Lucas Icaza
Ms. Clark
12 November, 2015
Judge Taylor’s Perspective
I entered the still but quiet courtroom. Mr. Atticus Finch seemed nervous as he
approached moments later with Negro, Tom Robinson, watching his every move as if he were a
mother watching her child in a large crowd. I feel sorry for him because he is an African
American and I know that Atticus wouldn’t do this with a white victim. Being a judge, I, of
course, had to be unbiased and only fair. After all sides had given their appeal, then could I give
my judgement, but this case really had me in a pickle. As a child, I was raised on a farm, and like
almost ever’ white child, I was taught that whites were superior to Negros. Atticus Finch was just
like me, a right Southern gentleman, but he believes differently. He believes that the Negros
should be treated just as equal as any of the whites. That’s why I appointed him the case of Tom
Robinson. I knew the case wouldn’t be straight forward. “Hello Atticus” I said with much
gratitude looking at Mr. Tom Robinson who faintly nodded at me. “How do you do Mr. Taylor”
replied Atticus with much content. Atticus knows that I am quite confused about this case. “I’m
quite alright, thank you” I replied lying which a judge should never do. This shows that I will
have to be dishonest for this court case. If I decide that Tom Robinson is innocent, I will change
Maycomb society forever.
That night I fall asleep thinking about this. I wake up at approximately 7:43 in the
morning, and head to the court room. It is court day and I must be fair about this trial. I must be
fair for the Negro, but I must be greedy for myself. I don’t want to be stereotyped by Maycomb,
like Dolphus Raymond. I know his little secret that he’s hiding. What if they do the same thing to
me? I sit down in my chair and wait for everyone to be seated. “This court is now in session!” I
announced, banging the wooden gavel. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jem and Scout Finch
sit down with their friend by Reverend Sykes.
The prosecutor, Mr. Gilmer called Mr. Heck Tate to the stand. He recounts on how on the
night of November 21, Mayella Ewell was supposedly raped. He recalled that he had heard
screaming and that once he got to the house, Mayella was beaten, bruised, and she told him that
Tom Robinson had raped her. Mr. Link Deas stood up and shouted “I just want the whole lot of
you to know one thing right now. That boy has worked for me eight years an’ I ain’t had a speck
o’ trouble out of him. Not a speck.”
“Shut your mouth Mr. Deas, or I will have you removed from this courtroom at once!” I
shouted angrily.
Mr. Atticus Finch then calls Mr. Ewell to the stand. Mr. Ewell walks up slowly and is
shaking. He is a nervous wreck. First, Atticus brings out the fact that Bob Ewell is left
handed. He shows that Mayella was almost certainly beaten by someone who was using his left
hand. Since her right eye was bruised. Second, he brings out that Mr. Ewell does not call for a
doctor. He says that this shows that Mr. Ewell knew Mayella had not been hurt by Tom
Robinson. That if he didn’t call for a doctor, then Mr. Ewell didn’t want anyone to know what he
had done. Then Atticus called Ms. Mayella Ewell to the stand. He started asking her questions
non-stop about her horrific life. Atticus then asked “does your father beat you?” I was moved
that she did not answer this and broke down crying.
I feel sorry for Mr. Tom Robinson. I feel sorry that he is even in this situation. I know
that he did not rape that girl and I know that he is a kind man. I know this because when I was
little, I remember Tom Robinson coming to my farm ever’day to help my family tend to all the
animals. I have never felt this torn in my entire life. I’m scared… I’m scared to be the one to
decide the fate of this man, I am scared to change society forever. I have never had a situation
like this so I will never know what it is like to step into his shoes, his skin, and his life.
It is time for me to make a decision. I spend several hours in the other room, by myself,
ever so quietly. It was so quiet it was almost scary. I scurry out of the room, and announce that
Tom Robinson is guilty. Security starts to take Tom away and I leave the courtroom in a hurry.
After that moment, I wanted Tom to have a second chance…I wanted him to have a second
chance at life, but it was too late for that, because days later, he had tried to escape the prison.
They shot him and he died a tragic death.
I don’t know why I decided to become a judge. I can’t make an honest decision about a
man’s life, his future. I lied and that’s not what Judges are supposed to do. That is why I am
resigning from my position as of tomorrow. I feel sorry for that Negro and I need to live with
myself and this is the only way it could be done. I told Atticus what had happened and told him
to go talk with Mrs. Robinson for me, to say “I’m sorry”. After that moment, I never banged my
gavel again. I was okay with never banging the gavel again because the burden I carried, of a fate
of a young man’s life was relieved.