give until it hurt。 He promised demonstrations and marches。 The trial would be a battle cry for black and oppressed folk everywhere。
He answered questions。 How much money would be raised？ At least fifty thousand； they hoped。 It would be expensive to defend Carl Lee Hailey and fifty thousand may not be enough； but they would raise whatever it took。 But time was running short。 Where would the money go？ Legal fees and litigation expenses。 A battery of lawyers and doctors would be needed。 Would NAACP lawyers be used？ Of course。 The legal staff in Washington was already at work on the case。 The capital defense unit would handle all aspects of the trial。 Carl Lee Hailey had bee their top priority and all available resources would be devoted to his defense。
When he finished； Reverend Agee retook the podium and nodded at a piano player in the corner。 The music started。 They all stood； hand in hand； and sang a stirring rendition of 〃We Shall Overe。〃
Jake read about the defense fund in Tuesday's paper。 He had heard rumors of the special offering being administered by the council； but was told the money was for the support of the family。 Fifty thousand for legal fees！ He was angry； but interested。 Would he be fired again？ Suppose Carl Lee refused to hire the NAACP lawyers； what would happen to the money？ The trial was five weeks away； plenty of time for the capital defense team to descend on Clanton。 He had read about these guys； a team of six capital murder specialists who toured the South defending blacks accused of heinous and notorious crimes。 〃The Death Squad〃 was their nickname。 They were very bright； very talented； very educated lawyers dedicated to rescuing black murderers from the vari…
ous gas chambers and electric chairs around the South。 They handled nothing 。but capital murder cases and were very； very good at their work。 The NAACP ran their interference； raising money； organizing local blacks； and generating publicity。 Racism was their best； and sometimes only； defense and though they lost much more than they won； their record was not bad。 The cases they handled were supposed to be lost； all of them。 Their goal was to martyr the defendant before the trial and hopefully hang the jury。 Now they were ing to Clanton。
A week earlier Buckley had filed the proper motions to have Carl Lee examined by the State's doctors。 Jake requested the doctors be required to conduct their examinations in Clantqn； preferably in Jake's office。 Noose declined； and ordered the sheriff to transport Carl Lee to the Mississippi State Mental Hospital at Whitfield。 Jake requested that he be allowed to acpany his client and be present during the examinations。 Again； Noose declined。
Early Wednesday morning； Jake and Ozzie sipped coffee in the sheriffs office and waited for Carl Lee to shower and change clothes。 Whitfield was three hours away； and he was to check ia at nine。 Jake had final instructions for his client。
〃How long will y'all be there？〃 Jake asked Ozzie。
〃You're the lawyer。 How long will it take？〃
〃Three or four days。 You've been there before； haven't you？〃
〃Sure； we've had to transport plenty of crazy people。 But nothin' like this。 Where do they keep him？〃
〃They've got all kinds of cells。〃
Deputy Hastings casually entered the office； sleepy…eyed and crunching on a stale doughnut。 〃How many cars we takin'？〃
〃Two；〃 answered Ozzie。 〃I'll drive mine and you drive yours。 I'll take Pirtle and Carl Lee； you take Riley and Nes…bit。〃
〃Guns？〃
〃Three shotguns in each car。 Plenty of shells。 Everbody
wears a vest； including Carl Lee。 Get the cars ready。 I'd like to leave by five…thirty。〃
Hastings mumbled something and disappeared。
〃Are you expecting trouble？〃 Jake asked。
〃We've had some phone calls。 Two in particular mentioned the trip to Whitfield。 Lot of highway between here and there。〃
〃How are you going？〃
〃Most folks take 22 to the interstate； wouldn't 。you say？ It might be safer to take some smaller highways。 We'll probably run 14 south to 89。〃
〃That would be unexpected。〃
〃Good。 I'm glad you approve。〃
〃He's my client； you know。〃
〃For right now； anyway。〃
Carl Lee quickly devoured the eggs and biscuits as Jake briefed him on what to expect during the stay at Whitfield。
〃I know； Jake。 You want me to act crazy； right？〃 Carl Lee said with a laugh。 Ozzie thought it was funny too。
〃This is serious； Carl Lee。 Listen to me。〃
〃Why？ You said yourself it won't matter what I say or do down there。 They won't say I was insane when I shot them。 Them doctors work for the State； right？ The State's prosecutin' me； right？ What difference does it make what I say or do？ They've already made up their minds。 Ain't that right； Ozzie？〃
〃I'm not gettin' involved。 I work for the State。〃
〃You work for the County；〃 said Jake。
〃Name； rank； and serial number。 That's all they're get…tin' outta me；〃 Carl Lee said as he emptied a small paper sack。
〃Very funny；〃 said Jake。
〃He's crackin' up； Jake；〃 Ozzie said。
Carl Lee stuck two straws up his nose and began tiptoeing around the office； staring at the ceiling and then grabbing at something above his head。 He put it in the sack。 He lunged at another one and put it in the sack。 Hastings returned and stopped in the door。 Carl Lee grinned at him with wild eyes； then grabbed at another one toward the ceiling。
〃What the hell he's doin'？〃 Hastings asked。
〃Catchin' butterflies；〃 Carl Lee said。
Jake grabbed his briefcase and headed for the door。 〃I think you should leave him at Whitfield。〃 He slammed the door and left the jail。
Noose had scheduled the venue hearing for Monday； June 24； in Clanton。 The hearing would be long and well publicized。 Jake had requested the change of venue； and he had the burden of proving Carl Lee could not receive a fair and impartial trial in Ford County。 He needed witnesses。 Persons with credibility in the munity who were willing to testify that a fair trial was not possible。 Atcavage said he might do it as a favor； but the bank might not want him involved。 Harry Rex had eagerly volunteered。 Reverend Agee said he would be glad to testify； but that was before the NAACP announced its lawyers would be handling the case。 Lucien had no credibility； and Jake did not seriously consider asking him。
Buckley； on the other hand； would line up a dozen credible witnesses…elected officials； lawyers； businessmen； maybe other sheriffs…all of whom would testify that they had vaguely heard of Carl Lee Hailey and he could most certainly receive a fair trial in Clanton。 。
Jake personally preferred the trial to be in Clanton； in his courthouse across the street from his office； in front of his people。 Trials were pressure…filled； tedious； sleepless ordeals。 It would be nice to have this one in a friendly arena； three minutes from his driveway。 When the trial recessed； he could spend the free moments in his office doing research； preparing witnesses or relaxing。 He could eat at the Coffee Shop or Claude's； or even run home for a quick lunch。 His client could remain in the Ford County jail； near his family。
And； of course； his media exposure would be much greater。 The reporters would gather in front of his office each morning of the trial and follow him as he walked slowly toward the courthouse。 That thought was exciting。
Did it matter where they tried Carl Lee Hailey？ Lucien was correct： the publicity had reached every resident of every county in Mississippi。 So why change venue？ His guilt or
innocence had already been prejudged by every prospective juror in the state。
Sure it mattered。 Some prospective jurors were white and some were black。 Percentage…wise； there would be more white ones in Ford County than the surrounding counties。 Jake loved black jurors； especially in criminal cases and especially when the criminal was black。 They were not as anxious to convict。 They were open minded。 He preferred them in civil cases； too。 They felt for the underdog against the big corporation or insurance pany； and they were more liberal with other people's money。 As a rule； he picked all the black jurors he could find； but they were scarce in Ford County。
It was imperative the case be tried in another county； a blacker c