A few years ago I started becoming more active with a friend I had grown distant with. She introduced me to her new circle of friends which included a guy named Barry. Who was awaiting trial for "something that was blown out of proportion", this was an ongoing very long process since covid pushed his court date back like two years in total. So I met him a few times and heard him describe the case. But I was always skeptical of his story, how do you just wake up in a bush with a gun to a police dog with zero recollection of the night before?

But I let it slide in the moment because I was in a pretty vulnerable lonely place after a bad breakup, however I made DAMN sure to actually attend his trial. The only one of the friend group who did, and he was very thankful and called me a good friend. But I really just wanted to hear the story from the defense.

Barry didn't mention the gun shots he fired as his ex girlfriend or the camera footage showing him stumbling around with a gun. He didn't mention that he was shooting outside when his home is next to a school and it caused the school to close, also didn't mention the threats he made. The lawyer for Barry couldn't make much of a defense for him, just that he was in AA and doesn't drink anymore.

Barry went to jail. And I made absolutely sure that everyone heard abiut what I learned. But the tradgey was that most people just thought I had a personal grudge against him. That I didn't know how crazy his ex GF was and that she totally (probably) provoked him.

Long story short, it's easy to talk around the truth to you friends, who of course will take your side. Going to a trial and hearing the evidence yourself can be a very eye opening experience.