The unmissable true crime event, The Jury: Death on the Staircase, premieres Wednesday 6 November on SBS and SBS On Demand
The unmissable landmark true crime event The Jury: Death on the Staircase will have you on the edge of your seat – is truth and justice simply a matter of perspective?
Follow a real case, re-enacted from real court transcripts, in front of a new jury of 12 everyday Australians.
Premieres Wednesday 6 November at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand
What would you do if someone’s life was in your hands? In an Australian first, SBS Original The Jury: Death on the Staircase takes inspiration from a smash-hit format from Channel 4 in the UK to provide insight and analysis on how juries work. Trial by jury has been described as one of the most ‘venerated and venerable’ aspects of our justice system[i], but is it? The gripping documentary event airs Wednesdays from 6 November 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. The jurors reflect contemporary Australian society – a diverse range of ages, cultures, and life experiences. Will they conclude the accused is an innocent man, or determine he is guilty? Will the new jury arrive at the same decision as the original trial?
We know very little about juries. They are, by law, secret and sacrosanct – until now. There are strident critics who argue jurors are all too often prejudiced, ignorant and inexperienced at their task. The Resolve Political Monitor survey, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald on 30 July 2024, revealed only 30 per cent of Australians have faith in the country’s courts[ii] and justice system in which juries play a crucial role. How will our jurors use or overcome their own biases, prejudices, and life experience to judge another person’s actions?
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 series reveals the secrets, challenges, missteps, and wisdom that transpires when ‘the people’ judge ‘the people’. It also exposes the laws and traditions of the court, encouraging the audience to reflect on all it does right, and where the scales of justice might be skewed.
After persuasive closing arguments, we follow our 12 jurors through an emotionally charged deliberation. Can the jurors work together? Will they arrive at a unanimous decision?
**SBS Commissioning Editor, Bethan Arwel-Lewis said: “**We’re so excited about this fascinating and ground-breaking series. It’s SBS’s role to create programs that drive national conversation around important issues, and the series absolutely does this, but as a gripping true crime TV event. Seeing the inner workings of a jury for the first time, what’s clear is that the deliberation room is a place of heightened emotion and jeopardy with huge stakes. It’ll provoke audiences to look at their own perspective and what they would do if faced with the ultimate decision. The series closes with a revealing episode you don’t want to miss!”
Northern Pictures, Series Director Tosca Looby said: “Creating this series has been a career highlight. It has required collaboration with a fabulous team across both drama and documentary, courts, and legal professionals and, most importantly, twelve ordinary citizens willing to put themselves to the test in a criminal trial. Despite months of precise planning, the final outcome was out of our hands and impossible to predict.”
Screen Australia, Head of Documentary Richard Huddleston said: “The insatiable appetite for true crime has created a plethora of content, so, in a crowded market you need your series to stand out from the crowd. The Jury: Death on the Staircase takes audiences into a high stakes environment with meticulous skill, craft, and the expertise of many. The result is a gripping audience offer that I hope Australians will be captivated by.”
Head of Screen NSW, Kyas Hepworth said: “Screen NSW is pleased to support this unique and compelling series, expertly created by the team at Northern Pictures. Given how difficult juries are to study, The Jury: Death on the Staircase will provide audiences with the chance to immerse themselves in the inner workings of the trial process and promises to be must-watch television when it premieres on SBS.”
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 weekly from Wednesday 6 November at 8.30pm on SBS with each episode then available to stream free on SBS On Demand.
MEET THE JURORS
Monique, 30 Funeral Attendant
Monique works in the funeral and crematorium business. Being close to death and bereavement has forged a unique level of empathy. She hates injustice and when she sees people who need help, her reflex is to do something useful, even if that comes with a personal cost. If witnessing prejudice or unfair bias, she will engage in conflict for the sake of her beliefs. Monique is aware that ‘the law is the law’ and evidence in a criminal trial must be considered objectively. She understands that as a juror, she will need to work hard to put her emotions aside.
Harrish, 25 Fintech Manager
Gentle spirit Harrish was born in New Zealand with Sri Lankan heritage. He’s a calm, well spoken, intelligent man. His strict upbringing has come with high expectations. After completing a Bachelor of Commerce, Harrish has kicked-off his career working for a ‘fintech’ start-up. He is very close with his family and still lives with his parents. Harrish has a deep affiliation with Tamil and Hindu heritage. He’s a keen public speaker and enjoys exchanging viewpoints, particularly with people from different cultural backgrounds.
Rose, 76
Retired Hospital Clerk
Rose is a grandmother with an infectious laugh. She came to Australia from the Philippines at the age of 21. A true global citizen, Rose’s father was Austrian, and she married an Irishman, but she feels more Aussie than anything else. Now retired, Rose held one of the most rewarding jobs available: A clerk in a hospital emergency department. She witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly of humanity.
