When a close friend or family member falls into serious peril do you rally around them or distance yourself from them?

(disclaimer) This is not my situation; however, it may or may not be a situation of someone I know of, or someone I know; or not at all. The question has been inspired of many, many similar or equal cases gleaned from real life.

If you had a close family member or a good friend you knew for half your life or longer and they fall into serious peril, IE, they are accused and arrested for murdering their spouse, molesting a stepchild, or biological child, detained as part of a hate group planning to attack other people they were against, etc. You never saw a side of that person to be anything close to what the authorities, or other witnesses, accuse them of being. Do you rally around them with support, etc, choosing not to believe the rumors, allegations, etc, or do you believe they are true and distance yourself to protect yourself legally, socially, financially, or just to escape embarrassment, etc?