Inspired by the story of Maryann Acker from the book "Who Named the Knife" by Linda Spalding, this dramatization is followed by the fine print: "All characters, locations and events have been fictionalized." This makes it difficult to pin down what laws are being followed. A defendant is led into the courtroom wearing handcuffs and leg-irons - in full view of the jury. Then, they are removed. Being a juror in California, my experience was quite different. We were not allowed to see the defendant walk in and be bound to a chair; moreover, the judge instructed us to ignore the leg irons...
You are allowed to take notes, but may not take them out of court for personal use - such as writing a fictionalized story based on the trial. This juror should have been fined, at least. People do not bring their pre-teen children to sit with them in the jury box. They would not get past security. Herein, the lawyers and judge do not appear to know much about the law. The defendant wears a blouse unbuttoned down the front on the day she testifies - and, nobody seems notice she hasn't buttoned her shirt. A very beautiful woman, she apparently also keeps a good make-up supply in her prison cell...
The story is about how the dismissed juror (played by Annabeth Gish) is haunted by the old trial which sent the defendant (played by Chandra West) to prison for murder. Juror #11 was excused right before deliberations and was the only one who identified with the accused. Through flashbacks, we witness what really happened as Ms. Gish investigates the trial and puts her past in order. The cast and crew do the best they can, but it's not believable. Probably the most important fact about the case is that the defendant could have been convicted of murder even if she sat in the car - for each one.
**** Of Murder and Memory (10/10/08) David Wellington ~ Annabeth Gish, Chandra West, Hugh Dillon, Gabriel Hogan
You are allowed to take notes, but may not take them out of court for personal use - such as writing a fictionalized story based on the trial. This juror should have been fined, at least. People do not bring their pre-teen children to sit with them in the jury box. They would not get past security. Herein, the lawyers and judge do not appear to know much about the law. The defendant wears a blouse unbuttoned down the front on the day she testifies - and, nobody seems notice she hasn't buttoned her shirt. A very beautiful woman, she apparently also keeps a good make-up supply in her prison cell...
The story is about how the dismissed juror (played by Annabeth Gish) is haunted by the old trial which sent the defendant (played by Chandra West) to prison for murder. Juror #11 was excused right before deliberations and was the only one who identified with the accused. Through flashbacks, we witness what really happened as Ms. Gish investigates the trial and puts her past in order. The cast and crew do the best they can, but it's not believable. Probably the most important fact about the case is that the defendant could have been convicted of murder even if she sat in the car - for each one.
**** Of Murder and Memory (10/10/08) David Wellington ~ Annabeth Gish, Chandra West, Hugh Dillon, Gabriel Hogan