As an elduh we were instructed to not say anything that old revel our "hand" before the JC and during. Because repentance needs to come from the heart and full disclosure would prove such, not holding anything back on behalf of the accused would indicate that. There was a scripture that was read almost all the time during the JC about covering of transgressions you wont succeed blah blah blah. This was read to indicate the seriousness of the meeting and to open the heart of the accused to reveal the transgression. I was never approached by anyone before the JC. However if I would see them, even right before the JC before the elduhs got together privately, I would on the say to them to read the insight book entry on repentance. I even brought an insight book to one young man right before he was to meet with us and said read it as quick as you can and try to display repentance.
The elduhs meet privately before the accused is brought forth, it's then where the evidence is talked about and cautions are mentioned about not revealing too much too soon. In my JC one elduh, a real company man boldfaced lied in order to extract a confession. I knew it was a lieand I knew my ex wife had told him about it. I had checked up on her story and it was a lie. She had said she went to the store and asked to see the CCTV footage of a certain date which showed me buying something. The elduh then said he had checked the CCTV tape and saw me buying it. But before this I asked the manager of the store to see if that was possible naïf it had indeed happened. Under no circumstances he said. Only the police can see it.
So as my example shows they can lie as part of theocratic warfare during a JC.
Best to just ignore and not go, why give them this inquistional power over you.
Slavenomore