Crown Court Regina V Bolton 1972

Goodness, remember this great TV series from the 70's ? I do, because it was on nearly every time I went home from school for my dinner (we couldn't afford free school dinners !!!).

The interesting thing about this court room drama was, that, whilst the cases were fictional, the Jurors were real - if you know what I mean. However, one thing that I did not realise until now, was that two endings were rehearsed!

 A court case in the crown court of the fictional town of Fulchester would typically be played out over three afternoons in half-hour episodes and the most frequent format was for the prosecution case to be presented in the first two episodes and the defence in the third, although there were some later, brief variations. Although those involved in the case were actors, the jury was made up of members of the general public from the immediate Granada Television franchise area taken from the electoral register and eligible for real jury service: it was this jury alone which decided the verdict. Indeed, production publicity of the time stated that, for many of the scripts, two endings were written and rehearsed to cope with the jury's independent decision which was delivered for the first time, as in a real court case, when the foreman was asked by the actor playing the judge, while the programme's recording progressed. However, the course of some cases would lead the jury being directed to return "not guilty" verdicts.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Court_%28TV_series%29

Granada Televison, fictional court cases, real jurors - this was too good an oppotunity to miss, I had to blog !

 I've been burrowing out of sight but not out of mind for the last few weeks chums, but I thought I'd put this wee post up, I wouldn't want anyone to think that I'd given up !

Great news for the Savile family this week BTW

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/leeds-star-jimmy-savile-s-dna-does-not-match-any-historical-major-crimes-1-6417971

Back to 1972 and a highly appropriate episode of Crown Court - Enjoy ! Below, is part one of six, I won't tell you the verdict - wouldn't like to be in contempt of the Court of Fulchester !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H43hqjBMSV8