Blog Post #4- Deva Holliman

In the courthouse of Maycomb county, the fate of a black man, Tom Robinson, was being decided. Four witnesses were called in (Mr. Tate, Mr. Ewell, Mayella, and Tom) and they each had a slightly different story. What really happened?

I found that that Mayella’s injuries were the most interesting. The witnesses said she had bruises all over her head and arms, and a black eye. It took the first witness (Mr. Tate) a while to remember which eye, but when he did, he was almost positive it was her right. This meant that the assailant was most likely left handed.

Mr. Bob Ewell, when asked to provide a writing sample, was determined to be left-handed. Tom Robinson, however didn’t have a working left-hand:

“He got it caught in a cotton gin, caught it in Mr. Dolphus Raymond’s cotton gin when he was a boy… like to bled to death.. tore all the muscles loose from his bones-”

While it is possible for Tom Robinson to have punched Mayella in her right eye, it would’ve been much easier to punch her in her left eye. I think that this little piece of disputable evidence is the most important thing to determine Tom’s guilt.

He couldn’t have been guilty. There is no way that it would’ve worked. When the jury decided that Tom was guilty, I was blown away. How in the world is that possible? The answer: racism.