Harper Lee's Lawyer: She's 'Humiliated' by Controversy

As debate swirls over how much input Harper Lee had in a decision to publish a second novel, her lawyer and friend Tonja Carter—who found the text last summer—says the author is certainly capable of making the choice. In fact, Lee is "extremely hurt and humiliated" by speculation that she's being taken advantage of, Carter tells the New York Times. "She is a very strong, independent, and wise woman who should be enjoying the discovery of her long lost novel," Carter says. "Instead, she is having to defend her own credibility and decision making."

Meanwhile, a worker who has long cared for Lee at her assisted-living center says the author is "sharp as a tack." As for Go Set a Watchman, "She seems excited about it, and it has given her something to focus on since her sister died," the resident assistant says. Carter notes that when she found the novel, she asked Lee if it was finished. "She said: 'Complete? I guess so. It was the parent of Mockingbird.'" Carter has been a go-between for Lee and her publisher, Harper, a HarperCollins imprint. "Tonja has the full confidence of Nelle," says another of Lee's friends, referring to the author. "And I can say with confidence that Tonja would not do anything that Nelle would not want her to do." Click for the full interview. (More Harper Lee stories.)