How might the story have been different if Tom allowed Penn to take a bigger role in his defense at the trial?

How might the story have been different if Tom allowed Penn to take a bigger role in his defense at the trial? Would the results for Tom have been any different?

I don’t think it would have made any difference, since the outcome probably wouldn’t have changed.

If Penn could have, I think his father would probably had unnecessary additional charges. Shad hate Penn so much he wanted Penn to fall and be misberable. If Penn did the closing argument, I do not think all of the jury would like him. The jury would feel sorry for what Penn went through. Shad is smart, and he would have found a way to discredit it. Yes, it hard to discredit a person going through grief. Again, Shad is no dummyand he has complete of hate for Penn.

I don't think that the story would have been any different since Tom Page had already decided on how he wanted the trial to end and his fate--Penn would have had to comply with his father's wishes just as Avery was compelled to do.

Since Shad hated Penn, it was best he stayed out of it. And I don’t think the outcome would have changed. I agree with MarieA above.

I agree. Tom's family might have felt better if Penn were more involved, but Tom had already decided the outcome.

It would have just put Penn back in the limelight, but I don't think the outcome would have been any different. Tom was determined to do it his own way. Of course, it might not have seemed like quite the circus with Penn actually objecting every once in a while, but I think that's about it.

If Penn had become involved, I think there would have been additional frustration fro everyone involved. Tom had made his decision and nothing was going to change his mind. He would also have been putting his mother in a very difficult position as she would be torn between her husband and her son.
Ultimately the outcome would have remained the same

Tom would have had to come clean and give Penn all the facts for anything to work. Never a good idea to operate on a family member, to teach them how to drive, etc.as you are too close.

I agree with alycet plus we would have missed out on all the frustration Quentin was causing everyone including me!

Regardless that Tom has made his mind up, the laws are the laws. It still does not give a right for Penn to be involved in the case first case. Yes, the south has it imperfections. However, the law still applies in the South.