Court appointed attorneys claimed that their client was innocent, that Brown had committed suicide, and that Gillette was a helpless onlooker to the suicide. It did not help that Gillette had changed his story - claiming he wasn't there when Brown drowned, then accidental drowning, then suicide.
Attorneys argued for their client's innocence, contended that Brown had committed suicide, and maintained that Gillette was a passive observer. The attorney's narrative became complicated as Gillette changed his account - initially denying being present when Brown drowned, then suggesting an accidental drowning, and finally claiming suicide.