The Jury s01e05 Episode Script
Episode 5
I need to get to America to join my brother.
They said yes! He did do it, didn't he? Is that what you think? Isn't that what you think? Dear, Ann, how nice to receive your letter, and how brave of you to send it.
I was a jury member in the first trial.
And if I don't want to go through with it? That's a decision you're going to have to make quickly.
How quickly? The first victim Holly Jackson.
There was a brown throw.
Police found traces of it in Lane's car.
It was the key piece of evidence in the first trial.
'Irregularities were uncovered.
Our verdict was thrown out, just like that.
' What do I do, Mum? What do I do? Do I tell them? It's a total disrespect to me, and a total disrespect to the family of the victims.
The 'Aye's' to the right.
'No's' to the left.
246.
The 'Aye's' have it! 'Shockwaves are running through the legal system this morning and far beyond, following the results of a vote in the Commons last night in favour of abolishing Trial by Jury.
There was no doubt that it was a momentous vote, people spoke of the decision that reversed hundreds of years of history.
Those who supported the change were accused of an assault of ancient liberties.
The question now is whether the House of Lords ' With me, in the studio now, to discuss this huge decision ' 50 quid says you're back here tonight.
(RADIO PLAYS) Selon! Come.
I want to show you something! It's his first time.
I can't remember where we're meeting this morning.
'We're not.
I sent you a text last night'.
What? We can't just not meet.
I've got to vote today.
Yeah, well, I got a call last night from the lawyers, and it seems they have a result.
They've asked to see me this morning.
What for? To present me with an offer for my business.
Wow! Well, can you postpone it? Tell them you'll see them at lunchtime? Are you mad? Theresa, we're not done yet.
Yes, you do.
If it comes to it in the jury room and I have to explain myself I need to know why? Convince me.
Oh, because he just did! The previous jury thought so.
He was the last person to have seen each of the victims alive.
And his eyes are too close together.
And while that may not seem very sophisticated, and I realise I should be preoccupied with all matters Alan Lane, this morning it just so happens the only thing I can think about is whether I prefer the photo in the FT announcing the deal, to be of me wearing Miu Miu or Marni with my Diane von Furstenberg dress.
Right.
And you stand to profit from this, too, by the way.
Big time.
And how will I profit from it, if I'm no longer part of the company? And why would you no longer be part of the company? Because I resign.
And why would you do that? Because I no longer get any satisfaction working for an irresponsible, self-centred, materialistic, short-sighted jerk.
Wow.
It's not my birthday.
It's not Christmas.
No.
I believe those are the only other occasions when you lay on a spread like this.
Plus all that business last night.
Even an unsuspicious man may begin to become suspicious.
Are you going to tell me? Just before our wedding, my mother gave me three tips on how to keep a successful marriage.
Number one, never iron his shirts, ever.
Two, if any of your friends' marriage breaks up, cut them out, immediately.
It's infectious.
Number three, cherish your own secrets, and respect your partner's right to have some, too.
Always.
If you really want to know what happened while you were gone, I will tell you anytime.
But I promise, you have nothing to worry about.
I love you, you know.
I love you.
(SHOUTING) How long? 20 weeks.
You have put me in a terrible position.
Knowing what I now know, I should report you to the authorities.
Which is why I've offered my resignation.
Oh, Katherine.
To move, to relocate.
To save you and the school any embarrassment.
But that's madness.
In a new location where nobody knows you? It just doesn't make sense.
Well, what else would you suggest? Forgive me, but isn't the cut off, isn't it still legal up until 22 weeks? It's kicking.
I know, but try not to get too emotional about this.
This is your career, your whole professional life.
And until recently, I would probably have agreed with you.
But having seen and having heard what I have during this trial, the pain, the loss, the regret, above all the waste.
You realise that life, giving life, not taking it, creating life, not snuffing it out, but celebrating life it's the greatest thing you can do.
Have you told him? No.
You don't think he has a right to know? I think he has a right not to.
For now.
Fine, I will find a suitable explanation for your disappearance.
Thank you.
Good luck.
OK, step forwards, please.
Arms out.
Down the steps.
You all right? Nothing more for us to do.
All we can do is wait.
Any idea how long? Oh, could be an hour.
Could be a day.
Could be several days.
Brought cards.
OK, so yesterday we took a vote where four jurors.
Brian, Derek, David and myself, voted guilty.
And five.
Ann, Jeffrey, Kristina, Ellen and Tahir voted not guilty.
And three, Katherine, Rashid and Sorry, Theresa.
Theresa, abstained.
Now, seeing that it says here that we need to reach total unanimity, or at least a majority of ten to two, I suggest that since most currently find the defendant not guilty.
And are clearly mad.
That they explain to the rest of us why they voted that way, and try to persuade us of their case.
And I propose we do this the other way round.
Sorry? We're the majority.
We don't need to sell ourselves to anyone.
You persuade us of the validity of your case.
All right, we've got a man with a history of mental illness.
That's not strictly true, by the way.
Alan suffered from a reactive depression, which is it's different from clinical.
It's not a mental illness.
All right, all right.
And a history of violence against women who also happened to be the only credible common denominator between all three victims.
Also not true.
The defence established no fewer than Six.
Six men who had all corresponded at length with the three victims.
I said credible! Personally speaking, I found the Bent fellow perfectly Dent.
All right, Dent, perfectly credible.
