The Jury: Death on the Staircase on SBS continues – The show where everyone’s a judge has everyone talking! The Jury: Death on the Staircase is an SBS Original and Australian-first that takes inspiration from a smash-hit format from Channel 4 in the UK to provide insight and analysis on how juries work. The gripping documentary event premiered to critical acclaim and continues Wednesdays at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.
Over five unmissable episodes, the series re-enacts a real manslaughter trial* with actors reciting real court transcripts word-for-word. But just as in a real court, the new jury is made up of 12 everyday Australians.
Since The Jury: Death on the Staircase premiered with what’s being lauded as an “interesting concept” by audiences and critics alike, people have been hypothesising about the premise, the jurors, and what the final verdict might be when all is revealed on Wednesday 4 December. Polling audiences have indicated this rare insight into the jury deliberation room has them doubting whether it’s possible to have a fair trial, oscillating between a guilty or not guilty verdict at this stage in the re-enacted trial.
A recent poll on News.com.au asked does “aggressive” behaviour have a place in a courtroom? The results found that:
- 57% believe aggressive behaviour is unacceptable
- 25% support aggressive behaviour from barristers to do their job
- 18% sat on the fence
Join the conversation on social to have your say #TheJurySBS on Instagram @sbsondemand where questions will go LIVE while The Jury: Death on the Staircase airs Wednesdays at 8:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.
We last saw the jurors on day three of the trial, engrossed in the case and thoughtful about their role in it. They were presented with evidence from a neighbour who claimed to have heard the prelude to the tragedy – a ‘temper tantrum’ from Shaun and the sound of pots and pans being flung across the room. A friend of the couple revealed Carlo confided in him about wanting to leave the relationship, which the prosecution claimed was potential motive.
On Wednesday 20 November at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand, day five of the trial delivers a series of surprises for the jury.
They are bundled onto a bus and driven to the scene of the crime where speculation ramps into overdrive. When they return to court, juror Van is looking forward to an autopsy report for some cold, hard facts. The prosecution calls medical witnesses who meticulously examined the crime scene and Carlo’s corpse. They describe unusual injuries on Shaun’s body, and the discovery of DNA from a third person. The judge forces a reckoning: Asking the jury to deliver a midpoint verdict. Will the jurors be able to work together?
The Jury: Death on the Staircase goes behind the scenes of the jury room where cameras and recording devices are normally strictly prohibited, to witness how a cohort of 12 strangers interpret confounding evidence, how they judge the motives and expertise of witnesses, and decode the ingenuity of defence and prosecution tactics.
The Jury: Death on the Staircase is a Northern Pictures production for SBS. Major production investment from SBS in association with Screen Australia. Financed with the assistance of Screen NSW, who also supported post, digital, and visual effects. Based on a format created by ScreenDog Productions and distributed by Blue Ant Studios.
The Jury: Death on the Staircase will be subtitled in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
The Jury: Death on the Staircase airs Wednesdays at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand and encores Saturdays at 8:30pm on SBS.
Media Release – SBS
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The Jury: Death on the Staircase on SBS continues
