[12]
“The act was not committed, and, if it
was committed, it was not by me.” But if the
defence say, “Prove that the man was killed,” the
burden falls solely on the accuser, for the accused can
say nothing more against the charge except perhaps
in the way of casting certain suspicions, which he
should throw out in the vaguest terms, since if you
make one definite assertion, you will have to prove it
or run the risk of losing your case. For when the
question lies between our statement and that of our
opponent, one or other will be regarded as true.
Thus when the point on which we relied for our
defence is overthrown, there is nothing left but the
points that tell against us.
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