One doesn't, in practice, always get the benefit of doubt. A defendant may well find himself guilty until proven innocent. In this book, the author attempts to win the reader over to his innocence, by giving an account and explanation of himself. Thus, he tells his thoughts and experiences which he feels might be relevant to the accusation against him. There is no actual legal case. But on a purely personal level, he feels he is misunderstood, and so is motivated to explain himself. The book suggests that a defendant might do well to take the stand in his own behalf, rather than allow the prosecution to do all the work of presenting evidence. This would be true, though, only if the defendant were truly innocent.