What? The rent-a-nutter? Who conveniently happened to kill himself? I, er, I come at this from a slightly different perspective.
I work as My job is, well, was, as a teacher.
And I always encourage my pupils, well the bright ones anyway, to ask questions, take nothing at face value.
Try to see what lies behind a story.
Here we have a high-profile case, one that would never have come to retrial unless there were serious doubts about the original conviction.
Why? No, a retrial like this reflects badly upon the legal system, the police, the media.
It's in no-one's interests to do it.
So based on that you can be pretty sure that if we are in a retrial situation, at huge expense and inconvenience.
Well, there has to be something about the original trial, or the original conviction that's wrong, something that we don't know.
And since the original conviction was that he was guilty, and that that has been overturned, well, it follows that there is a high likelihood that he is not guilty.
That's still not enough reason to let him off.
It's not enough reason to lock him up either.
Well, speak for yourself, love.
I'd be fine with that.
But based on what actual evidence? You know, people like you are just so prejudiced.
People like me? Yes.
People like you! Yes! He means like the glass upstairs.
With his fingerprints.
You mean, the one she took upstairs after he'd gone? No, the one he took upstairs before he killed her.
But you wouldn't take water up to the bedroom with you, would you? If you're going to have sex.
Well, you'd take wine.
But he doesn't drink wine, does he? No, it interferes with his looney tunes meds.
Very good.
You would take water if you were going to sleep.
Which is why I think he never took it up to the bedroom.
She did.
Which is why her fingerprints are on the glass.
(SHOUTING) Can everybody try to make one point at a time! Listen to each other! If he was outside while the murder took place, he's parked right across the street with a clear view, how comes he didn't see anything else? Not a bloody thing? Because there's a bus stop in the way! What? And a big red bus just happened to come along at exactly the same moment the killer arrived and went into the house with the victim? Lane was inside! Finishing her off! I don't think he was.
When Lane was on the stand, talking about the internet he said, 'It's just one big free for all.
No-one's serious.
Everyone's just looking for ' And then his barrister asks 'What?' And then he went red, and was embarrassed and said, 'You know.
' What is your point? The point is that if Alan Lane is a killer who cold-bloodedly trawled the internet sites for sexual partners whom he then strangled and killed Yeah, sounds about right.
What is he doing blushing at the first mention of sex? I remember that.
He did! Blushed like a schoolgirl.
The sort of reaction you'd get from someone who was doing all of this because he was genuinely Looking for love.
Oh, rubbish, I still think there's enough to put him away.
Based on what? Based on the fact there are so many things pointing to his possible involvement in the murders, it makes his non-involvement almost impossible.
It's obviously him in that minicab going back for a third victim.
What about you, George Hamilton? By the way, is it just me, or have you gone a completely different colour since this trial started? I do have an explanation for that, but now's probably not the right time.
No, no.
Now is not the time.
There is something that I feel I should share with you all.
It's prompted by what Katherine said, about there having to be good reason for the case to be retried.
The other day, I met somebody connected with the previous trial.
A juror.
My predecessor, in fact.
The foreman of the first jury.
And she she told me, that central to the Crown's case in that trial was a piece of evidence.
A microscopic piece of fibre from a brown Marks and Spencer's throw in Holly Jackson's bedroom, which was found in Alan Lane's car.
Well, as you can imagine it was pretty devastating.
It proved he'd been in the bedroom after all.
Yes, yes.
And it made the subsequent unanimous verdict of guilty a formality.
But, about a year after Alan Lane went to prison, his Defence Team, headed by Emma Watts started digging away and they found something.
A technicality which meant that they could bring it to the Court of Appeal, where, as you know, the case against him pretty much collapsed.
Maybe that's what they were referring to? When there was that weird moment in court, remember? When the defence said the Detective had nothing on Alan Lane or something like that.
I don't remember that.
I've got it here.
'The truth is you no longer have anything.
No fingerprints, nor DNA, not a single shred of forensic evidence, which places Alan Lane in the bedroom upstairs'.
Despite the best efforts of your colleagues in the past.
Yes, yes.
When the policeman gave her a look and said 'Up yours, sister'.
So what was it? Well, er, the defence established that by total coincidence the same Scene of Crime Officer that examined Alan Lane's car had earlier that day investigated a domestic burglary where, in a million to one chance, the owners of that house had exactly the same throw on their sofa.
Now, in the Court of Appeal, the forensics' officer swore under oath that he never set foot in the house but since he was unable to demonstrate that his crime scene bag hadn't accidentally picked up some fibres from the throw, and then, unwittingly transferred them to Alan Lane's car when he put his bag there Yeah, some bloody chance! The key piece of evidence was ruled inadmissible.
And a retrial became inevitable.
Wow.
Well, this puts everything in a completely different light.
I don't know what to think.
It's a bloody farce! So, when did this person tell you this? Yesterday.
I wish you hadn't told us, Paul.
And she was the foreman of the previous jury? Yes, yes.
And she's been following this trial with growing frustration.
I'm not surprised.
After that piece of evidence it was clearcut.
What are we supposed to do now? Vote guilty, of course.
We can't! What are you talking about? We cannot vote guilty.
We did not get that piece of evidence in court.
But we have by our foreman just now! But it's hear say.
From a third party.
Oh, great, so I've got to sit here for another nine hours while it's plainly obvious! Ann's right.
Ann is right.
