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“You know those photographs would have worked,” I said bitterly “All right, all right, tell me your plan”

“Well, it’s not quite as audacious as yours Matter of fact, it’s very logical, very well thought out”

“Damn it, just tell us,” LJ said

“Toive the summation to the jury”

LJ didn’t hesitate a beat before answering, “That is a fine idea”

“No, it isn’t,” I said “I was there on the night of the murders I’m a witness but you’ve chosen not to putthee now?”

“You knohy,” said LJ

“Because I’m white?” I said “That’s no reason!”

“It never hurts,” Jonah said with a faint smile “Look, you coe is your father These jurors will trust you more than they will me And not because you’re white—because you were there You can give a summation that comes from your heart For God’s sake, you’ve been lynched yourself You have to tell them a story, Ben They need to hear it from you”

I dreaded the truth in what he was saying The next thing he said cinched it for me:

“I tried the case I fought the case I pled the case But all along, even before I got here, it was always your case, Ben”

Chapter 119

IT LOOKED AS IF half of America had come to tiny Eudora for the conclusion of the White Raiders Trial

Outside the courthouse that , hundreds and hundreds of spectators jammed the town square Little boys had cliraphersfor the best angles A few of the ht out Russell Hardware’s entire stock of ladders to get an over-the-heads-of-the-crowd view

Judge Everett Corbett had petitioned Governor Vardaman for state militiamen from Jackson to keep order The soldiers had set up te the sidewalk in front of the courthouse to control the spectators who’d been flooding into Eudora by train, carriage, horseback, and on foot