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Tom Tate is Monroeville’s recently elected sheriff when the Morrison murder occurs, and he quickly begins searching for a perpetrator in order to establish his legitimacy as a public figure. With minimal prior experience in law enforcement, the challenging nature of the case threatens to expose his weaknesses and damage his reputation. This pressure, along with the explicitly racist biases he holds, drives Tate to search for the easiest possible solution to the case, a solution which ultimately involves accusing a Black man. He takes advantage of the fragile state of Monroeville’s racial politics, repeatedly abuses his power, and makes himself look like a hero when the jury convicts McMillan of the crime. While the racist threats that Tate makes toward McMillan during their interactions emphasize his own prejudice, the fact that he so easily convinces others to view him as guilty highlights just how deeply white supremacy is engrained in their community. Tate intimidates Myers into testifying against McMillan, for example, and despite the flawed nature of his story, the community and the mostly-white jury readily accept it. They, like Tate, seek easy answers that provide closure. Unfortunately, the centuries’ worth of seemingly unshakeable biases towards Black men in America make McMillan a target for Tate’s plan. He draws on stereotypes and lies rather than facts in order to secure a conviction, a move which is both illegal and deeply immoral. Stevenson emphasizes Tate’s abhorrent behavior throughout the novel, and this continual return to the nature of his character makes the reveal that he has remained sheriff for more than 25 years even more shocking and disheartening. Especially since Stevenson and his team exposed Tate’s corruption in the McMillan case, his uninterrupted tenure suggests an acceptance of the white supremacy he embodies. This detail offers a bleak view of the political climate of Monroeville and calls attention to the major amount of progress that still needs to be made.