The judge made it clear.
We can't vote based on evidence that wasn't presented to us in court.
I think we all know why she's saying that.
She's got the hots for him, hasn't she? How dare you! Don't think I haven't seen you How dare you! Don't think I haven't seen you mooning at him all through the trial.
Stop it! One of those mad women that writes love letters to serial killers.
Stop it! Bloody sick! Personally, Paul, I wish you'd thought longer and harder about the implications of what you've just done.
You've told us about crime scene contamination, what about jury room contamination? Exactly.
So, what do we do now? I think we should have another vote.
What Paul told us might not have changed as many people's minds as we think.
All right, but this time I suggest a secret ballot, and that way we're less likely to build up sides, or these warring factions.
I agree.
Just one word.
'Guilty' or 'Not'.
What about abstentions? Er, if you must, Theresa, but it really would be helpful if at this stage, if there weren't any.
We almost have a verdict.
9-3.
In favour of? Guilty.
Well, it's obvious she's one 'not guilty' vote.
But who are the others, eh? Who could have possibly voted 'not guilty' after all that? Me.
And me.
But I'm nearly there.
I just need a bit more time.
Could you give me the lunch break? Yeah, yeah, of course.
Take as much time as you like.
Thanks.
Well, I, er, I guess we'll break there.
(GENERAL CHATTER) You are not going to believe what happened this morning and I am sorry for losing my rag earlier.
I've ordered for you.
The fish.
You're forgiven.
Do I still have my job? Do you still want it? I do.
Then you do.
It all got really heated.
We were told the reason why this is a retrial.
Why the first verdict was thrown out and it's pretty explosive.
But, quickly, before I tell you, which of the two bids bought the company? Neither.
What? Neither.
Nul person! Why not? What reasons did they give? Although both bids insisted they had entered negotiations fully intending to go ahead with the buyout, the experience of dealing with me on a daily basis seems to have made them re-evaluate their decisions Well, what does that mean? It means they thought I was a total lunatic.
And they're right.
Dashing out of meetings, taking phonecalls from you when I shouldn't have been, arriving late, being totally unprepared, not getting a good night's sleep and all because of this bloody trial.
I've been all over the place.
So what are you going to do? What can I do? Carry on running the business myself.
I may not be rich, or able to retire early but who wants to retire anyway, right? So I guess you want my verdict? Actually because I felt terrible after we spoke this morning, and then all these articles in the papers criticising jurors, calling them 'unreliable, and irresponsible amateurs.
' It made my blood boil.
But I believe I've now worked out what I think.
Not guilty.
I think he's innocent.
And if you want to know why the fact that he didn't have a previous history of violence.
He's 48.
No man commits his first crime at that age and then suddenly commits three.
He's innocent.
And you're now about to tell me all that was in vain.
Yes.
Slightly.
'A man called Alan Lane murdered three professional women he met on internet dating sites.
It was all over the media back home.
' 'Home in those days being England? ' Right, I moved to Vancouver two years ago.
Anyway, the real trauma happened afterwards.
Irregularities were uncovered and our verdict was thrown out.
Just like that.
But you were the foreman of this jury, right? Right.
Can I have a word? Of course, Rashid.
Sit down.
So she's back from Canada, then? Who? Aileen Turner? Who's Aileen Turner? I was hoping you wouldn't say that.
Look '.
.
he met on internet dating sites.
It was all over the media back home.
' 'Home in those days being England? ' 'Right, I moved to Vancouver two years ago.
Anyway, the real trauma happened afterwards.
Irregularities were uncovered and our verdict was thrown out.
Just like that.
' But you were the foreman of this jury, right? Right.
'It was devastating.
Just devastating.
' (GENERAL CHATTER) Um Er, there's something I need to say to everyone.
Excuse me! I I have just had a conversation with Rashid and it seems Sorry, Rashid? The 'jury foreman' from the first trial who's been giving Paul all this information appears to be nothing of the kind.
The real foreman from the first jury, Aileen Turner, lives in Vancouver.
And she made a reference to this case on a clip on You Tube.
It seems I've been the victim of a deception.
You made us all victims of the deception.
And so for all of the precious time that I have wasted and for any influence this may or may not have had on your decisions, I apologise, I will, of course, step down as foreman with immediate effect.
I don't understand.
Who was this person that spoke to you? I don't know, I don't know.
But I have every intention of finding out.
So this was all made up? What about the fibres? It doesn't matter.
I don't think we have a choice.
I think we should tell the judge.
No.
We can do this! We still we still have to reach a verdict! And I would suggest select a new foreman.
So how do we go about that? All those in favour of Katherine, raise their hands now.
Well, I suppose that's encouraging.
Proof that we can reach a unanimous verdict.
(SIGHS) All right.
Shall shall we get a quick cup of tea just to let things settle and then make a start? Good idea.
I'll brew up.
Not so sick, after all? Well, let's get to work.
And this time use only what we've learnt in court.
And then he went red and was embarrassed and said, 'You know, ' and she said, 'No, Alan, please explain.
' Which is why her fingerprints are on the glass.
(JURORS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER) Just because he's been mugged off, I'm not spending the next nine years Which is why I think he never took it up to the bedroom (JURORS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER) Isn't the point isn't the point we reach the right verdict? No matter how.
I think we should have another vote.
(CHIMING BELLS) (DOOR OPENING) They've reached a verdict.
