Closing Statement Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury, today we have heard the heart-wrenching story of Sethe Garner, a woman who has endured unimaginable suffering under the cruel institution of slavery. Over the course of this trial, we have learned about the depths of her love for her children, and the lengths she would go to protect them from a life of confinement and abuse. Sethe’s actions that day may seem extreme to some people, but we must remember the context of the situation. Slavery stripped Sethe of her humanity, resulted in her suffering unspeakable violence, and in that moment, threatened to tear her family apart. Now, it is with that context, that we must interpret her actions on that doomful day. The Prosecution claims that Sethe…show more content… We have heard various testimonies that shed light on the horrors and flaws of slavery, the scars that slavery can leave on one's soul, and the difficult decisions its victims are forced to make. First, we heard about Stamp Paid. An older man who has seen the effects of slavery on many people over the course of his life. Stamp testified that “ she ain’t crazy, she’s just trying to put her babies somewhere they won’t be hurt like she was hurt “, showing that Sethe’s actions were driven by her deep love for kids and her desire to protect them from slavery. Additionally, Stamp testified that Sethe had to “move from around the house to the back yard because she could not bear to see what she had done to her babies” which shows that Sethe immediately felt immense guilt and remorse for her actions. Next, we heard from Paul D, who has been a close friend of Sethe for a very long time. Paul D admitted that Sethe “ [has] the potential to be a very good mother”. And she has more love than anybody [he] ever knew” which again reinforces the claim that Sethe is a loving person at heart and just wants what is best for her
