CHARACTERS BAILIFF: A uniformed officer of the court. (40s/50s) DEPUTY: A uniformed deputy sheriff. (Late 20s to 40s) COURT CLERK: An officer of the court. (30s/50s) COURT RECORDER: (30s/40s) JURY: Twelve people from the audience. B.J. ROLLINS: The judge. (50s/60s) MAX BARNES: The defendant, a high-school graduate plus trade school for construction. (30s) BRADLY SCOTT: The prosecutor. (40s/50s) WITNESSES, IN ORDER: BETTY JEAN SIMMONS Mary Lou’s older sister. (40s) DR. NORTON: Flint County Medical Examiner. (50s/60s) ELIZABETH JONES: Mary Lou’s next-door neighbor. (60s/70s) LUCIEN BERGERON: The former employer of the late Mary Lou Barnes. (50s) MATT TAYLOR: A Flint County Deputy Sheriff. (30s) ETHAN JOHNSON: A detective sergeant with the Flint County Sheriff’s Department. (40s) EUGENE WILSON: An employee of The Flint County Waste Management Authority. (early 20s) SALLY HOLLAND: A lieutenant and lead crime scene investigator for the Flint County Sheriff’s Department. (40s/50s) JOSEPH BLAIR: A former employee of Max Barnes. College student. (20-22) MATEO CHUA: A former employee of Max. (Mid 20s) PAUL FONTENOT: A heavy-set, tough looking guy. (40s) IN THE AUDIENCE MONA WIGGINS: Deputy Wiggins’ widow. (30s) SETTING AND TIME SETTING: Riverdale, Mississippi, near Jackson, in the main courtroom of the Flint County Circuit Court. TIME: The present, the first Tuesday morning in September.