The thread asks about willingness to change views and I will mention a real case that might say something about the position of "advocates." Chandra Levy disappeared in early Summer 2001. The media and a lot of the public frenzied (until 9-11-2001 knocked it off the screen) over Congressman Condit and his perceived guilt. Who can forget CNN's Bob Franken stationed outside the Levy home to report Dr. Levy's leaving for work, returning for lunch, and driving home each day. Full time Condit attacks ruled.
The perception of Condit's "guilt" despite an apparent alibi that included the VP had rocketed upward after a well known press conference by the Levy attorney. He had answered a question about Chandra's possibly being pregnant by saying the family knew, but were not going to reveal the answer to the public. I saw it with friends and everyone said "Oh my God, she was pregnant." That was the consensus and it "confirmed" a motive for Condit to kill the poor girl.
But then about 8-11-01, a reporter from (I think) "Talk" magazine was on the "Today" show and revealed that Mrs Levy knew for an absolute fact that Chandra was NOT pregnant. So, the motive evaporated, and the issue came down to the supposition that a philanderer supposedly killed his last fling while she had her bags packed and was ready to fly out of his life and open him up for the next in line. No good reason to kill had ever existed after all...in fact, for a serial philanderer, it might have been an ideal result.
But what happened was an enomous nothing. Noone would even cover that dramatic revelation. Despite cosiderable personal dislike for Condit, I contacted every cable and news network and asked why they avoided it and suggested it was a "big story". No luck. It wasn't the "In" thing to report. The story was "Condit guilt". Some people, I'm sure still think she was pregnant.
As applied to the topic here, I can say I personally can change when new facts emerge and I have in the past. Getting newly emerging facts that challenge a prevailing focus through an indifferent press to the public may be tough. Maybe the public at large doesn't really want to hear them. Forems like this may represent one of the few places where people really can change.