Good luck.
Thank you.
OK.
Fingers crossed.
Would the defendent please stand? Would the foreman please stand? Have you reached a unanimous verdict on all three counts of murder? Yes.
On the count of the murder of Holly Jackson, do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty? Not guilty.
(GASPS) On the count of the murder of Anna Knight? Not guilty.
(UPROAR FROM PUBLIC GALLERY) On the count of the murder of Rebecca Cheung? Not guilty.
(UPROAR FROM THE PUBLIC GALLERY) My Lord, I ask for the defendant to be discharged.
Yes.
The defendant is discharged.
(SOBBING) Thank you so much.
(SOBBING) Thank you.
Thank you.
OK, ladies and gentlemen, you are free to go.
Here are your mobile phones and electronic devices.
Now, I would remind you that it is a criminal offence for jurors to talk to the media about their experiences.
It is also an offence to disclose the names or addresses of any of your fellow jurors.
Right, well, with that said, let me just say thank you and good night.
Cheers, mate.
Thank you.
Goodnight.
Goodbye.
So, what do we do now? Swap addresses so we can send each other Christmas cards? Not until you've told us why you've gone that strange colour.
Oh, this? The tan? You're going to think I'm mad.
OK, in real life, I'm a fireman.
And there's no way my station would allow me Jury Service.
But the thing is, I've always really wanted to do it.
So the only way I could was to do it during a holiday.
So, all of this is me having been in Sardinia.
So, wait a minute, you did jury service during your holiday? Yeah.
Wow.
I think that's wonderful.
It's bloody mad.
(LAUGHING) Tasha! Tasha, wait Why? Don't judge me, please? Not until you lose someone you love the way I loved my sister.
Beautiful young woman taken so cruelly, so violently.
Rebecca.
The third victim.
Of course, of course.
Her maiden name was Williams.
Like Holly, and Anna.
All three, taken in the prime of their lives.
And if that wasn't devastating enough, we, the families, had to read the lies they wrote about them in the papers.
The slander, as if they were the guilty ones.
And then And then what? When you found the perfect suspect, the perfect suspect who just happened to be the wrong suspect.
The first jury didn't think so.
It was you, wasn't it? It was you that planted the fibres in that car.
Not me.
Or one of you.
Holly's brother.
Oh, my God.
A policeman.
It made it so much easier for all the families who had suffered so much to have someone to blame.
But it wasn't him.
You took five years of an innocent man's life.
And why me? I wish it hadn't been.
Particularly the more I got to know you.
But middle class, male, professional.
Statistically you were always going to be the foreman and we thought if we could influence you What? I would do the rest? Take the rest of the jury with me? Well, you did a good job.
It nearly worked.
I'm so sorry.
It wasn't personal, Paul.
Believe me.
And I'd so hoped it was.
(MOBILE RINGING) Hello? 'Mr Brierley?' Speaking.
'It's Doctor Curtis from the hospital about your mother.
Page me immediately when you get here and I'll be down to see you.
' I'll be there right away, thank you.
Well, congratulations.
And to you.
Have you got family picking you up? No.
But you've got somewhere to go? Oh, I'll be all right.
I'll find somewhere.
Thank you.
Thank you, thank you, so much.
Thanks for everything.
It's a pleasure.
Thank you.
Well done, dear.
Thanks, John.
You didn't make it easy.
Kind of you to say.
But you were always going to prevail.
In the end we didn't have a thing on him.
Briefly thought I might have you on the CCTV.
Oh, bollocks! My man was on the bus.
Yes, he probably was.
All the secrets behind all this died along with our friend, Mr Dent.
You may even be right about that.
Now I'm going to go, before your smugness overwhelms me and before I get too tempted by that smell.
Eight years off the stuff myself.
Oh, it's bloody lovely.
Ah, but once you discover the joys of inappropriately tight lycra, you never look back.
Oh, yuck.
Until the next time, dear.
(CHUCKLING) So packed and on your way to America? Yes.
Good luck, Tahir.
It's been a privilege knowing you.
You, too.
Now, the chap waiting outside is a little gift from us.
We wouldn't want you missing that plane.
(CLAPPING) Best of luck.
Hello, Sir.
Hello, Jackson.
Thank you.
I, Tahir Takana I, Tahir Takana do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen and affirm that on becoming a British citizen I will be faithful and bear true allegiance I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II her heirs and successors according to law.
Her heirs and successors according to law.
Congratulations, you're now a British citizen.
(APPLAUSE) Thank you.
Thank you.
Congratulations! Look at you! Welcome to the club, Tahir.
I heard about your mother.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
Who's this? She's beautiful.
He.
Oh, sorry.
I hope you're still not being hard on yourself about what happened.
It was a mistake any of us could have made.
Well, I'm not so sure.
I seem to have a special knack for being drawn to the wrong person.
You and everyone else.
I'd better get going.
Yeah, me too.
BOTH: Keep in touch.
Bye.
Bye.
'.
.
And so we go back, inevitably, to the main story of the day, the government's heavy defeat in the House of Lords last night when its flagship policy of abolishing trial by jury.
A humiliation for the Justice Minister, Eleanor Duncan, who'd staked her career on a radical overhaul of the system.
One of her critics said today that she should heed the words of the jurist, William Blackstone, "Representative government and trial by jury are the heart and lungs of a civilised society.
