You get flustered, and your previously smooth conversational tone and pace becomes temporarily erratic as you attempt to figure out what to say next.

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If you have to have your memory refreshed with your report more than a couple of times (or at all in a simple case), cannot articulate your methods of investigation, use an inordinate number of vocalized pauses, allow yourself to get flustered, or just generally look like a dunce, the defense attorney has successfully tacked you on a cross.

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"They turned up the defense and we just got flustered and couldn't really get anything going, and because we couldn't get anything going, I think our defense suffered because of that, " Williams said.

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