Defending Mersult

What is justice? Is it when a person’s demise makes society feel better? Or is it when a suspect gets acquitted of all charges brought against him? Wherever there is justice there is obscurity. No matter how it is looked at, there is no real justice in the judicial system. In Albert Camus “The Stranger” the narrator, Meursault, is being trialed for the murder of a man he encounters at the beach. At his trial, the prosecutor makes much of Meursault’s demeanor and the prosecutor focuses on irrelevant information like Meursault’s failure to properly show grief at his own mother’s recent funeral. The prosecutor based the trial on events which had taken place prior to the murder. Even though, his points did not have the connection with the murder which the prosecution maintained. Therefore, the prosecutor created an unfair trial, by not giving Meursalt adequate time to speak in his own defense, bringing up irrelevant situations such as his relationship with his mother and his beliefs. Meursault was not given the chance to defend himself because of questions from the prosecutor and lack of knowledge of his lawyer. The case was rather built upon his lack of feelings towards his mother’s death and his choice not to believe in God.

Typically, throughout a trial, the defendant is given time on the witness stand to plea innocence, and explain why he committed the crime. Meursault, however, stood before the judge and was asked yes or no questions. This left him with little or no time to plead his case. Before he could say anything else, he was back on his way to the jail. Meursault said, "I didn't even have time to think. I was taken out, put into the van, and driven to prison..." (Camus88). At first he did not know what was going on, but knew he wanted to say something. Then every time he would try to say something, his lawyer would simply say “Just keep quiet- it won't do your case any good" (Camus98). Meursault's lawyer would not let him say anything, and this