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Summary: An Unjust Justice System

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An Unjust Justice System
Equality in the courtroom seems like a concept that should be guaranteed in our justice system. After all, the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection of law. However, equality rarely makes an appearance in modern day court cases. Some have begun to feel that the justice system is corrupt, while others feel that the justice system is flawless and should be respected. The ongoing debate regarding equality in the justice system has been fueled by shocking outcomes of recent trials and acts of police brutality. Although some still believe it has no flaws, -equality has yet to be achieved in the justice system as supported by statistics, literature, and recent trials show that equality has yet to be achieved in …show more content…

Atticus Finch, his lawyer, proves that Tom could not have raped Mayella Ewell, but her father did it. Atticus clearly conveyed to the jury that Mr. Ewell was the reason for the bruises on Mayella Ewell. As Scout Finch recollects: “Mr. Ewell wrote on the back of the envelope...The jury sat watching him…”You’re left handed Mr. Ewell, said Judge Taylor. Mr. Ewell turned angrily to the judge and said he didn’t see what his being left handed had to do with it...Atticus was trying to show, it seemed to me, that Mr. Ewell could have beaten up Mayella” (Lee, 237-238). Not only was Bob Ewell left handed, but Tom Robinson, the suspect, had a destroyed left hand, meaning he could not have been the reason Mayella had bruises. “His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side”, as Scout conveys to readers (Lee, 248). The evidence compiled by Atticus’ handwriting test with both Ewell and Robinson, and the fact that one of Robinson’s hands was destroyed, proved that the mark on Mayella could not have possibly gotten there by Tom. While Atticus clearly proves to the jury that Tom Robinson was a guilty man, the people of the jury disagreed. As Scout recollects: “I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: ‘Guilty...guilty...guilty...guilty…’ I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each ‘guilty’ was a separate stab between them.” (page

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