Johnny and his three friends lived in small town America. There was Marvin, a slight boy, who was best described as squirrely. Joey was an antisocial mad who was simply a body as far as everyone else was concerned. Melissa was a promiscuous teen with a troubled home life. And then there was Johnny-an intelligent young man who just wanted to wrestle and play football. The four stuck together as the 'outsiders.' They studied together and tried to take advantage of every opportunity so they could eventually lead successful lives. But the town was against them-the students, the counselor, the administrators, the town council, the politicians. The constant bullying and abuse drove them closer together every day. Despite setbacks, they kept trying to get better grades, to get around the oppressive system. Until one day, they did an unspeakable thing. But whose fault was it really? That was for the jury to decide. Bill Woodall's The Indictment of Johnny depicts the lives of four average teens who were pushed too far. Told mostly through the eyes of Johnny Clark, Woodall takes the reader into a small town where things aren't always what they seem.