Presumed Guilty

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, racism, substance use, addiction, sexual content, mental illness, self-harm, illness, graphic violence, and suicidal ideation.

Rusty opens the defense’s case by calling Brice Flynn, who arrives in his Coast Guard uniform. Brice explains that he’s known Aaron since school, and Aaron helped him paint houses after he returned from camping. Brice didn’t notice any signs that Aaron was in a fight. Aaron wore his Nikes while painting, so the shoes got covered in paint, and Aaron had to throw them out. Brice confirms that Aaron threw his shoes away before the news of Mae’s death broke.

Jackdorp establishes that Brice visited Aaron in jail and spoke about his upcoming testimony. Jackdorp paints Brice as someone who disrespects oaths, since he previously broke his vow to his fiancée, Cassity. Brice starts describing what Aaron did to his camping gear, but Jackdorp stops the introduction of hearsay. Rusty picks up this thread, and Brice explains that Aaron’s clothes smelled like smoke, so he planned to get rid of them. Brice claims he joined the Coast Guard to prove he is a changed man.