" So where does the government turn after this catastrophic '
They said yes! He did do it, didn't he? Is that what you think? Isn't that what you think? Dear, Ann, how nice to receive your letter, and how brave of you to send it.
I was a jury member in the first trial.
And if I don't want to go through with it? That's a decision you're going to have to make quickly.
How quickly? The first victim Holly Jackson.
There was a brown throw.
Police found traces of it in Lane's car.
It was the key piece of evidence in the first trial.
'Irregularities were uncovered.
Our verdict was thrown out, just like that.
' What do I do, Mum? What do I do? Do I tell them? It's a total disrespect to me, and a total disrespect to the family of the victims.
The 'Aye's' to the right.
'No's' to the left.
246.
The 'Aye's' have it! 'Shockwaves are running through the legal system this morning and far beyond, following the results of a vote in the Commons last night in favour of abolishing Trial by Jury.
There was no doubt that it was a momentous vote, people spoke of the decision that reversed hundreds of years of history.
Those who supported the change were accused of an assault of ancient liberties.
The question now is whether the House of Lords ' With me, in the studio now, to discuss this huge decision ' 50 quid says you're back here tonight.
(RADIO PLAYS) Selon! Come.
I want to show you something! It's his first time.
I can't remember where we're meeting this morning.
'We're not.
I sent you a text last night'.
What? We can't just not meet.
I've got to vote today.
Yeah, well, I got a call last night from the lawyers, and it seems they have a result.
They've asked to see me this morning.
What for? To present me with an offer for my business.
Wow! Well, can you postpone it? Tell them you'll see them at lunchtime? Are you mad? Theresa, we're not done yet.
Yes, you do.
If it comes to it in the jury room and I have to explain myself I need to know why? Convince me.
Oh, because he just did! The previous jury thought so.
He was the last person to have seen each of the victims alive.
And his eyes are too close together.
And while that may not seem very sophisticated, and I realise I should be preoccupied with all matters Alan Lane, this morning it just so happens the only thing I can think about is whether I prefer the photo in the FT announcing the deal, to be of me wearing Miu Miu or Marni with my Diane von Furstenberg dress.
Right.
And you stand to profit from this, too, by the way.
Big time.
And how will I profit from it, if I'm no longer part of the company? And why would you no longer be part of the company? Because I resign.
And why would you do that? Because I no longer get any satisfaction working for an irresponsible, self-centred, materialistic, short-sighted jerk.
Wow.
It's not my birthday.
It's not Christmas.
No.
I believe those are the only other occasions when you lay on a spread like this.
Plus all that business last night.
Even an unsuspicious man may begin to become suspicious.
Are you going to tell me? Just before our wedding, my mother gave me three tips on how to keep a successful marriage.
Number one, never iron his shirts, ever.
Two, if any of your friends' marriage breaks up, cut them out, immediately.
It's infectious.
Number three, cherish your own secrets, and respect your partner's right to have some, too.
Always.
If you really want to know what happened while you were gone, I will tell you anytime.
But I promise, you have nothing to worry about.
I love you, you know.
I love you.
(SHOUTING) How long? 20 weeks.
You have put me in a terrible position.
Knowing what I now know, I should report you to the authorities.
Which is why I've offered my resignation.
Oh, Katherine.
To move, to relocate.
To save you and the school any embarrassment.
But that's madness.
In a new location where nobody knows you? It just doesn't make sense.
Well, what else would you suggest? Forgive me, but isn't the cut off, isn't it still legal up until 22 weeks? It's kicking.
I know, but try not to get too emotional about this.
This is your career, your whole professional life.
And until recently, I would probably have agreed with you.
But having seen and having heard what I have during this trial, the pain, the loss, the regret, above all the waste.
You realise that life, giving life, not taking it, creating life, not snuffing it out, but celebrating life it's the greatest thing you can do.
Have you told him? No.
You don't think he has a right to know? I think he has a right not to.
For now.
Fine, I will find a suitable explanation for your disappearance.
Thank you.
Good luck.
OK, step forwards, please.
Arms out.
Down the steps.
You all right? Nothing more for us to do.
All we can do is wait.
Any idea how long? Oh, could be an hour.
Could be a day.
Could be several days.
Brought cards.
OK, so yesterday we took a vote where four jurors.
Brian, Derek, David and myself, voted guilty.
And five.
Ann, Jeffrey, Kristina, Ellen and Tahir voted not guilty.
And three, Katherine, Rashid and Sorry, Theresa.
Theresa, abstained.
Now, seeing that it says here that we need to reach total unanimity, or at least a majority of ten to two, I suggest that since most currently find the defendant not guilty.
And are clearly mad.
That they explain to the rest of us why they voted that way, and try to persuade us of their case.
And I propose we do this the other way round.
Sorry? We're the majority.
We don't need to sell ourselves to anyone.
You persuade us of the validity of your case.
All right, we've got a man with a history of mental illness.
That's not strictly true, by the way.
Alan suffered from a reactive depression, which is it's different from clinical.
It's not a mental illness.
All right, all right.
And a history of violence against women who also happened to be the only credible common denominator between all three victims.
Also not true.
The defence established no fewer than Six.
Six men who had all corresponded at length with the three victims.
I said credible! Personally speaking, I found the Bent fellow perfectly Dent.
All right, Dent, perfectly credible.
What? The rent-a-nutter? Who conveniently happened to kill himself? I, er, I come at this from a slightly different perspective.
