The Verdict

Did anyone happen to watch The Verdict on BBC2 over the week just gone? I thought it was a fascinating insight into how the English judicial system works (presumably the Irish one as well), the difficulty jurors have in arriving at the 'truth' and the reality of justice. It was interesting to see how much arrogance was imbued in the whole system - some of the real life characters where appalling in their snobbery.

One of my main criticisms of the programme surrounds the end. The two lads were seen to be bouncing down the stairs with big grins on their faces - while a couple of the jurors look on in disgust. Later, the girl, inconsolable, is lead out in tears as the jury look on. Then it the shot changes to slow motion and the sad music starts. Throughout the programme it was made clear that no one should have been influenced by anything other than the evidence... it would seem that in a programme where there was no end of show answers the guilt of the two guys was strongly hinted at.