The Jury: Death on the Staircase on SBS jaw dropping conclusion – The time has arrived for the jurors to deliver their judgement in the final episode of the gripping five-part true crime event The Jury: Death on the Staircase. The SBS Original has received critical acclaim for its interesting concept and innovative approach, with the Australian-first taking inspiration from a smash-hit format from Channel 4 in the UK to provide insight and analysis on how juries work. Don’t miss the powerful conclusion this Wednesday at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.
The Jury: Death on the Staircase 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.
With only one episode to go, tensions are running high amongst the jurors who wade through unsupported theories to try and make sense of the evidence before delivering their final verdict. In the last episode, the defence barrister’s own forensic expert threw a spanner in the works at the veracity of the prosecution’s argument, leaving even the most sympathetic jurors leaning towards a guilty verdict. But will they all be able to work together to reach a unanimous decision?
People have been hypothesising over the past four weeks as to whether it was a physical fight or an accident, as details of the case grow more and more complex with every episode.
Polling audiences shared that this rare insight behind the closed doors of the jury deliberation room cast doubt upon whether it’s possible to have a fair trial, with the recent SBS On Demand poll showing 75% don’t think jury members can remain impartial during a trial.
A recent poll on News.com.au asked if too much is asked of jurors. The results found that:
• 52% said no, their role is essential to our justice system
• 38% said yes, the responsibility of someone’s freedom is a big burden
• 10% said they were unsure
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.
On Wednesday 4 December at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand, having heard all the evidence, the real work begins for the jury. The jurors settle in for an emotionally charged debate. They work through their own experiences, the evidence, logic and the law, but will they reach a unanimous verdict? When they do return to the courtroom, what the judge reveals from the original case is more shocking than anything they have heard over the course of the trial. The shattering reveal at the end of this series presents an entirely unexpected message for the jurors.
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.
The Jury: Death on the Staircase on SBS and SBS on Demand – New Episode / Wednesday 28 November at 8.30pm (5 Parts)
The Jury: Death on the Staircase on SBS jaw dropping conclusion
