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Exploring 'Twelve Angry Men': History, Law, and Justice

Delve into the historical context, playwright Reginald Rose's background, the criminal law evolution, role of evidence, and the jury system in the acclaimed play 'Twelve Angry Men.' Discover the impact of prejudice on justice and the weight of individual responsibility in this riveting exploration.

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Exploring 'Twelve Angry Men': History, Law, and Justice

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  1. Introduction to Twelve Angry Men

  2. Agenda: • Historical Context: live television drama in the 1950s • Playwright/Screenwriter: Reginald Rose • History on Twelve Angry Men • How is the Law involved? • History of Criminal Law • Selection of a Jury • Function of a Jury • Law of Evidence • Setting the Stage: Responsibility

  3. Historical Context1: Live Television Drama in the 1950s • The decade of the1950s is known for its live dramas that were broadcast on television • known as the “golden area of television” • During this period, television replaced radio and film as the primary entertainment for society • Live drama died out in the 1960s because new technology enabled productions to be filmed 1Prestwick House: http://www.enotes.com/twelve-angry-men-prestwick-tu/

  4. Author: Reginald Rose1 • Born on December 10, 1920 in New York City • During WWII he served in the US army, ending his career as a first lieutenant • After the war he worked as a clerk, publically writing for Warner Brothers Pictures, writing short stories and novels • He became a regular writer for CBS’s Studio One, a weekly show that produced live drama • In that same year he wrote Twelve Angry Men, his most popular work to date, that was broadcast on September 20, 1954 1Prestwick House: http://www.enotes.com/twelve-angry-men-prestwick-tu/

  5. History on Twelve Angry Men • The play was inspired by Rose’s experience of jury service • The 12 “Angry Men” are the individuals that make up a trial jury for the purposes of hearing a legal case and interpreting the facts, and finally returning with a verdict of either guilty or not guilty for the accused

  6. History of Criminal Law • Early Juries • Trial by jury brought to England 1066 with the Normans • Medieval Europe, trials usually decided by ordeals, believing that God intervened, “revealing the wrongdoer and upholding the righteous”1 • In 1215, the Catholic Church decided that truth by ordeal was merely superstitious, and they needed a more credible system 1http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/twelve-angry-men.pdf

  7. Early Juries1 cont’d • The first jury was made up of local people who were expected to know the defendant • Jurors were to “say the truth” (nowadays it is called “deliberating toward a verdict”) • By the 14th Century, the role of the jury finally became that of judgment by evidence • By the 15th Century, trial by jury became the dominant mode of resolving legal issues, and it was not until centuries later that the jury assumed a more modern role of deciding on facts on that which is heard in a court of law 1http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/twelve-angry-men.pdf

  8. Law of Evidence1 • Burden of Proof • Burden of producing evidence beyond all reasonable doubt (persuading the jury to believe) rests with the prosecution to prove guilt • Relevance • Evidence is relevant when it has a tendency to prove or disprove disputed facts • i.e. eyewitness testimony is relevant because it can prove an event happened 1http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/twelve-angry-men.pdf

  9. Law of Evidence1cont’d • Hearsay • Statements made outside of court by someone who is not present to testify under oath at trial • One reason for excluding this evidence is because cross-examination can’t occur, which is the opportunity for one side to ask questions to that witness in hopes of refuting his/her information/credibility 1http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/twelve-angry-men.pdf

  10. Law of Evidence1cont’d • Witnesses • Nearly all persons with knowledge relevant to the case can testify • Expert witnesses can also be called on, which are experts in their field of work and can interpret findings, examine situations, forensics, etc. • i.e. psychologist, medical doctor, coroner 1http://moscow.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/twelve-angry-men.pdf

  11. About the Play • The play deals with the sensitive issues of prejudice and racism, relying heavily on the portrayal of stereotypes • You must be alerted to the fact that the views of the jurors, as improper as they are (mid 20th Century), did influence the jury system/decisions for many years • This controversy emphasizes the play’s important theme of justice prevailing, even if one person stands up for what is right

  12. Setting the Stage The Charge to the Jury: Responsibility

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