Post-play panel discussions can often be a snooze, but Broadway's jury room drama "Twelve Angry Men" has added a fresh twist for the Court TV age.
The Roundabout Theater Company's "Law & Audience" series -- running Tuesday nights throughout February --recruits figures from recent headline-making trials to discuss contempo issues that relate to the play.
A Feb. 8 panel featured
Mark Glatzer, a juror on Tyco CEO
Dennis Kozlowski's trial, plus Court TV anchors
Fred Graham and
Vinnie Politan, among other experts.
Glatzer compared his jury experience to the play, which follows one skeptic who stands up to his 11 fellow jurors, convincing them to change their verdict to not-guilty.
In real life Glatzer noted, switching one's opinion is an extremely intense decision.
"We started at six-six, and after two days, somebodyjust sat (with her head down) for three hours and picked her head up and said, 'OK, I'll switch.' "
Graham said while the play extols the act of deliberation, jurors should not be forced to participate.
"Judges are becoming more willing to dismiss jurors when they are obstructionist or refusing to deliberate," Graham said. "It's a little worrisome, because they're
supposed to be obstructionist if they believe that (they're right)."
Future panelists include
Martha Stewart trial jurors
Meg Crane and
Amos Mellinger.
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