The Grilla Gazette
Tom Robinson: Guilty or Innocent?
It seemed as if all of Maycomb
County was at 25-year-old
Tom Robinson’s trial. Mr.
Robinson is being accused of
taking advantage of Miss
Mayella Ewell.
Judge Taylor, as
unconventional as he is,
called the four witnesses up,
one by one. Then we heard
their side of the story. What
really happened on November
21st of last year?
Sheriff Heck Tate was the first
to swear in to the witness
stand. As Atticus Finch, Tom
Robinson’s defense attorney,
cross-examines Mr. Tate, it
seems to be that he cannot
give a straight answer! Either
he was coming up with a very
perplexing and very twisted
lie or our sheriff can’t tell his
left from his right. Could it be
that our main law-enforcer is
the one breaking the law
himself? Do we have a case of
perjury on our hands?
Robert E. Lee Ewell, Mayella’s
father was no gentleman
either. But there are two
interesting facts that I want
to point out. One, no doctor
was called to the scene of the
incident, as evidence of the
testimonies. Mr. Ewell’s
answer, it would have cost
him too much money. Sure,
they aren’t the wealthiest
family in Maycomb County but
certainly Mr. Ewell would
want to get treatment for his
daughter, right? The other
fact was that the two
witnesses are left-handed.
Mayella’s facial bruises were
on her right side, was it
possible that her father was
the one who abused her?
Mayella Violet Ewell, the
victim was called to testify.
Needless to say, she was very
emotional. After accusing
Atticus Finch, defending
attorney, of trying to convict
her father because of his
ability to write left-handed,
Judge Taylor steps in. He
clearly states that Atticus
had to ask if Mr. Ewell could
write because this could
have evidence over more
information the lawyers
could further collect. Mayella
then seems to be more
cooperative. But this is not
for long; Atticus then
realizes an error in logic.
The Mayella who was so
timid, emotional and quiet
has now been replaced with
one who is confident,
strong, and sassy. Atticus
sees this as evidence that
Mayella may be lying as
well. It seems as maybe the
three witnesses are working
against Atticus and Tom
Robinson. Right now, it
doesn’t look like anybody is
telling the truth. Did
anything really happen that
day?
Thankfully, Tom Robinson’s
testimony clears up any
questions we may have.
When the defendant steps
up to be sworn in, all those
present see something that
has a tremendous bearing
on this case. Mr. Robinson’s
left hand is a full 12-inches
shorter than his right, it also
looks like it doesn’t give Tom
much mobility. This was from
an accident with a cotton gin
that rendered his left hand
useless. Now, remember how
Sheriff Tate, Mr. Ewell and
Mayella testified that the
facial injuries she sustained
were on the right side of her
face. If Tom Robinson were
trying to harm Mayella, then
her left side of her face would
be more affected. See the
correlations? Jem and Scout
have; they have snuck in to
watch the trial and see the
subtle cues the witnesses
have let slip out. The Finches
see that Tom Robinson is
innocent and that somebody
else harmed Mayella, it
couldn’t have been the Mr.
Tate, was the culprit her
father, Mr. Ewell?
After a long, drawn-out
deliberation, the jury comes
to a conclusion, Tom
Robinson is guilty. Wait what?
Even though all the evidence
points towards innocent, the
all-white jury is heavily
biased to Tom and that led to
their decision. A normally
quiet, arid and amicable
Atticus stands up and gives
the jury his opinion.
““Gentleman,” he was
saying, “I shall be brief but I
would like to use my
remaining time to remind you
that this case is not a difficult
one, it requires no minute
sifting of complicated facts,
but it does require you to be
sure beyond all reasonable
doubt as to the guilt of the
defendant. To begin with,
this case should have never
come to trial. This case is as
simple as black and white…”
And Atticus is absolutely
correct! The reason it was
ever in court is because the
Ewells and Sheriff Tate lied.
Atticus continues to say what
his children had been thinking
the entire time, “The
defendant is not guilty but
somebody in this court room
is.” It is never released who
beat up Mayella Ewell but we
can say that Tom Robinson is
innocent.
By Sophia Grilla, Freshman