Was Johnny Cade An Example Of First-Degree Murder?

Your Honor and Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, in this case, we are here to prove that one night in the park Johnny Cade a violent, dirty, angry greaser pulled out his knife- the knife he had been carrying around waiting to get revenge on Bob Sheldon- and murdered him. Bob, Randy, and David stopped to take a stroll in the park where Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade were waiting to attack. This is something Dallas Winston, a multiple-time offender, would do, Johnny looked up to Dallas. Therefore, we will be looking to convict Johnny Cade of first-degree murder.

First of all, Johnny wanted revenge; he knew it was Bob Sheldon who had beaten him in the lot, and left a scar all the way down one side of his face, Johnny would always carry that scar with him. Johnny used the emotions he had and turned them into rage, Johnny was always ready for a fight. According to the text, “Johnny ‘s face was cut up and bruised and swollen…He would carry that scar all his life.”(32) As a result, Johnny… “ Now carried in his back pocket a six-inch switchblade. He’d use it, too, if he ever got jumped again. They had scared him that much. He would kill the next

Johnny looked up to Dallas Winston, a thief, and multiple-time offender. Still, Johnny wanted to be just like Dallas. This led to the murder of Bob Sheldon. For example, “Johnny worshipped the ground Dallas walked on, and I had never heard Johnny talk back to anyone, much less his hero”(25). Second,“If something beefed him, he didn’t keep quiet about it… He was dangerous” (89). As stated, “I didn’t know you were out of the cooler yet, Dally (12). Dallas Winston is a bad influence on Johnny. He has been in and out of jail, he is a “dangerous” hood, he hurts people. Johnny worshiped Dallas and based his actions on trying to impress him. This made Johnny a violent, hurtful, dirty, Greaser like