I just do not believe you are telling all the facts.
Or, very possibly, he is probably not getting all the facts. Too many of us have dealt with the CJ system for too long to not realize something is terribly out of sync in this story.
But IF the retired GW testified that he only heard shots then it would seem that the boys are telling the truth. AND if the weapon smelled of solvent like the deputies testified, when did they have time to clean it before they got there and all the while a retired GW standing guard over them?
Get the F out of the BATFE. The F is guaranteed by the US Constitution. Those other letters are not.