The Ku Klux Klan intimidates through the use of burning crosses—a perverse inversion of a symbol sacred to many of the Christian characters in the novel. To worship at the foot of a cross is common, but the sight of a burning cross is a threat, typically used to inspire terror in blacks, or in the whites who help them. Jake and 19 of the prospective jurors are recipients of this intimidation tactic. When Ellen is abducted and tied to the tree, the Klan members light a burning cross in the pasture where she can see it. Another cross is lit when they burn Mickey Mouse to death after learning that he is passing information to the police. 

Carl Lee is a man, but he and his case also become a symbol that many different groups eagerly use for their own gains. Reverend Isaiah Street tells Carl Lee that his acquittal will be a victory for black people everywhere, while a conviction will be another win for the white racists that have plagued black people for centuries. For Stump Sisson and the Klan, Carl Lee is a symbol of black savagery and the need to keep black people subservient to white rule.