The jury seemed to trust Atticus. They listened attentively when he spoke in court. They seemed to appreciate his calm, steady demeanor in the courtroom. Scout noticed that "the jury seemed to be attentive: their heads were up, and they followed Atticus’s route with what seemed to be appreciation" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 20).
He approached the jury as if he were speaking to neighbors he ran into in town. He showed them respect. He expressed his confidence in the men of the jury. He asked them to perform their civic duty as jury members with careful consideration based on the evidence before them. He placed the responsibility of the outcome in their hands.
Scout had noted earlier that the jury was mostly made up of farmers. As poor men, they were most likely not accustomed to someone valuing their judgement and speaking to them with such a level of respect.
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