I work as My job is, well, was, as a teacher.
And I always encourage my pupils, well the bright ones anyway, to ask questions, take nothing at face value.
Try to see what lies behind a story.
Here we have a high-profile case, one that would never have come to retrial unless there were serious doubts about the original conviction.
Why? No, a retrial like this reflects badly upon the legal system, the police, the media.
It's in no-one's interests to do it.
So based on that you can be pretty sure that if we are in a retrial situation, at huge expense and inconvenience.
Well, there has to be something about the original trial, or the original conviction that's wrong, something that we don't know.
And since the original conviction was that he was guilty, and that that has been overturned, well, it follows that there is a high likelihood that he is not guilty.
That's still not enough reason to let him off.
It's not enough reason to lock him up either.
Well, speak for yourself, love.
I'd be fine with that.
But based on what actual evidence? You know, people like you are just so prejudiced.
People like me? Yes.
People like you! Yes! He means like the glass upstairs.
With his fingerprints.
You mean, the one she took upstairs after he'd gone? No, the one he took upstairs before he killed her.
But you wouldn't take water up to the bedroom with you, would you? If you're going to have sex.
Well, you'd take wine.
But he doesn't drink wine, does he? No, it interferes with his looney tunes meds.
Very good.
You would take water if you were going to sleep.
Which is why I think he never took it up to the bedroom.
She did.
Which is why her fingerprints are on the glass.
(SHOUTING) Can everybody try to make one point at a time! Listen to each other! If he was outside while the murder took place, he's parked right across the street with a clear view, how comes he didn't see anything else? Not a bloody thing? Because there's a bus stop in the way! What? And a big red bus just happened to come along at exactly the same moment the killer arrived and went into the house with the victim? Lane was inside! Finishing her off! I don't think he was.
When Lane was on the stand, talking about the internet he said, 'It's just one big free for all.
No-one's serious.
Everyone's just looking for ' And then his barrister asks 'What?' And then he went red, and was embarrassed and said, 'You know.
' What is your point? The point is that if Alan Lane is a killer who cold-bloodedly trawled the internet sites for sexual partners whom he then strangled and killed Yeah, sounds about right.
What is he doing blushing at the first mention of sex? I remember that.
He did! Blushed like a schoolgirl.
The sort of reaction you'd get from someone who was doing all of this because he was genuinely Looking for love.
Oh, rubbish, I still think there's enough to put him away.
Based on what? Based on the fact there are so many things pointing to his possible involvement in the murders, it makes his non-involvement almost impossible.
It's obviously him in that minicab going back for a third victim.
What about you, George Hamilton? By the way, is it just me, or have you gone a completely different colour since this trial started? I do have an explanation for that, but now's probably not the right time.
No, no.
Now is not the time.
There is something that I feel I should share with you all.
It's prompted by what Katherine said, about there having to be good reason for the case to be retried.
The other day, I met somebody connected with the previous trial.
A juror.
My predecessor, in fact.
The foreman of the first jury.
And she she told me, that central to the Crown's case in that trial was a piece of evidence.
A microscopic piece of fibre from a brown Marks and Spencer's throw in Holly Jackson's bedroom, which was found in Alan Lane's car.
Well, as you can imagine it was pretty devastating.
It proved he'd been in the bedroom after all.
Yes, yes.
And it made the subsequent unanimous verdict of guilty a formality.
But, about a year after Alan Lane went to prison, his Defence Team, headed by Emma Watts started digging away and they found something.
A technicality which meant that they could bring it to the Court of Appeal, where, as you know, the case against him pretty much collapsed.
Maybe that's what they were referring to? When there was that weird moment in court, remember? When the defence said the Detective had nothing on Alan Lane or something like that.
I don't remember that.
I've got it here.
'The truth is you no longer have anything.
No fingerprints, nor DNA, not a single shred of forensic evidence, which places Alan Lane in the bedroom upstairs'.
Despite the best efforts of your colleagues in the past.
Yes, yes.
When the policeman gave her a look and said 'Up yours, sister'.
So what was it? Well, er, the defence established that by total coincidence the same Scene of Crime Officer that examined Alan Lane's car had earlier that day investigated a domestic burglary where, in a million to one chance, the owners of that house had exactly the same throw on their sofa.
Now, in the Court of Appeal, the forensics' officer swore under oath that he never set foot in the house but since he was unable to demonstrate that his crime scene bag hadn't accidentally picked up some fibres from the throw, and then, unwittingly transferred them to Alan Lane's car when he put his bag there Yeah, some bloody chance! The key piece of evidence was ruled inadmissible.
And a retrial became inevitable.
Wow.
Well, this puts everything in a completely different light.
I don't know what to think.
It's a bloody farce! So, when did this person tell you this? Yesterday.
I wish you hadn't told us, Paul.
And she was the foreman of the previous jury? Yes, yes.
And she's been following this trial with growing frustration.
I'm not surprised.
After that piece of evidence it was clearcut.
What are we supposed to do now? Vote guilty, of course.
We can't! What are you talking about? We cannot vote guilty.
We did not get that piece of evidence in court.
But we have by our foreman just now! But it's hear say.
From a third party.
Oh, great, so I've got to sit here for another nine hours while it's plainly obvious! Ann's right.
Ann is right.
The judge made it clear.
We can't vote based on evidence that wasn't presented to us in court.
