Right.

And, you know, when this, when this first occurred, um, you know, I, I, I didn't understand why I was going through it.

Uh, you know, I felt that I was unfairly targeted, and that still may be true.

I, I don't really think anybody should be targeted in this manner.

Um, but nonetheless, uh, over time, uh, I've realized that it has become bigger than me.

Uh, you know, this wasn't an isolated incident.

This was something where, again, she's a perpetrator that has done this to multiple individuals, and they had never had, uh, seen justice be served.

Right.

After Mike and Danielle left the courthouse that day, I sat down with Clayton to process what just happened.

I'm pissed, because, you know, I s- first saw Mike walk out of the courtroom, and tears in his eyes.

And you know where those tears are coming from.

It's six-plus years that this man has had to endure, and I feel for him, because I've went through two years of my own.

And so it is really frustrating, because you just want it to be done.

Clayton knows better than anyone else what it feels like to try to prove his innocence against Laura Owens.

Laura thinks she's won today.

I don't see that at all as a win.

So Mike and Clayton hopped on the phone.

It was surreal at first to obviously find out that there's now another individual that went through this, but my story really paled in comparison to Mike because Mike actually dated Laura, which was mind-blowing when I found that out.

And to know that he had been going through this for six plus years, I mean, this is an ongoing battle he was facing.

And the great thing, as I found out very quickly, was he had incredible support from his wife that was helping him through this troubling time.

But ultimately, he wanted to reach out and let me know that I wasn't alone.

And the beautiful thing was is that his story was going to help me out so much.

I did ask him a question of if he had saved anything from that time with Laura, whether he had any photos or texts or anything of the matter.

Even though they didn't have time to call Mike in the trial, his presence there made a difference to Clayton.

Yeah

... uh, you talk about, like, I, I think just all the stars aligning, and I really just believe that, like, we have the upper hand, being on the side of good.

Uh, I...

There have been so many moments where I've just been absolutely shocked by how things have unfolded.

Uh, I mean, going back to the, when I represented myself, I, uh, was cash poor at that point.

I'd just, you know, purchased a home, and I didn't have anything really left.

I was, I, I didn't want it to di- change course.

But do you have a, a- an ounce of empathy for somebody that clearly is missing something in her life?