I’ve finally found friends! But do you consider me as your friend? I ponder. Someone noisily chattering disrupts my thoughts. Peering out of the window, I realize it’s my friends! The boy and girl who pass by my house every day. They stop at the old oak tree that’s on the corner of my yard. I stare at them trying to memorize their appearance. Happiness and joy are the emotions that are written across clear as day. Doubt and worry are far gone. Caught up in their excitement, they don’t realize that they are crossing my yard. The rumours that are enforced by the town are far from their minds. Those idiotic and absurd rumours I think shaking my head. They are filled with lies. I always thought that people with half a brain would realize that they are slander but nope. I was proven wrong again and again. People will believe what they believe and more than half of the time it’s easier to believe the lies then the truth. The lies are always a more interesting story. The children peer and reach into the tree. They grab a pocket watch. My pocket watch, it is my most prized object. My father gave it to me. It was one of the last things he gave me. This takes me back to an unforgettable and unspeakable time. All of a sudden that memory overcomes me. That terrible incident that I have tried to forget over and over. I try to fight it but it’s all too much. I fall onto my knees and am shrouded in darkness. Light was the first thing that I saw. It came from the window where I always sat. The view was something spectacular. The first thing I always saw were the vibrant green leaves from the oak tree. Behind the tree, were rows of houses. None of these houses were unusually big but they all looked cosy. The room that I was sitting in wa...
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...boy?” the lawyer shouted in front of my face. Taking a long deep breath, he says “Look, I know this is hard for you but I need the truth. The real truth, not just some garbage you made up.” “Swear to the truth and nothing but the truth.” The two lawyers were up front, and they had their hands on a Bible saying what they needed to for the judge. This was the third day of the trial, and my case was coming to an end. I was sitting in the same spot I was sitting in yesterday. I had already memorized the layout. I blocked out all the voices around me because I knew there was nothing I could do to change their minds. It wasn’t until the judge had called my name that I started to pay attention.
“Arthur, with the vote from the jury, you have been sentenced to prison. Now I know that you are a good kid and I feel sorry so I’m going to let you off a little easy.”
“...remember the first time I became capable of observing outward objects...perceived that the fallen leaves had disappeared and the young buds shooting from trees...”
The Architect tries to convince the other jurors with an impulse appeal. He tells the other jurors that the impact of their decision as a group will affect the boy’s life forever. He keeps his emotions in tact because he decides that he will concur with the group about the guilty verdict if they can convince him that it is the right verdict.
As I looked around from my cold spot on the step, I could see an old, brick house. This house was like none other on the block. With a large American flag hanging on the door, this house – a symbol of the American dream – stood taller than all the other houses. My attention then shifted to two great big evergreen trees on each facade, and the beautiful bed of flowers, of all shapes, sizes, and colors, wrapped tightly around the base of the house – the tracings of an American summer.
When I found myself on my Feet, I looked about me, and must confess I never beheld a more entertaining Prospect. The Country round appeared like a continued Garden, and the inclosed Fields, which were generally Forty Foot square, resembled so many Beds of flowers. These Fields were intermingled with Woods of half a Stang, and the tallest Trees, as I could judge, appeared to be seven Foot high. I viewed the Town on my left Hand, which looked like the painted Scene of a City in a Theatre.
Fear and confusion plays a huge part in the criminal justice system because of the huge number of cases and facilities unable to handle them. The building is condemned and they have new judge had begun his position as the new supervising judge. His name is Roosevelt Dorn. Beckstrand is excited to be working on Duncan's. His case is a well known infamous one and Beckstrand almost hated the kid. Offenders in this case are used to a substantial number of setbacks in the system and and finding her main witness is becoming trouble for Beckstrand. Ronald, along with the other young delinquents, doesn't seem to care about anything.
“There must be light getting in from somewhere,” I spoke aloud. In the corner of the room, a weak bar of sunlight streamed from a barred window. After several kicks it gave way to a terrace. Peaking out the window I saw a ladder that led to the top of the
Finally, the argument about the glasses swayed everyone just enough to withdraw the guilty verdict and set the boy free. My next claim is in regards to the “old man” juror. If it were not for him voting not guilty the second time, the boy would have been found guilty. He said the reason he voted that way was because of one juror standing up to the other 11 jurors. He felt that everyone needed to hear all of the arguments because they were dealing with a man’s life.
In the courtroom scene with Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) the closing argument was well directed and made a bold statement. This not only made this scene memorable but made an...
The court orders Jury Members to come to an unanimous decision for the guilty of the boy.
eyes far up and down the vista of sooty trees, hazy air and drab house
The outside world that day, and every day since I arrived was a large white canvas of ground and sky. Through the window, set against the bright sun and the glistening snow, was the outline...
At the expiration of this term, twelve of the boys were brought into court at one time, and the scene formed a striking and highly pleasing contrast with their appearance when first arraigned. The judge expressed much pleasure as well as surprise at their appearance, and remarked, that the object of law had been accomplished and expressed his cordial approval of my plan to save and reform" (Martin, 2005).
The sunless sky covered the woods over the treetops which created a canopy over my head. The crimson and auburn foliage was a magnificent sight, as this was the season known as Fall. There was a gentle breeze, creating the single sound of rustling leaves. The leaves appeared as though they were dying to fall out of the tree and join their companions on the forest floor. Together with pine needles and other flora the leaves formed a thick springy carpet for me to walk upon.
“No! No! I swear I didn’t murder the Avery’s. I’m telling you, I’m innocent.” You flail against the mute guard escorting you to your cell and, in return, receive a sharp slap across the face. White hot pain jolts through your spine.
The sunset was not spectacular that day. The vivid ruby and tangerine streaks that so often caressed the blue brow of the sky were sleeping, hidden behind the heavy mists. There are some days when the sunlight seems to dance, to weave and frolic with tongues of fire between the blades of grass. Not on that day. That evening, the yellow light was sickly. It diffused softly through the gray curtains with a shrouded light that just failed to illuminate. High up in the treetops, the leaves swayed, but on the ground, the grass was silent, limp and unmoving. The sun set and the earth waited.