I think we all know why she's saying that.
She's got the hots for him, hasn't she? How dare you! Don't think I haven't seen you How dare you! Don't think I haven't seen you mooning at him all through the trial.
Stop it! One of those mad women that writes love letters to serial killers.
Stop it! Bloody sick! Personally, Paul, I wish you'd thought longer and harder about the implications of what you've just done.
You've told us about crime scene contamination, what about jury room contamination? Exactly.
So, what do we do now? I think we should have another vote.
What Paul told us might not have changed as many people's minds as we think.
All right, but this time I suggest a secret ballot, and that way we're less likely to build up sides, or these warring factions.
I agree.
Just one word.
'Guilty' or 'Not'.
What about abstentions? Er, if you must, Theresa, but it really would be helpful if at this stage, if there weren't any.
We almost have a verdict.
9-3.
In favour of? Guilty.
Well, it's obvious she's one 'not guilty' vote.
But who are the others, eh? Who could have possibly voted 'not guilty' after all that? Me.
And me.
But I'm nearly there.
I just need a bit more time.
Could you give me the lunch break? Yeah, yeah, of course.
Take as much time as you like.
Thanks.
Well, I, er, I guess we'll break there.
(GENERAL CHATTER) You are not going to believe what happened this morning and I am sorry for losing my rag earlier.
I've ordered for you.
The fish.
You're forgiven.
Do I still have my job? Do you still want it? I do.
Then you do.
It all got really heated.
We were told the reason why this is a retrial.
Why the first verdict was thrown out and it's pretty explosive.
But, quickly, before I tell you, which of the two bids bought the company? Neither.
What? Neither.
Nul person! Why not? What reasons did they give? Although both bids insisted they had entered negotiations fully intending to go ahead with the buyout, the experience of dealing with me on a daily basis seems to have made them re-evaluate their decisions Well, what does that mean? It means they thought I was a total lunatic.
And they're right.
Dashing out of meetings, taking phonecalls from you when I shouldn't have been, arriving late, being totally unprepared, not getting a good night's sleep and all because of this bloody trial.
I've been all over the place.
So what are you going to do? What can I do? Carry on running the business myself.
I may not be rich, or able to retire early but who wants to retire anyway, right? So I guess you want my verdict? Actually because I felt terrible after we spoke this morning, and then all these articles in the papers criticising jurors, calling them 'unreliable, and irresponsible amateurs.
' It made my blood boil.
But I believe I've now worked out what I think.
Not guilty.
I think he's innocent.
And if you want to know why the fact that he didn't have a previous history of violence.
He's 48.
No man commits his first crime at that age and then suddenly commits three.
He's innocent.
And you're now about to tell me all that was in vain.
Yes.
Slightly.
'A man called Alan Lane murdered three professional women he met on internet dating sites.
It was all over the media back home.
' 'Home in those days being England? ' Right, I moved to Vancouver two years ago.
Anyway, the real trauma happened afterwards.
Irregularities were uncovered and our verdict was thrown out.
Just like that.
But you were the foreman of this jury, right? Right.
Can I have a word? Of course, Rashid.
Sit down.
So she's back from Canada, then? Who? Aileen Turner? Who's Aileen Turner? I was hoping you wouldn't say that.
Look '.
.
he met on internet dating sites.
It was all over the media back home.
' 'Home in those days being England? ' 'Right, I moved to Vancouver two years ago.
Anyway, the real trauma happened afterwards.
Irregularities were uncovered and our verdict was thrown out.
Just like that.
' But you were the foreman of this jury, right? Right.
'It was devastating.
Just devastating.
' (GENERAL CHATTER) Um Er, there's something I need to say to everyone.
Excuse me! I I have just had a conversation with Rashid and it seems Sorry, Rashid? The 'jury foreman' from the first trial who's been giving Paul all this information appears to be nothing of the kind.
The real foreman from the first jury, Aileen Turner, lives in Vancouver.
And she made a reference to this case on a clip on You Tube.
It seems I've been the victim of a deception.
You made us all victims of the deception.
And so for all of the precious time that I have wasted and for any influence this may or may not have had on your decisions, I apologise, I will, of course, step down as foreman with immediate effect.
I don't understand.
Who was this person that spoke to you? I don't know, I don't know.
But I have every intention of finding out.
So this was all made up? What about the fibres? It doesn't matter.
I don't think we have a choice.
I think we should tell the judge.
No.
We can do this! We still we still have to reach a verdict! And I would suggest select a new foreman.
So how do we go about that? All those in favour of Katherine, raise their hands now.
Well, I suppose that's encouraging.
Proof that we can reach a unanimous verdict.
(SIGHS) All right.
Shall shall we get a quick cup of tea just to let things settle and then make a start? Good idea.
I'll brew up.
Not so sick, after all? Well, let's get to work.
And this time use only what we've learnt in court.
And then he went red and was embarrassed and said, 'You know, ' and she said, 'No, Alan, please explain.
' Which is why her fingerprints are on the glass.
(JURORS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER) Just because he's been mugged off, I'm not spending the next nine years Which is why I think he never took it up to the bedroom (JURORS TALKING OVER EACH OTHER) Isn't the point isn't the point we reach the right verdict? No matter how.
I think we should have another vote.
(CHIMING BELLS) (DOOR OPENING) They've reached a verdict.
Good luck.
Thank you.
OK.
Fingers crossed.
