Defending Jacob

At 51, Laurie retains her youthful beauty. She is a Jewish girl from a good family and has encountered little hardship in her life. She met Andy in college, and in Newton, she is the emotional center of her group of friends.

When her son Jacob is accused of murder, Laurie begins to fall apart. She loses weight, as well as her bright spirit. As she reflects on Jacob’s childhood aggression and continuing moodiness, she becomes increasingly convinced of his guilt. After Hope Connors is found dead, she drives her son into a concrete wall, killing him. She is subsequently the subject of a grand jury investigation.

At 14, Jacob is handsome, with dark curly hair and a “ruddy complexion” (23). He is thin and lanky. At school, he is somewhat of a misfit, but has friends including Derek. His behavior occasionally disturbs his friends; they find him somewhat cruel and uncaring and are worried by his interest in a torture porn site, the Cutting Room. Ben bullies him. To defend himself, he buys a knife. 

Jacob is later accused of Ben’s murder. While his father Andy maintains that he is a normal, morose teen, Dr. Vogel diagnoses him with narcissistic personality disorder and the emotional maturity of a seven-year-old. He remains even-keeled throughout his trial. Later, he is accused in the press of the murder of his girlfriend Hope Connors. He dies when his mother drives into a concrete wall. 

Ben Rifkin’s father is a “small, trim, delicate” (13) man. He is heartbroken by the loss of his son and puzzled as to how someone could hurt him. His mild manners give way to rage when he believes that Andy has been lying to him. After Jacob is cleared of Ben’s murder, he is enraged and tries to attack the Barber family with a knife. He is stopped by Father O’Leary.

Deceased at the outset of the novel, Ben Rifkin was 14 at the time of his death. He was considered cool: smart, handsome, and a bit of a slacker. He was also a bully and tormented Jacob and Derek. He was killed with a knife. 

A pudgy 26-year-old, Patz is a pedophile who has often pled out on lesser charges. He initially denies knowing Ben, but later commits suicide and leaves behind a signed confession. It is implied that Father O’Leary forcefully extracted the confession.

Duffy is a third-generation cop, but his “receding hairline and fine features” (38) present a gentler appearance than most policemen. He is Andy’s good friend and a straight shooter. When Jacob is accused of murder, Duffy ceases his friendship with the Barber family up until he learns about Father O’Leary. He remains protective of his old friend.

Andy’s coworker Neal becomes ADA after Andy is ousted from the position. He comes from a working-class background and is eager to climb the ranks in the DA’s office. Andy has mentored him to be an aggressive prosecutor. He is confident and borderline arrogant—and plays the role of formidable opponent and foil for Andy throughout the book.

Jacob’s friend since childhood, Derek is shy and soft-spoken, tending to end his sentences with an implied question. He writes a Facebook post accusing Jacob of murder and ultimately testifies against Jacob despite their ongoing friendship.