EXPLAINER: Are more defendants testifying at trial?

By MICHAEL TARM
AP Legal Affairs Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — Defendants spoke directly to jurors in a series of recent high-profile trials, defying conventional wisdom that the risks of a client taking the stand usually outweigh the benefits. Among those who chose to testify this month was Kim Potter, convicted Thursday of manslaughter for killing Daunte Wright during a traffic stop when the Minnesota police officer mistook her gun for a Taser.  Other recent examples include Kyle Rittenhouse, who was acquitted last month of homicide and other charges for shooting three protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year, killing two and wounding a third. The run of testifying defendants raises the question of whether a shift in thinking is happening among lawyers.