A trial is the examination before a court of the facts or laws in a case in order to determine that case. It is the act of testing or proving by experience or use. In the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" a black man, Tom Robinson, was accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell, and was brought to trial. There was three distinct views on Tom Robinson's trial. In the novel, the townspeople of Maycomb believe in Tom's guilt while Atticus and the children believe in Tom's innocence. Atticus couldn't support the verdict because he was in a very prejudice court and no matter what the proof was, the outcome would be still be the same. Atticus knew that Tom Robinson would be found guilty. The victim, Mayella, had been beaten, but not by Tom according to the evidence "He blacked your left eye with his right fist?". Tom Robinson would still get convicted because it was an all white jury. Tom didn't help by saying "Yes suh. I felt sorry for her, she seemed to try more'n the rest of 'em-!.
-", because black people wern't supposed to care about white people. It would have been impossible to do to her what she said Tom did "Tom Robinson's powerful shoulders rippled with his right hand on the back of his chair. He looked oddly off balance, but it was not from the way he was standing. His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side. It ended in a small shrivelled hand, and from as far away as the balcony I could see that is was no use to him." Tom Robinson couldn't have done the crime with the evidence provided, but still racism decided the verdict. The children just as much as Atticus believed in Tom's innocence. Just by looking at Tom, they knew he couldn't have done it ""Scout," breathed Jem. "Scout, look! Reverend, he's crippled!". Jem and Scout had been brought up by Atticus to believe in fairness to people, regardless of their race or colour "Do you defend niggers, Atticus?" "Of course I do.