The Outsider

July 16

On the morning of the arraignment, a crowd has gathered outside the front steps of the courthouse, screaming for Terry’s blood. Samuels is watching from just inside. He looks stunned, but Ralph wonders if he planned this as a publicity stunt. One man gets past the police line and spits in Terry’s face. Ralph trips him. Terry stops and helps the man up. Ralph thinks it’s like something from the New Testament.

Ralph notices details in the crowd—a man with features distorted by old, long-healed burn scars wearing a yellow kerchief on his head, a man carrying an old newspaper sack and wearing a knit cap despite the hot weather, and a girl sitting on her boyfriend’s shoulders, her yellow bra strap showing. His attention returns to the man with the cap, and he recognizes Ollie Peterson, who is drawing a gun from his bag. Ollie shoots Terry twice before Ralph can take him down.

Terry is fatally wounded with only seconds left to live. Ralph begs him to admit to the murder and clear his conscience. With his last breath, Terry declares his innocence and asks Ralph how he will clear his own conscience. Samuels has finally stepped out of the courthouse.