Fixed intent

It occurs to me that the wicked judges might have done more to hide the prophecies of Nephi by allowing the people to execute the five they assumed to be guilty rather than releasing them with the intent to trap Nephi instead. I’m tend to assume they didn’t really believe that Nephi had considered with anyone. On the other hand, people often project their own tendencies in others and as conspirators themselves they might assume that Nephite was just like them—lying and conniving to get gain.