In this case, if the Peterson's were honest, they would have said,
"He's not doing as well as we expected."
But after all, when the evidence is what it is, only a brain dead jury would have come back with not guilty.
A more skillful lawyer might've been able to raise reasonable doubt though. But this "the police framed my client", "we're gonna find the real killers" talk was only good to raise memories of a murder trial of 10 years ago. Bad idea!