Would the defendent please stand? Would the foreman please stand? Have you reached a unanimous verdict on all three counts of murder? Yes.
On the count of the murder of Holly Jackson, do you find the defendant guilty or not guilty? Not guilty.
(GASPS) On the count of the murder of Anna Knight? Not guilty.
(UPROAR FROM PUBLIC GALLERY) On the count of the murder of Rebecca Cheung? Not guilty.
(UPROAR FROM THE PUBLIC GALLERY) My Lord, I ask for the defendant to be discharged.
Yes.
The defendant is discharged.
(SOBBING) Thank you so much.
(SOBBING) Thank you.
Thank you.
OK, ladies and gentlemen, you are free to go.
Here are your mobile phones and electronic devices.
Now, I would remind you that it is a criminal offence for jurors to talk to the media about their experiences.
It is also an offence to disclose the names or addresses of any of your fellow jurors.
Right, well, with that said, let me just say thank you and good night.
Cheers, mate.
Thank you.
Goodnight.
Goodbye.
So, what do we do now? Swap addresses so we can send each other Christmas cards? Not until you've told us why you've gone that strange colour.
Oh, this? The tan? You're going to think I'm mad.
OK, in real life, I'm a fireman.
And there's no way my station would allow me Jury Service.
But the thing is, I've always really wanted to do it.
So the only way I could was to do it during a holiday.
So, all of this is me having been in Sardinia.
So, wait a minute, you did jury service during your holiday? Yeah.
Wow.
I think that's wonderful.
It's bloody mad.
(LAUGHING) Tasha! Tasha, wait Why? Don't judge me, please? Not until you lose someone you love the way I loved my sister.
Beautiful young woman taken so cruelly, so violently.
Rebecca.
The third victim.
Of course, of course.
Her maiden name was Williams.
Like Holly, and Anna.
All three, taken in the prime of their lives.
And if that wasn't devastating enough, we, the families, had to read the lies they wrote about them in the papers.
The slander, as if they were the guilty ones.
And then And then what? When you found the perfect suspect, the perfect suspect who just happened to be the wrong suspect.
The first jury didn't think so.
It was you, wasn't it? It was you that planted the fibres in that car.
Not me.
Or one of you.
Holly's brother.
Oh, my God.
A policeman.
It made it so much easier for all the families who had suffered so much to have someone to blame.
But it wasn't him.
You took five years of an innocent man's life.
And why me? I wish it hadn't been.
Particularly the more I got to know you.
But middle class, male, professional.
Statistically you were always going to be the foreman and we thought if we could influence you What? I would do the rest? Take the rest of the jury with me? Well, you did a good job.
It nearly worked.
I'm so sorry.
It wasn't personal, Paul.
Believe me.
And I'd so hoped it was.
(MOBILE RINGING) Hello? 'Mr Brierley?' Speaking.
'It's Doctor Curtis from the hospital about your mother.
Page me immediately when you get here and I'll be down to see you.
' I'll be there right away, thank you.
Well, congratulations.
And to you.
Have you got family picking you up? No.
But you've got somewhere to go? Oh, I'll be all right.
I'll find somewhere.
Thank you.
Thank you, thank you, so much.
Thanks for everything.
It's a pleasure.
Thank you.
Well done, dear.
Thanks, John.
You didn't make it easy.
Kind of you to say.
But you were always going to prevail.
In the end we didn't have a thing on him.
Briefly thought I might have you on the CCTV.
Oh, bollocks! My man was on the bus.
Yes, he probably was.
All the secrets behind all this died along with our friend, Mr Dent.
You may even be right about that.
Now I'm going to go, before your smugness overwhelms me and before I get too tempted by that smell.
Eight years off the stuff myself.
Oh, it's bloody lovely.
Ah, but once you discover the joys of inappropriately tight lycra, you never look back.
Oh, yuck.
Until the next time, dear.
(CHUCKLING) So packed and on your way to America? Yes.
Good luck, Tahir.
It's been a privilege knowing you.
You, too.
Now, the chap waiting outside is a little gift from us.
We wouldn't want you missing that plane.
(CLAPPING) Best of luck.
Hello, Sir.
Hello, Jackson.
Thank you.
I, Tahir Takana I, Tahir Takana do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen and affirm that on becoming a British citizen I will be faithful and bear true allegiance I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II her heirs and successors according to law.
Her heirs and successors according to law.
Congratulations, you're now a British citizen.
(APPLAUSE) Thank you.
Thank you.
Congratulations! Look at you! Welcome to the club, Tahir.
I heard about your mother.
I'm sorry.
Thank you.
Who's this? She's beautiful.
He.
Oh, sorry.
I hope you're still not being hard on yourself about what happened.
It was a mistake any of us could have made.
Well, I'm not so sure.
I seem to have a special knack for being drawn to the wrong person.
You and everyone else.
I'd better get going.
Yeah, me too.
BOTH: Keep in touch.
Bye.
Bye.
'.
.
And so we go back, inevitably, to the main story of the day, the government's heavy defeat in the House of Lords last night when its flagship policy of abolishing trial by jury.
A humiliation for the Justice Minister, Eleanor Duncan, who'd staked her career on a radical overhaul of the system.
One of her critics said today that she should heed the words of the jurist, William Blackstone, "Representative government and trial by jury are the heart and lungs of a civilised society.
" So where does the government turn after this catastrophic '