Muff Potter's False Accusation and Exoneration

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The innocent drunkard Muff Potter is wrongly accused of murder, imprisoned, and finally freed by Tom's testimony.

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The Arrest The Arrest from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The Scapegoat The Circumstantial Evidence Muff Potter, found washing in a brook near the murder scene, is arrested.

The Arrest from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The Scapegoat The Circumstantial Evidence Muff Potter, found washing in a brook near the murder scene, is arrested.

The Scapegoat The Circumstantial Evidence Muff Potter, found washing in a brook near the murder scene, is arrested. His knife is discovered near the body, and his confused, drunken state makes him appear guilty. The Jail Cell Potter is held in a small brick jail. Tom and Huck, burdened by guilt, smuggle him tobacco and matches. Potter's gratitude deepens their remorse. The Trial During the trial, Potter's lawyer offers no defense, and the case seems hopeless. Potter resigns himself to hanging.

The Testimony The Testimony from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The Unexpected Witness Tom's Courage Tom takes the stand and recounts the graveyard events, revealing Injun Joe as the murderer.

The Testimony from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The Unexpected Witness Tom's Courage Tom takes the stand and recounts the graveyard events, revealing Injun Joe as the murderer.

The Unexpected Witness Tom's Courage Tom takes the stand and recounts the graveyard events, revealing Injun Joe as the murderer. The courtroom is stunned, and Injun Joe escapes. The Release Potter is exonerated and freed. He becomes a grateful friend to Tom and Huck, and the town's sympathy shifts to him. The Aftermath Potter's ordeal ends, but Tom lives in fear of Injun Joe's revenge. Potter's fate highlights the injustice of circumstantial evidence and the power of truth.

After the murder, early in the story

The day of the trial, mid-story