>is the issue, currently, his inability to stay on message?

Like, take two steps back. Let's say hypothetically he's completely innocent and she's was lying. You've got a person who killed herself and the story is she killed herself because you and your man raped her.

Who's more sympathetic? It's not a court of law, what do you win for continually making the point that you didn't do it? Cool, but by your own admittance you were involved and she ultimately killed herself, not a good look player

While defending your honor looks good in the court of law,in the court of public opinion you look shady and fucked up.

Every time he's gotta say a sentence about he's innocent of the specific crime it should immediately be preceded with a -paragraph- about however his behavior isn't morale and about the woman, similar to that message you posted. He gonna be right, but wrong, to his grave, lol