This podcast contains adult content and language.

Here's all this weather test for only making the cosmic handbook for this course.

It will be the truth that meant the truth about that.

Yes.

Thank you, please, to see it.

Most difficult decision, a defendant in a criminal case faces is whether or not to testify

in one's own defense.

It's a decision fraught with potentially disastrous pitfalls.

A defendant is not required to testify, and the judge tells every jury in every case

that not testifying should not be considered any kind of an admission of guilt.

But it is still a dilemma.

The natural instinct is to explain yourself, to say face to face to the jurors, I didn't do this.

But in choosing to do so, a defendant opens themselves up to the prosecution and anything can happen.

Old convictions, prior bad acts, all that stuff can be dragged out of the shadows, and you can be confronted with it.

By taking this stand, the defendant also submits their demeanor and character, the way they talk,

all aspects of their personality to the jury for inspection and consideration.

The opposite act is to remain mute and unreadable at the defense table, and that has risks of its own.

It doesn't matter that the rule of law is that you don't have to testify, and that it is not a sign of guilt if you choose not to.

People still want to hear the accused say they are innocent, and anything short of that can breed suspicion.

You know, why doesn't he take the stand and speak in his own defense?

Questions like that.

I don't know when it was decided, but Pierre remain elected to take the stand in this case and testify.

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