A Lesson Before Dying

A 21-year-old Black man named Jefferson is accused of killing a white man during a robbery. Jefferson claims he was walking when two men he knew, Brother and Bear, drove up and offered him a ride. The two men decided to stop by the liquor store and try to get the white shopkeeper, Alcee Gropé to give them a bottle of wine on credit. Gropé recognized Jefferson and asked after his godmother. Bear and Brother tried failed to convince the shopkeeper to give them the wine. Bear then attempted to go behind the counter and take it. The shopkeeper grabbed a gun he kept by the register and started firing. One of the young men fired back. When the firing stopped, all three men were on the floor, and Jefferson was still standing. Gropé was initially still alive and tried to call out to Jefferson. When Jefferson realized who was calling him and what had happened, his first thought was that the shopkeeper saw his face and would tell on him. He tried to get Gropé to agree to tell “the law” that he was innocent, but Gropé died before he had the chance.