A married negro man with a young family, accused of beating, choking and raping Mayella Ewell.It was revealed during the trial that he had an industrial accident as a child that left him without the use of his left hand.Notwithstanding a lack of any real evidence, Tom was convicted of rape. Despite the confidence of his lawyer, Atticus Finch, that they had a good chance on appeal, Tom apparently escaped on his way back to gaol and was killed while running away.