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This week in Maycomb there is a bit of a controversy. There is a trial for a black man named Tom Robinson. He is being tried for hurting and raping Mayella Ewell on November 21 st. There are two sides to this story. I was lucky enough to be in the courtroom to witness this trial as it took place. In this article, I will examine each of the witnesses stories.
Judge Taylor was the judge for the case. He was a good, fair judge who had the respect of most of the town. Mr. Gilmer, the Ewell's attorney, called the first witness. He called Mr. Heck Tate, the county sheriff.
His testimony stated that Mr. Ewell came to him and said that some nigger raped his girl. Then Heck Tate continued on saying that when he reached the Ewell place he saw Mayella lying on the floor, and she was hurt badly. When Mr. Tate asked who had done this, Mayella said, Tom Robinson. She said that he took advantage of her.
Mr. Tate, giving the entire story, went on telling the court that he then went down to the Robinson place and arrested him. Now it was Mr. Mr. Finch Finch's turn to cross-examine the witness.
Mr. Finch was Tom Robinsons attorney. Mr. Finch first question was, Did anyone call a doctor? Mr. Tates answer was no.
Mr. Finch then asked Mr. Tate to describe Mayella's injuries. She was beaten around the head. There was already bruises comin on her arms, and it happened about thirty minutes before. Mr.
Finch then asked how me knew that. Heck said it was what he was told, he also said that Mayella was getting a black eye. Mr. Finch immediately asked which eye it was. Mr. Tate hesitated a moment then said it was her left eye when he was looking at it; therefore, it was her left eye.
Mr. Finch made a big deal of this; he wanted everyone to hear that Mayella's right side of her face was beaten on. After this, Mr. Tate also said that there were finger marks around Mayella's neck. Then Sheriff Heck Tate stepped down. Next to the stand was Bob Ewell, Mayella's father.
He was called by Mr. Gilmer. He was asked what happened. Mr.
Ewell said that he was bringing home some kindling when he heard Mayella screaming. Then he said that he was dropped his wood and ran to the window in time to see Tom Robinson raping his daughter Mayella. Mr. Ewell said that when he ran in the house, Tom ran out just in front of him out the other door. After that, Mr.
Ewell said that he ran for Mr. Tate. Again, Mr. Finch cross-examined the witness. He started by asking why Mr.
Ewell did not run for a doctor. He said there was no need to. Then Mr. Finch asked Mr.
Ewell if he agreed with everything Mr. Tate said in his testimony, at first Mr. Ewell did not understand the question, then he said he did agree fully with Mr. Tate.
Next Mr. Finch made it a point for the court to see that Mr. Ewell was left-handed and not ambidextrous. Mr. Ewell then stepped down from the stand.
Mr. Gilmer called Mayella Ewell next. Mr. Gilmer asked her what happened. Mayella said she was sitting on the porch when Tom Robinson walked by the house, but then she started crying. Mayella continued saying she asked Tom to come in and break up a chifforobe.
She said that she went into the house to get a nickel and when she turned around Tom jumped on her, beat her, and then took advantage of her. The next thing she remembered was her father standing above her. It was Mr. Finch turn again.
Mr. Finch started by asking Mayella a few questions such as, How old are you? Did you go to school? Are you the oldest? and so on. He was being very polite by saying maam and using the name Miss Mayella rather than plain old Mayella when Mayella got offended and thought Mr.
Finch was mocking her. The judge settled her down and they proceeded with the trail. Mr. Finch asked if Mr. Ewell was nice to Mayella, she said yes, except when he Mr.
Finch finished the sentence for her by adding, when he drinks. She nodded to this. Mr. Finch was a very goof lawyer and was getting Mayella to say things she obviously did not want to say. However, she would not admit to ever being beating by her father.
Mr. Finch asked Mayella if Tom hit her in the face, she said no but then quickly changed it to yes. She also said that she had never asked Tom to do any other favors before that day. Mr. Finch had Mayella point out the man that raped her; she pointed at Mr. Tom Robinson.
He was asked to stand up. When Tom stood up everyone in the courtroom could see that Tom Robinson was crippled. His arm left arm was approximately 12 inches shorter than his right arm. Mr. Finch asked Mayella how Tom could have raped her; it was an easy question to answer-he did not. Mr.
Finch then just started laying questions on her, as she was answering he starting another question. She stopped answering questions, but Mr. Finch just keep going. He told her to tell the truth.
Mayella said that everyone was a bunch of cowards if they believed Tom and Mr. Finch over her, and she burst into tears. Mr. Finch had no more questions. The court took a ten-minute rest; Mr. Gilmer had no more witnesses so when they returned it would be Mr.
Finch turn to call a witness. When the court came back in session Mr. Finch called his one and only witness, Tom Robinson. Tom could not keep his arm on the bible to take the oath, so Judge Taylor said that it was ok. Mr.
Finch was very smart about how he asked the questions. He first asked Tom if he had ever been arrested to show that they werent hiding anything. Tom had been arrested before for getting into a fight. Toms testimony was about the exact opposite of Mayella and Mr. Ewell's. He said he had helped Mayella before that day.
Then Tom told what happened on November 21. He said that on his way home, he passed the Ewell's house and Mayella was on the porch. That it was really quiet because all of the kids were gone. Next, Mayella asked Tom to come inside and help her with something. She said there was a door off its hinges, but when he went in the door was fine. Mayella asked Tom to get a box down from the top of a chifforobe.
When he went up, Mayella grabbed him around the legs and pulled him down. Then he said Mayella jumped on him and kissed him. Tom said just as that happened, Mr. Ewell saw them in the window and yelled at Mayella. Tom said he ran so fast out of there.
Mr. Finch asked Tom if he raped or hurt Mayella and he said no. Also, Mr. Finch asked if Tom tried to get away, he said he had, but he wanted to be a gentleman. Tom said he ran because he was black and black people get treated different. That was all that Mr.
Finch had to ask Tom. Mr. Gilmer now was going to question Tom. He wondered if Tom would be able to choke a person with his one good hand, he said he probably could. Mr. Gilmer kept inferring that Tom had his eye on her, that he wanted to rape her.
Tom said no he did not want to nor did he. Mr. Gilmer asked Tom if he thought Mayella was lying, Tom said she wasnt lying just mistaken in the mind. That was all Mr. Gilmer had to ask Tom. There were no more questions after that.
They just had to wait for the jury to get in. When the jury finally came in-they were gone for a long time trying to decide the outcome of this case-the verdict was ready. They found Tom Robinson guilty of raping and assaulting Miss Mayella Ewell. It was a long a tough trial. The outcome my have been a little one-sided but life is life, and I am sure there will be an appeal to get Tom Robinson free. Bibliography:
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