The Boys from Biloxi

These chapters slowly build to what will be the book’s climax: Lance’s trial. Jesse quietly lays the groundwork to take down the number one crime boss: He continues to gather information from his undercover man, Haley; he has the trial location moved to another county to minimize the risk of jury tampering (as happened in Ginger’s case); and he gets backing from senior law enforcement and governmental officials, like the FBI and the governor of Mississippi. Jesse’s need to call in more senior officials reiterates the difficulty of his mission to “clean up the Coast” (61). This becomes even more apparent when the governor himself says, “Fats Bowman belongs in prison” (244). It’s shocking that even the governor is aware of Fats’s shady reputation—Biloxi isn’t a big town, after all. Increasingly, it seems that many of the laws and processes meant to combat corruption, such as elections, are actually breeding grounds for corruption.

In addition, these chapters reiterate the value of Ginger’s case as an authorial tool that allows the narrative to reveal relevant points about the basics of the legal process before Lance’s action-packed trial. For example, Ginger’s trial emphasized the danger of jury tampering and showed that unanimous agreement is needed from the jury for the trial to succeed. These chapters reiterate that fact: “The jury would be the key, as always, and the defense only needed one vote” (254). It’s an interesting reminder that the jury—everyday men and women—is so pivotal in deciding criminal cases. People often joke about jury duty and wanting to get out of it, which can trivialize it. In fact, sitting on a jury is a major responsibility and can change someone’s life.

The narrative also affords insights into the appeals process, reflecting on Jesse’s earlier case against the Carousel. In the initial trial against the Carousel, the jury agreed with the “nuisance law” and had the club shut down. However, Gingers’ lawyer appealed the decision—and, as long as the appeal was pending, the club was allowed to operate. As a result, after the initial trial, the Carousel was closed for only about a week. Now, two years later, the case has finally made its way through the appeals process: The Mississippi Supreme Court denies the appeal, and the Carousel closes permanently. It’s a victory for Jesse but also demonstrates how time-consuming and tedious the legal process is. It’s another “teaching moment”—something legal thrillers must do to ensure that their audience, who presumably aren’t lawyers, can keep up with the legal action.

The major shock in these chapters, the highlight of the action, is Lance’s indictment. The story has been building to this moment—it’s the pinnacle of Jesse’s mission, his ultimate goal as “The Crusader.” However, by achieving this goal, Jesse puts himself in danger. Although the author hasn’t yet revealed it, Jesse is later killed as a result of his pursuit of Lance. The narrative foreshadows this, reiterating the danger that Jesse faces by describing the threatening phone calls he gets after Lance’s bail hearing. Additionally, the narrative hints that Hugh may be the person who brings about Jesse’s death, describing his anger at his father’s criminal charges: “He could not comprehend his dad going to prison, though he had gradually accepted the possibility” (255-56). The fact that Hugh fixes his mind on Jesse as the source of his father’s trouble and is angry at him suggests that he may have a taste for revenge.

Underscoring the significance of Lance’s indictment, Keith personally contacts the Gulf Coast Register to inform them of the indictment. This speaks to the importance of the media in the interplay of politics, crime, the legal system, and public opinion. The role of the media in shaping public opinion was evident previously in Jesse’s DA elections, when Lance and Jesse used opposing smear campaigns to paint the other as a villain in the public eye. Here, the narrative reiterates the importance of the media in getting public opinion to shift. In this case, Jesse wants to make it clear that the “good guys” have won a victory with the indictment against Lance. It’s a war not just within the courts but also within the media landscape that influences public opinion.

In the buildup to Lance’s trial, these chapters further the book’s argument regarding the rampant nature of corruption. Lance’s lawyer, Joshua, will go to any means to help his client—even as far as falsifying medical records with the help of a shady doctor: “Go see Cyrus Knapp, the heart doctor. He’s a quack but he’ll do what I say. Tell him since you got arrested you’ve been having chest pains, dizziness, fatigue” (268). The idea works: “On March 3, two weeks before the trial, Joshua files a motion for a continuance, claiming that Mr. Malco is too ill to defend himself. The motion included affidavits from two doctors and a pile of medical reports” (274). A new trial date is set for May. Again, these details provide unique insights into the legal system. Pushing back the trial date extends the narrative as well, giving the author more time to ramp up tension, add detail to the plot, and tease out relevant subplots such as the appearance of the FBI. Through the FBI, Jesse learns of the string of robberies and realizes that Hugh is involved. When he asks the FBI for a copy of the sketch showing Hugh’s face, it seems insignificant—but it later becomes a big deal when Jesse uses this sketch of Hugh to extort Lance and convince him to take a plea deal that sends him to prison; this then inspires Hugh to take out a hit on Jesse. Additionally, Jesse’s plan to extort Lance signifies a moral shift, when the narrative’s “hero” resorts to immoral and illegal tactics to win, throwing the entire good versus evil dichotomy into question.