to begin with this case should never have come to trial the state has not
produced one iota of medical evidence at the crime Tom Robinson is charged with
never took place it has relied instead upon the testimony
of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question
on cross-examination but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant there is
circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by
someone who led almost exclusively with his left and Tom Robinson now sits
before you having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses his
right
nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state she is the
victim of cruel poverty and ignorance
now pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake what
she has done in an effort to get rid of her own guilt now I say kill death
gentlemen because it was guilt that motivated her she's committed no crime
she has merely broken a rigid and time-honored code of our society a code
so severe that whoever breaks it as hounded from our midst
his unfit to live with she must destroy the evidence of her offence but what was
the evidence of her offense Tom Robinson a human being she must put Tom Robinson
away from her Tom Robinson was to her daily reminder of what she did
now what did she do she attempted and he grow she was white and she tempted a
negro she did something that in our society is
unspeakable she kissed a black man not an old uncle but a strong young Negro
man no code method to her before she broke it but it came crashing down on
her afterwards
the witnesses for the state with the exception of the sheriff of Macon County
have presented themselves to your gentlemen to this court and the cynical
confidence the bear testimony would not be doubted confident that you gentlemen
would go along with them on the assumption the evil assumption that all
Negroes lie all Negroes are basically a moral beings all Negro men are not to be
trusted around our women an assumption that one associates with minds of their
caliber and which is in itself gentlemen a lie which I do not need to point out
to you
and so a quiet humble respectable Negro who has had the unmitigated temerity to
feel sorry for a white woman has had to put his word against two white people's
the defendant is not guilty but somebody in this courtroom is now gentlemen in
this country our courts are the great levelers in our courts all created equal
no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and our jury
system that's no ideal to me that is a living working reality now I am
confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence that you
have heard come to a decision and
restore this man to his family
in the name of God
do your duty
and the name of God believe Tom Robinson