Michael, 35
SCG Groundsman
Michael grew up in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire. He works as a groundsman at the SCG and, like so many Australians, he loves his sport. Michael is affable and friendly. Tears of joy make him more emotional than tears of sadness. Michael is not politically extreme, but his tattoo count is. He started getting inked as a way of dealing with pain when he was diagnosed with Ankylosing spondylitis, a crippling autoimmune disease that requires weekly injections. He has experienced judgement from afar because of his appearance and will take that experience into the courtroom with him. Argumentative if provoked, he understands the importance of compromise and believes this is the key to a peaceful society.
Anya, 54
Sex Therapist
Anya presents as an affable, open, and friendly middle-aged woman, but she is far from mainstream. She came to Australia alone from Siberia at the age of 23 with just $200 in her pocket. Adversity did not prevent her from building a life for herself and a career as a therapist specialising in sex and relationship counselling. She doesn’t believe in the institution of marriage and identifies as queer. A provocateur, Anya calls herself a ‘social justice warrior’ and claims to have a connection with, and understanding of, society’s minorities. She says her friends and family describe her accurately: extroverted, outspoken, opinionated, very progressive, and very direct!
Audrey, 51 Logistics Manager
Audrey is a Chinese woman who loves her job in logistics because she is an enthusiastic problem-solver. She says her eye for detail is her best trait. She also describes herself as observant, calm and quiet. Despite her quiet demeanour, Audrey embraces the job of people management. Audrey has had ‘complicated’ relationships. Audrey believes she will be the person in the jury room who absorbs facts, considers evidence from every angle, and clearly directs her fellow jurors toward a logical conclusion.
Tahi, 21
Music Graduate
Tahi’s heritage is Māori. He describes himself as ‘white passing’ so doesn’t directly experience the racism he believes exists in Australian society, but is very aware of prejudice around him, as both a gay man and someone with Indigenous heritage. Tahi grew up in a commune, living in the rainforest on the NSW North Coast and says his parents had a ‘complicated’ relationship. He now lives on the lower North Shore with his grandmother, who he describes as his best friend.
Kathy (age undisclosed) Retired Project Manager
Kathy is the daughter of Russian and Ukrainian parents and grew up as an only child in a very strict household. She was Head Prefect at school and rolled into a corporate career as a project manager in financial and consulting sectors. Kathy loved work and the feeling of always striving to break new ground. Kathy considers herself a perceptive person who will read the room, the people in it and their interactions. She believes people need to find middle ground when debating a point and if that can’t be achieved, they need to be able to be very clear and persuasive with their argument. Kathy has faith in the justice system and feels it should probably be harsher in its approach to crime.
Van, 48
Children’s Entertainer
Van is the divorced dad of two little girls and is trying to make a career as a singer- songwriter, specialising in children’s music. He was born in the Philippines but grew up in Western Sydney. Van is a devout Roman Catholic who attends church every Sunday.
Van believes that if a crime is committed, there should be an appropriate punishment.
Craig, 56
Former Prison Officer
Craig, or ‘Roachy’ as he is better known, is a self-described ‘cranky old bugger.’ He and his wife have 10 kids together, including a high-needs 12-year-old daughter with spina bifida. At 21 years of age, Craig started a career as a corrections officer, but gave it up after 14 years. Working in prisons, he witnessed extreme violence. He reckons he got through it because he was mentally tough, and because he didn’t empathise with inmates. He decided to get out when his family were threatened. His second career is a builder - and he loves it. To this day, Craig is wary of criminals, and he certainly doesn’t trust the justice system. He thinks lawyers will do whatever it takes, even lie, to win a case. He believes there are not enough prisons to lock everyone away, and as a result the system is a shambles. Craig says he was brought up in an age where men didn’t cry or show their feelings. He says he has changed since those days, and part of this change has included his conversion to Islam.
Guy, 69
Advertising Creative Director
British-born Guy is an advertising executive. True to his profession, he loves observing people and their behavioural traits and patterns to formulate his creative ideas. He has also recorded a Mensa-level IQ. Guy has lived and worked all over the world. Intimate working relationships with people from other backgrounds and cultures has led him to understand and sympathise with the prejudice and racism too many people endure in our society.
Mishelle, 50
Financial Consultant
Mishelle or ‘Mish’ is a spirited and vibrant ‘Westie’ at heart. She is the mother of two adult sons and is quick to smile and laugh. She grew up in the school of hard knocks in Fairfield and it’s left a strong impression on her. Mish is a big believer in humour to diffuse uncomfortable situations. She believes serving as a juror is an important civil duty and doesn’t understand why so many people see it as an inconvenience.
