to kill a mockingbird

Much of the white population in maycomb rationalize Tom's death through a lens of bigotry,

..typical of a n--- to cut and run. Typical of a n---'s mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw. Funny thing, Atticus Finch might've got him off scot free, but wait---? Hell, no. You know how they are. Easy come, easy go. ... the veneer's mighty thin. N--- always comes out in 'em.

Most of them know Tom is innocent but use his attempted escape as a way to appease their own guilt.