His attorney argued that a family conflict had escalated and that the circumstances were not as clear as the prosecution claimed.

The prosecutor responded by referring to the physical evidence, statements, and parts of the call made while I was still in the yard.

It was strange to hear the worst hours of my life described with careful legal language.

I wanted someone to say plainly that what happened was cruel.

Yet I understood why accuracy mattered.

Garrett had built his defense around making simple things sound uncertain.

Every fact presented carefully was one less opening for that strategy.