battling a preconceived notion of guilt.

Even though the Constitution says that you're innocent until proven guilty, your average

juror steps into the box assuming that the police probably got the right person.

That's not to mention the dangers of cross-examination.

A good attorney will twist your words.

Use your own statements against you and make innocent actions appear to be criminal.

That's their job and most of them do it well.

...