To Kill a Mockingbird | Atticus Finch's Closing Argument

to begin with this case should never have come to trial the state has not produced one iota of medical evidence at the crime Tom Robinson is charged with never took place it has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left and Tom Robinson now sits before you having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses his right nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state she is the victim of cruel poverty and ignorance now pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake what she has done in an effort to get rid of her own guilt now I say kill death gentlemen because it was guilt that motivated her she's committed no crime she has merely broken a rigid and time-honored code of our society a code so severe that whoever breaks it as hounded from our midst his unfit to live with she must destroy the evidence of her offence but what was the evidence of her offense Tom Robinson a human being she must put Tom Robinson away from her Tom Robinson was to her daily reminder of what she did now what did she do she attempted and he grow she was white and she tempted a negro she did something that in our society is unspeakable she kissed a black man not an old uncle but a strong young Negro man no code method to her before she broke it but it came crashing down on her afterwards the witnesses for the state with the exception of the sheriff of Macon County have presented themselves to your gentlemen to this court and the cynical confidence the bear testimony would not be doubted confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption the evil assumption that all Negroes lie all Negroes are basically a moral beings all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women an assumption that one associates with minds of their caliber and which is in itself gentlemen a lie which I do not need to point out to you and so a quiet humble respectable Negro who has had the unmitigated temerity to feel sorry for a white woman has had to put his word against two white people's the defendant is not guilty but somebody in this courtroom is now gentlemen in this country our courts are the great levelers in our courts all created equal no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and our jury system that's no ideal to me that is a living working reality now I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence that you have heard come to a decision and restore this man to his family in the name of God do your duty and the name of God believe Tom Robinson

Channel: Universal Pictures

Views: 484,996

Rating: 4.9445515 out of 5

Keywords: universal pictures, universal movies, to kill a mockingbird, to kill a mockingbird gregory peck, atticus finch, gregory peck atticus finch, gregory peck atticus, atticus finch closing argument full, atticus finch closing arguments, to kill a mockingbird movie, to kill a mockingbird movie clips, to kill a mockingbird movie court scene, to kill a mockingbird scene, to kill a mockingbird clips, to kill a mockingbird climax, to kill a mockingbird closing argument, gregory peck

Id: tNxrnOC_WTs

Length: 7min 27sec (447 seconds)

Published: Wed Jan 22 2020