A gruesome death. A controversial court case. Twelve ordinary Australians from all walks of life sitting on the jury and weighing up the evidence in an emotionally fraught trial.
This is the premise for new SBS series The Jury: Death on a Staircase, a gripping true-crime docuseries that recreates a real-life manslaughter trial, word for word, to see if 12 new jurors will come to the same conclusion as the original panel when it comes to the fate of the accused killer.
“This was such a unique way to explore true crime,” executive producer Karina Holden — who has worked on previous docuseries hits including Love on the Spectrum and Employable Me — tells The Weekly about the gripping new show she calls “lightning in a bottle”.
“With jury duty, one day a letter will come into your mailbox and you’re going to be faced with this situation. It’s a real thing. So there are a lot of our audience who will have been through this experience. And a lot of us in the future might be given the opportunity to be on jury duty. To me that made (the show) even more compelling, because it was so real.”
What is the premise for The Jury: Death on a Staircase on SBS?
The Jury: Death on a Staircase is inspired by a UK format that aired earlier this year on Channel 4. In The Jury: Murder Trial, two different juries were trying to decide the same trial. Our Aussie version simplified things.
“To try to follow 24 different characters across an entire series was a massive challenge,” explains Karina. “For SBS, we started with a blank slate and it was really about the kind of case that would make it compelling regardless of the decision the jurors would make.”
Is The Jury on SBS based on a real case?
It absolutely is based on a true story. But while it’s not too hard to head to Google to search for the original case, we recommend holding off until you’ve seen the entire series.
“You will definitely get a bigger dopamine hit if you wait until the final episode,” Karina advises. “I’ve never experienced anything like it in my 24 years of making television. There were people on the floor, it was amazing.”
Here are the key facts at the crux of it:
A male couple, living in inner Sydney had a loud argument. At its end, the older of the two men was found dead at the bottom of the stairs. His much younger partner, originally from China, was charged over his death.
“It was 10 months of research (to find the right case),” Karina says. “There were just so many considerations. Part of it was having the relationship with the people who are involved in the case. Part of it was about the (court) transcripts themselves, and making sure that all appeals were exhausted.
“Also, with this case, does it say something about society? How are people going to react? Are they all going to have the same reaction? Or does background and experience, bias and other things come into play?
“There were lots of things to consider and to make sure that it was a case that was relatively unknown as well.”
How was the jury chosen?
In a word? Carefully.
“At (production company) Northern Pictures, we’ve made a lot of programs that draws from people from really interesting, diverse and different backgrounds,” says Karina.
“Rather than going to a casting agency and thinking about people who just want their five minutes of fame, we go into different community groups, different suburbs and even do street casting. But we take our time.
“Obviously when you are selected for jury duty it’s a completely random process. When you’re casting for a TV show, not so much. It was important for us that we reflected different ages, people who have different backgrounds, different socio-economic experiences.
“We also thought about the balance of having people who weren’t all Type A. There has to be a balance of people who are going to be quiet, who are going to sit back, to wait. Who are going to be led as well as leaders? Those were some of the things we took into consideration.”
Who are the jurors?
Anya, 54, Sex Therapist
Having moved from Siberia at the age of 23 with just $200 in her pocket, Anya — who identifies as queer and describes herself a “social justice warrior” — is outspoken and direct.
Audrey, 51, Logistics Manager
Chinese-born Audrey says she loves her job in logistics as she’s an enthusiastic problem solver with an eye for detail. Entering the show, she believes she’ll be the jury member to take in the facts and consider all evidence, leading her fellow jurors towards a logical conclusion.
Craig, 56, Builder
A former prison officer, Craig describes himself as a “cranky old bugger” who is incredibly wary of criminals. His previous 14-year career in prisons saw him witness extreme violence — he departed his role in corrections when his own family were threatened. Distrusting of the justice system and of the belief that lawyers are paid to lie, he feels prisons don’t have enough room to lock up every criminal with the system in shambles as a result.
Guy, Advertising Creative Director, 69
This Brit with a Mensa-level IQ loves to observe people’s behavioural traits and patterns to come up with his creative ideas. A calm and sympathetic presence, Guy says his working relationships with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds help him to bring differing factions together.
Harrish, Fintech Manager, 25
New Zealand-born Harrish is of Sri Lankan heritage. Living with his parents, who gave him a strict upbringing, Harrish is a keen public speaker who enjoys exchanging views with others from different backgrounds.
Kathy, (age undisclosed), Retired Project Manager
A high achiever, Kathy loved working in the corporate world where she always strived to break new ground. She considers herself to be a perceptive person who can read the room; picking up on people’s interactions. A believer in the justice system, Kathy believes people need to find a middle ground or have a very clear and compelling argument.
Michael, 35, SCG Groundsman
Sport-lover Michael’s many tattoos mask a health condition. He started getting inked as a way of dealing with pain after being diagnosed with Ankylosing spondylitis — a crippling autoimmune disease for he requires weekly injections. While he can be emotional when provoked, Michael believes that compromise is the key to a peaceful society.
Mishelle, 50, Financial Consultant
This mum of two has a big personality and uses humour to diffuse difficult situations. Mishelle believes that jury duty is an important process that shouldn’t be viewed as an inconvenience.
Monique, 30, Funeral Attendant
Being close to death due to her profession, Monique says, has given her a unique level of empathy. Infuriated by injustice, she believes it’s her duty to help those in need… Even if that comes at a personal cost. Prejudice and unfair bias can provoke her to engage in conflict. As a juror, she realises that she’ll need to work to keep her emotions in check.
Rose, 76, Retired Hospital Clerk
Having immigrated from the Philippines at 21, Rose says she’s an Aussie at heart. Having witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly of humanity in her time in the hospital ER, the grandmother of two, Rose is quick to laugh but takes her duty seriously.
Tahi, 21, Music Graduate
The youngest juror, Tahi is of Māori heritage. He’s aware of the prejudice around him, both as a gay man and as someone with an Indigenous heritage. Having grown up on a commune on the NSW north coast, today he lives with his grandmother whom he calls his best friend.
Van, 48, Children’s Entertainer
Filipino-born Van is trying to make it as a singer-songwriter, specialising in children’s music. A devout Roman Catholic, the divorced dad of two believes that appropriate punishment should be handed out for crimes committed.
Where can I watch The Jury: Death on a Staircase?
Five-part series The Jury: Death on a Staircase premieres Wednesday, November 6 at 8.30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.
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