Nineteen Minutes Characters

The “alpha female” of Sterling High. Courtney is the queen of the popular girls, and she is widely idolized. She is cruel and repeatedly tries to embarrass Josie despite the fact that they are nominally friends. She is killed in the school shooting.

The male half of the “Brangelina” of Sterling High. Brady is a popular by and a devoted boyfriend to Haley. When Peter shoots Haley, Brady steps in front of the bullet but survives.

Brady’s girlfriend and a former two-time homecoming queen. Haley is facially disfigured in the shooting and testifies at Peter’s trial.

Another member of the popular crowd, who is injured in the school shooting and ends up with brain damage.

Another member of the popular crowd who also survives the school shooting. One of Peter’s main tormenters.

One of the popular girls who is killed in the school shooting.

Another popular girl, who ends up in a wheelchair after the shooting.

Peter’s best friend in high school. Like Peter, Derek is awkward, nerdy, unathletic, and a computer whiz. Derek is always subject to merciless bullying. He and Peter build and play the game Hide-n-Shriek together, but when Peter actually acts on their fantasies of revenge, Derek is shocked and horrified.

A lawyer who serves as the prosecution during Peter’s trial. She has a professional rivalry with Jordan, and this seems to extend into a personal hatred.

A forensic psychiatrist whose evaluation Jordan uses as evidence in Peter’s trial. Dr. Wah is an expert in battered woman syndrome and determines that Peter had post-traumatic stress disorder comparable to an abused woman at the time he committed the shooting.

An unpopular student who narrowly avoids being killed by Peter in the school shooting and watches his friend Justin die in front him.

A nerdy student whom Peter kills in the shooting.

A client whom Alex represents during her time as a public defender. Nadya is a victim of domestic violence and an impoverished single mother.

The state medical examiner and a former Mr. Universe.

Alex’s mentor, who originally encourages her to apply to become a judge.

The “whole property maintenance department” at the Sterling courthouse. Befriends Alex.

Jordan and Selena’s baby son.

A professor of psychology at Sterling College who once co-authored a paper on school shooters and is cited as an expert in press coverage of the Sterling High shooting. Dr. Peabody runs a grief counseling session for the whole town.

The president of Sterling High GLAD.

An athletic coach at Sterling High, who was a jock (and, it’s implied, a bully) as a teenager.

One of the students Peter kills.

Another student Peter kills.

Another student Peter kills.

The principal of Sterling High. He claims to have a handle on the problem of bullying but is clearly inept.

A special-needs student that Peter kills in the shooting.

Kaitlin’s mother. She kills herself soon after the shooting takes place, seemingly due to grief.

A police technician.

An inmate at the maximum-security jail where Peter is incarcerated before his trial. He is accused of raping and killing a waitress but maintains that he is innocent.

Chair of the economics department at Sterling College.

A mentally disabled patient of Lacy’s who becomes pregnant as a result of gang rape.

A transfer student to Peter and Josie’s middle school, who gets her period in class. Peter (accidentally) points this out, leading to Dolores becoming the target of intense bullying.

Courtney’s father, who yells abuse at Jordan during the grief session held by Dr. Peabody.

Josie and Peter’s boss at QuikCopy. He watches bestiality porn on his work computer and fires Peter after he sets fire to a dumpster.

A comically grotesque Canadian lawyer whom Liz sets up Alex with on a date. Alex finds him horrifying and cancels the date within seconds of meeting him.

Peter’s English teacher.

A predatory older man who aggressively tries to seduce Peter at a gay bar.

Mr. McCabe’s partner.

A journalist who poses as a college student and bullying victim in order to interview Peter for a tabloid article.

Derek’s mother.

Peter’s neighbor, a retired cop from whom the Houghtons often borrow gas for their snowblower. Peter steals Mr. Weatherall’s two semiautomatic guns, which he keeps inside a sugar canister.

The judge who presides over the school shooting case after Alex recuses herself.

The first person Peter shot during the attack. She testifies at his trial.

A student who Peter shoots. She survives but is left traumatized.

Jada’s mother. After the second day of Peter’s trial, she tells the press about Jada’s trauma and expresses a desire for Peter to receive a harsh punishment.