Tom Robinson Trial Research Paper

Your Honor, gentlemen of the jury, the evidence provided throughout this trial has hopefully helped you all understand that this case is simple and clear. This case where Tom Robinson is accused of sneaking up on Mayella Ewell and raping/assaulting her has many contradicting pieces of evidence that don’t seem to align with the accusation. These pieces of evidence come together to prove that Tom Robinson is most definitely innocent of the charges against him. Now it is time to make our final plea for justice. First of all, I would like to point out how Tom’s disabled left arm suggests that he couldn’t possibly commit the crime. As you have heard from Mayella and the other witnesses' testimony, they have confirmed that Mayella’s black eye was

I will remind you all that during his testimony Tom stated “[Mayella] grabbed me round the legs. she hugged me. She hugged me round the waist.” Mayella’s actions from Tom’s words signify that she took the initiative to get physical first, whereas Tom had only come to her house because he was asked to fix her dresser. All of this evidence combines to form one conclusion: Tom Robinson isn’t guilty of the charges he is facing. I would like to highlight Mayella’s inconsistent explanation of her experience during the crime. When giving her testimony, Mayella states, “No, I don’t recollect if he hit me. I mean, yes, I do, he hit me.” but then follows up with, “Yes, he hit – I just don’t remember – it all happened so quick!” Her statements are not direct answers that help her case. Mayella had also mentioned that she had invited Tom over to her house, Tom never snuck up behind her and attacked her. This means she did have time to react and recollect what had happened since she wasn’t attacked without expecting anyone there. Along with that, Mayella hesitated quite a bit during her testimony and avoided many of the questions asked, failing to provide strong evidence that Tom Robinson was surely the