Tom Robinson Trial Report

On Monday August 26th, Tom Robinson was found guilty of rape and sentenced to death. This verdict came after a long day in the Maycomb county court. Mr. Atticus Finch represented Mr. Robinson; however, the testimonies provided by Miss Mayella Ewell and Mr. Bob Ewell left the jury with this guilty verdict for Mr. Robinson.
A first-hand witness for the prosecution, Mr. Bob Ewell, says he is more than relieved to see the defendant sentenced to death. "Tha ' man 's gone and raped my Mayella and s 'only right that he face the 'lectric chair for what he 's done!" He alleges to have seen the attack on his 19 year old daughter, Miss Mayella Ewell.
The trial consisted of Mr. Finch and Mr. Gilmer 's examinations of the witnesses, which included the local sheriff, Mr. Heck Tate, Mr. Ewell, Miss Ewell, and Mr. Robinson himself. Mr. and Miss Ewell both testified that Mr. Robinson raped Miss Ewell, while Mr. Tate, who only arrived later, testified to Miss Ewell 's injuries, including a black eye and many bruises. He stated, "[...] she was pretty bruised up when I got there, and she had a black eye comin '. [...] There were definite finger marks on her

Robinson 's testimony was quite different, however, claiming that he did not lay a hand on Miss Ewell. He declared, "I was goin ' home as usual that evenin ', an ' when I passed the Ewell place Miss Mayella were on the porch [...]. She says for me to come there and help her a minute." Mr. Robinson also demonstrated how he could not use his left arm, though the majority of Miss Ewell 's injuries and bruises were on her right side.
The jury was out deliberating for hours, which was unexpected from such a case. The trial was the most watched in all of Maycomb 's history, and will be remembered