In 1912, a young black housemaid named Virginia Christian was arrested, accused of the brutal murder of her white employer. Ida Belote's body was found in the back corner of her home, beaten and in a pool of blood, a rag forced down her throat, presumably to muffle screams. Narrator Charlie Mears, a young reporter for the Hampton Times-Herald, is the only one who seems interested in the girl's side of the story. He visits her in jail, examines the crime scene and speaks with eyewitnesses as they wait for the trial to begin.
The miscarriage of justice is rushed by local authorities, who want to avoid a race riot and possible lynching. In this short time, tensions run high as Charlie does his best to document Virgie's story before the verdict is handed down. What follows is a tragic episode nearly forgotten to history. Then Virgie is convicted in just 30 minutes by an all-white, all-male jury and sentenced to die in the electric chair. To date, she is the only adolescent female ever executed by the state of Virginia.
Ross Howell Jr. skillfully weaves a tapestry of real news articles, court records, letters and other historical documents throughout his fictionalized account of Virgie's trial. He draws from the scarce historical record--composed of only a few newspaper pieces, eyewitness testimony, police reports and transcripts--to bring to vibrant life Virgie, Charlie Mears and the cruelty of Jim Crow in Virginia. --Jarret Middleton