"I just hope all this ends soon," Danny Carter sighed heavily and poured himself another glass of wine.
Daisy frowned slightly and advised, "Mr. Carter, I know you're not in a good mood now and want to relieve stress by drinking.
But you must not overdo it, lest you do something irrational and make the situation even more chaotic."
"Could the situation get any worse? I don't even know if I have a chance to play again..." Danny Carter's voice trailed off, his career was on the rise, but this incident had likely dealt a devastating blow.
Daisy asked coldly, "Do you want to go to jail?"
"No, I don't want to go to that place. I worked hard in practicing football to avoid that kind of fate; if I go to jail now, what was the point of all my hard work?"
"Then listen to me, don't drink too much, and don't contact anyone, understood?"
Danny Carter nodded, "OK, you're the boss."
Luke tried to lighten the mood and change the subject, "Danny, have you offended anyone recently?"
"Do you suspect someone is framing me?"
"It's too early to tell, but we can't rule out that possibility."
Danny Carter stood up and paced around the living room, "I am quite hot-tempered and indeed have offended many, but I can't think of anyone who would do this."
"Then think carefully and call me anytime," Luke handed him a business card.
"I will." Danny Carter pocketed the business card and asked, "Luke, you're a police officer and have investigated many major cases. Why would the police assume I'm guilty?
I've explained everything clearly, and anyone with eyes can see that Lee Warwick was lying."
Luke said, "The police look at objective evidence.
If they have enough evidence against you, they will use it to get you to sign a plea agreement."
"I didn't do it, and I'm not pleading guilty," Danny Carter said firmly.
Daisy stated, "As far as I know, the police haven't found any evidence that could convict Mr. Carter."
Danny Carter questioned, "Then why are the police still holding me?"
Luke replied, "The police will suspect everything and won't only consider your perspective; they also have to consider the victim's statements and combine all the evidence available.
There are usually three outcomes.
The first is finding definite evidence against the suspect, persuading him to confess.
The second is finding evidence of the suspect's innocence, releasing him.
The third is when the suspect has a motive, was indeed at the scene, but there is no conclusive evidence of guilt, the victim and suspect tell conflicting stories, and the suspect refuses to confess.
After investigating for a period and unable to find new evidence, the police will communicate with the prosecutor, deciding whether to prosecute."
Luke concluded, "I think we are likely in the third situation now."
Danny Carter asked, "So what should I do now?"
Luke took out a notebook, "Based on your description just now, I've identified a few key points that might be crucial factors in whether the prosecutor decides to prosecute."
Danny Carter swallowed, "What are the key points?"
"Firstly, you both certainly played poker and left genetic material; in this situation, with the woman calling the police, you are in a disadvantageous position,"
Danny Carter said, "I told you before, did she not invite me to her place? It was consensual."
Danny Carter retorted, "According to California law, isn't it supposed to be 'presumption of innocence'? Shouldn't they provide evidence of my guilt?"
"The so-called 'presumption of innocence' applies more to court trials.
But during the investigative stage, police and prosecutors have discretionary power; even if the chain of evidence is not perfect, as long as they suspect you of committing the crime, they can still prosecute you.
Do you want to go to court?"
"No, I don't want to go to court; it would impact me too much, possibly destroying my career. I just hope this matter ends soon.
It would be best if the prosecution dropped the lawsuit."
Luke said, "Then you need to find evidence to prove your innocence to the police and prosecution. As long as the prosecution drops the case, you'll avoid trial, and public opinion will likely turn in your favor."
Danny Carter looked at Luke, then glanced at Daisy, "I think this idea is great.
How do we find evidence?"
Luke continued asking, "Does Lee Warwick have surveillance in her house?"
Danny Carter thought for a moment, "I don't know, probably not; at least I didn't see any."
"During the police interview, did they ask you any particularly unusual or uncomfortable questions that felt threatening?"
Danny Carter recalled for a moment, "Yes, the white policeman who interrogated me asked if I knew Lee Warwick had a boyfriend?
I answered, I didn't know; Lee Warwick told me she was single."
Luke noted, "From the police questioning, it seems Lee Warwick has a boyfriend."
Daisy said, "If it goes to court, this point could be disadvantageous for you."
Danny Carter defended, "She lied; she explicitly told me she had no boyfriend."
Luke pressed, "Where did she say that? Do you have evidence?"
"She said it in the car; my car has a dashcam, it should have recorded our conversation."
Luke wrote it down in his notebook and continued asking, "Any other issues?"
"The police also asked if I had suggested going to Lee Warwick's place for coffee?"