The main character in this book is Carl Lee Hailey, whose ten-year-old daughter was beaten and raped by two men, Billy Ray Cobb and Pete Willard. Since Jake, a lawyer, had won a black murder trial for Carl Lee's brother, Carl Lee hired him and thought about killing Cobb and Willard. Jake had been a lawyer for three previous black murder trials and had won all of them. Carl Lee, having a lot of confidence in Jake, decided to kill Cobb and Willard and leave the rest up to Jake. One day as the two men were leaving the courtroom, Carl Lee shot and killed them both. Carl Lee was charged with the murders of Cobb and Willard and was set to go to trial.
        Carl Lee and his family lived in a small rural town without many blacks. He was on trial with a white judge, a white prosecutor, and a white jury. The jury consisted of ten women and two men, all white. Jake asked to move the trial to a different city but the judge denied his request. Carl Lee's chances of being set free were not too good. Jake went to work trying to free Carl Lee, while everyone thought it would not be possible. Read the book to find out if Carl Lee is set free!

Copyright © 2001 Amarjot Biring