How many of y'all ever been on trial? How did it turn out for you?
Most people cop a plea deal.
I just went to bench trial with a judge who is a former prosecutor over a fight with my brother.
We all went out drinking for my birthday, and at the end of the night he tried to attack me. Essentially, I "beat him to the punch". Fucked up night, he tried to hit me... but I got him first. I ended up going to jail over night for the shit, and he went to the hospital with a broken jaw.
After about two hours of testimony, the judge declared there was not enough evidence to support his claim of assault. It was really self defense. Though she ruled in my favor, she told everybody straight up "If I were to go off of who I thought was telling the truth, I'd have ruled in your favor" *points at my brother*.
Which is fucked up in and of itself, because he didn't even remember going to the first two bars we hit that night. Only the last one. The entire story is long, a bit complicated, so I won't get into too much detail right now. But he wanted me prosecuted, which he FAILED to do.
So I figured I'd ask who else on here has been to trial, and how it played out.