Catalina Grajeda-Herrera
Period: 5th
April 1, 2013
Ms, Bannerman
Speech Does being born colored make you a rapist? I am Catalina Grajeda, and I am defending Tom Robinson in this case. The evidence proves Tom Robinson is not guilty of this crime. You, fellow men of God, must acquit him. The case is purely based on the color of his skin. This will be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The victim in this case is white, my client is black. The men on the jury are not piers of my client and the presumption of guilt outweighs even basic logic. Mayella Ewell was beaten by someone who favored his left hand. Mayella’s injuries could not have been inflicted by Tom Robinson, who is disabled and only possesses use of his right arm. Her injuries, as she and sheriff Tate describe, were on the right side of her face. This is important because only a man who was left handed and able to use both arms, properly, could inflict these injuries. The likely suspect of this crime is most undoubtedly left handed, as is Mr. Ewell. This we know to be true as the warrant issued in this interracial attack was signed into evidence, by Mr. Ewells left hand. Lack of medical evidence goes to show that the injuries must not have been as severe as described. The only medical evidence present was two visual hand marks around Mayella’s throat thereby presenting proof of Tom Robinson’s innocence. Along with the marks around her neck, Mr. Tates testimony of Mayella’s blackened right eye proves again a left handed attacker. These examples are both important as we know without question Tom Robinson has no use of his left hand. Mr. Ewell’s failure to obtain medical assistance is suspect, because of the so-called seriousness of her injuries. Mayella was obviously not injured that severely, because if she was then they would have informed a doctor. This is important because it is proof that they are lying, although they swore to tell the truth, and that Tom is not guilty. If Mayella was beaten as brutally as Mr. Heck Tate described, then they should have notified a doctor unless they were trying to hide something, or are simply not speaking the truth. Mayella Ewell, was the one who seduced Tom that night, in which Mr. Ewell witnessed and beat her, and as the result, blamed it on Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson on the witness stand, explained what actually happened. Robinson stated that Mayella had invited him inside to check a problem with the door, as he was checking, he noticed nothing was wrong, then Mayella jumped on him and kissed him. This is important simply because….Mayella lied, she’d tempted a colored man and was living with the guilt and therefore had to put Tom behind bars. Mayella’s story is the complete opposite from Tom’s. Mayella states that Tom raped and abused her. Tom states that no abuse took place and that he simply escaped from her attempt to seduce him. Mr. Ewell, showed up to find Mayella trying to kiss Tom and he proceeded to beat her, he later tried to beat Tom but Tom luckily got away before Mr. Ewell laid a finger on him. This is the true story of what happened, Tom is accused of a crime he did not commit. Tom Robinson is innocent. Mayella knew that by bringing this case to court, even with false accusations, the jury would likely find him guilty based solely on the color of his skin. I can see how Mr. Ewell might have accused Tom Robinson of raping his daughter if he hadn’t seen everything that occurred, but the truth is that Tom did not commit any crime. Mr. Ewell immediately figured that Tom was commiting the crime of rape when he walked up on them and saw Mayella with Tom, not knowing that that it was Mayella attempting to seduce Tom. After Mr. Ewell beat Mayella he figured Tom must have some fault in what happened and he decided Tom should be put in jail for what supposedly happened. Mr. Ewell then added significantly to the story that he reported to the sheriff in order to make sure that Tom was found
