was the people of the State of Mississippi, by God, and he took that obligation seriously. The people hated crime, and he hated crime, and together they could eliminate it.
He could talk to a jury; oh, how he could talk to a jury. He could preach, pray, sway, plead, beg. He could inflame a jury to the point it couldn't wait to get back to that jury room and have a prayer meeting, then vote and return with a rope to hang the defendant. He could talk like the blacks and he could talk like the rednecks, and that was enough to satisfy most of the jurors in the Twenty-second. And the juries were good to him in Ford County. He liked Clanton.
When he arrived at his office in the Polk County Courthouse, Rufus was delighted to see a camera crew waiting in his reception room. He was very busy, he explained, looking at his watch, but he might have a minute for a few questions.
He arranged them in his office and sat splendidly in his leather swivel behind the desk. The reporter was from Jackson.
"Mr. Buckley, do you have any sympathy for Mr. Hai-ley?"
He smiled seriously, obviously in deep thought. "Yes, I do. I have sympathy for any parent whose child is raped. I certainly do. But what I cannot condone, and what our system cannot tolerate, is this type of vigilante justice."
"Are you a parent?"
"I am. I have one small son and two daughters, one the age of the Hailey girl, and I'd be outraged if one of my daughters were raped. But I would hope our judicial system would deal effectively with the rapist. I have that much confidence in the system."
"So you anticipate a conviction?"
"Certainly. I normally get a conviction when I go after one, and I intend to get a conviction in this case."
"Will you ask for the death penalty?"
"Yes, it looks like a clear case of premeditated murder. I think the gas chamber would be appropriate."
"Do you predict a death penalty verdict?"
"Of course. Ford County jurors have always been willing to apply the death penalty when I ask for it and it's appropriate. I get very good juries up there."
"Mr. Brigance, the defendant's attorney, has stated the grand jury may not indict his client."
BucMey chuckled at this. "Well, Mr. Brigance should not be so foolish. The case will be presented to the grand jury Monday, and we'll have our indictments Monday afternoon. I promise you that. Really, he knows better." "You think the case will be tried in Ford County?" "I don't care where it's tried. I'll get a conviction." "Do you anticipate the insanity defense?" "I anticipate everything. Mr. Brigance is a most capable criminal defense attorney. I don't know what ploy he will use, but the State of Mississippi will be ready." "What about a plea bargain?'*
"I don't much believe in plea negotiating. Neither does Brigance. I wouldn't expect that."
"He said he's never lost a murder case to you." The smile disappeared instantly. He leaned forward on the desk and looked harshly at the reporter. "True, but I bet he didn't mention a number of armed robberies and grand larcenies, did he? I've won my share. Ninety percent to be exact."
The camera was turned off and the reporter thanked him for his time. No problem, said Buckley. Anytime.
Ethel waddled up the stairs and stood before the big desk. "Mr. Brigance, my husband and I received an obscene phone call last night, and I've just taken the second one here at the office. I don't like this."
He motioned to a chair. "Sit down, Ethel. What did these people say?"
"They weren't really obscene. They were threatening. They threatened me because I work for you. Said I'd be sorry because I worked for a nigger lover. The ones here threaten to harm you and your family. I'm just scared."
Jake was worried too, but shrugged it off for Ethel. He had called Ozzie on Wednesday and reported the calls to his house.
"Change your number, Ethel. I'll pay for it."
"I don't want to change my number. I've had it for seventeen years."
"Good, then don't. I've had my home number changed, and it's no big deal."
"Well, I'll not do it."
"Fine. What else do you want?"
"Well, I don't think you should have taken that case. I-"
"And I don't care what you think! You're not paid to think about my cases. If I want to know what you think, I'll ask. Until I do, keep quiet."