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But today, as LJ and Jonah and I arranged our papers and books on the prosecution table, the old courthouse felt like so else entirely

Not a church

It was more like a theater now

The upstairs colored section had been transformed into balcony seats The benches on thewith an audience that had stood in line for hours to see the hottest entertaine

That was Everett J Corbett’s stage He could be a dyna performer, and I felt sure he would not let his audience down today

Ringing the front steps of the courthouse were Scooter Wille with tripods and huge black accordion caraphers were at least a hundred reporters flashing pencils and notebooks, trading tidbits with each other, rushing this way and that in pursuit of the latest rumors

Inside, the colored spectators had dutifully filed upstairs to the cheap seats The benches beloere filled to maximum capacity by the white citizens of Eudora Only the first ts had been left empty, roped off for the pool of potential jurors

Doe’s bench was an enorrandfather clock, with a carved dark-wood case, elegant Ro up, I always thought of it as the Clock of Justice

Now every tick brought us closer to nine am

Here came a pair of Chief Evers in the defendants Three White Raiders No shackles, ropes, or handcuffs The deputies chatted and laughed with the men as they led them to the defense table

And then the great Maxwell Hayes Lewis strode froreet the Raiders and shake their hands so that everyone in the courtrooe and amiable, these men were After a moment’s discussion the defendants turned to look at our table They looked back at each other and grinned The sight of Jonah, LJ, and reatly

The bailiff entered with a sole seal, which he placed at the right end of my father’s bench This was the seal he would use to mark evidence as it was admitted

“All rise,” the bailiff called “The court is now in session, the Honorable Everett J Corbett presiding”

Daddy’s big entrance was always a highlight Here he ca with brilliantine, his silky black robe pressed to perfection by Dabney

He lifted the heavy avel I had sent him on his sixtieth birthday, since I had never received a thank-you note