Tom Robinson Trial

The Trials of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird and “The Scottsboro Boys” Racism was prevalent during the 1930s. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the story of a Black man named Tom Robinson illustrates the pressures of racism. Harper Lee depicts what happens when he allegedly rapes a white woman. This case is similar to that of the historical trial of “Scottsboro Boys” in which nine Black males allegedly raped two white women and were sentenced for it. However, in both cases the main characters have similar attitudes, backgrounds, and personalities. In addition to that, the lack of evidence plays a big role in the trial. In March 24, 1931, two girls named Victoria Price and Ruby Bates from Huntsville in Alabama were on a freight train …show more content…
Although, Mayella may have shown resentment, when she was confident,” She was as good as her word” (Lee 214). Lee writes,” Apparently Mayella’s recital had given her confidence, but it was not her father’s brash kind.” Mayella was assertive but not in an arrogant way her father was. Victoria Price, on the other hand, was always overconfident from the beginning. Ransdall says,” Victoria Price, particularly convinced me that she was the type who welcomes attention and publicity at any price.” Victoria presented herself in an impudent way which brought the spotlight that she …show more content…
After given the death sentence Tom Robinson tried to escape jail. Atticus states,” They said he just broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started climbing” (Lee 268). Tom Robinson was shot multiple times and died. Ozzie Powell one of the boys from the Scottsboro case also attempted to escape but from a cop car. Linder states,” with his one free hand, Powell took a penknife out that had escaped detection during a search of his pants and slashed the deputy’s throat, wounding him.” Powell was shot by the sheriff that was with the deputy (Linder, “Biographies”). Tom Robinson’s case and “The Scottsboro case was unfair and prejudice even when they were all innocent. It was all finalized based on the color of the skin. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Mr. Dolphus Raymond said,” Now don’t you be so confident, Mr. Jem, I aint ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man” (Lee 238). Mr. Raymond was explaining that it was most likely Tom Robinson was going to be indicted anyway just because he was colored. The boys in the Scottsboro case were always seen as brutes but, in their opinion a Negro will rape a white women if he gets a chance (Ransdall). Ransdall states,” Therefore, there was no question that they raped them, or wanted to rape them, or were present while other Negroes raped them all of which amount to very much the same thing in