BBC’s Attorney Drama
On BBC America
A team of young lawyers battle the system on behalf of wrongly convicted defendants in an innovative new BBC AMERICA co-production. Executive produced by Paul Abbott (State of Play), two back-to-back episodes of The Innocence Project premiere every Thursday from May 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Champion of the underdog and a brilliant teacher, Professor Jon Ford (Lloyd Owen, Monarch of the Glen) has established The Innocence Project to offer hope for those who’ve suffered through miscarriages of justice and have nowhere else to turn. Teamed entirely by a hand-picked group of law students, The Innocence Project takes on cases that nobody else wants to know about, cases that have been forgotten or given up on.
Smart, and driven by an infectious enthusiasm for justice, Ford’s team includes idealistic Adam, brilliant and passionate Beth, charmer Nick, who always gets what he wants, Sarah, a mine of useless information who knows exactly what’s what socially, sexually and intellectually and Andrew, a competitive and persistent mature student on sabbatical from the police.
In a series of compelling stories, the team explores serious legal issues arising from unsafe convictions and wrestles with difficult ethical issues on their mission to right legal wrongs. Some of their toughest assignments include reviewing a murder prosecution for which no body has ever been discovered, and overturning a conviction which appears to have been secured through corrupt policing. And when they review a rape case, the students face an ethical dilemma of whether they should pursue challenging a hard-fought prosecution that may have put the right person behind bars.
The Innocence Project is about the idealism of youth channelled to achieve practical results. And most of all, it’s about a group of law students who choose to make a difference while still going through the serious business of growing up.
For up-to-the-minute information on BBC AMERICA, forthcoming U.S. premieres, art work and news from the channel, log on to www.press.bbcamerica.com.
BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring razor-sharp comedies, provocative dramas, life-changing makeovers and news with a uniquely global perspective. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. BBC AMERICA is distributed by Discovery Networks. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV.
For more information about BBC AMERICA visit www.bbcamerica.com
CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS
Professor Jon Ford Lloyd Owen
Sarah Shawcross Christine Bottomley
Beth McNair Ruth Bradley
Andrew Lucas Stephen Graham
Nick Bentiz Oliver James
Adam Solomons Luke Treadaway
Dr. Eve Walker Shelley Conn
Lizzie Williams Charlotte Emmerson
Mary Jarvis Ruta Gedmintas
Philippa Lucas Andrea Lowe
Creator and lead writer Oliver Brown
Writers Ed McCardie
Stephen Brady
Abigail Harvey
Paul Logue
Executive Producers for Tightrope Paul Abbott; Hilary Bevan Jones
Producer Kirstie Macdonald
Directors
Episodes 1, 3, 7 & 8 Bill Anderson
Episodes 2 & 4 Morag McKinnon
Episodes 5 & 6 Peter Hoar
A Tightrope production for BBC and BBC America.
EPISODE SYNOPSES
Thursday, May 10
Episode one
A convicted killer, Luke Talbot, has always proclaimed his innocence as the team start to review the case against him, which appears uncertain.
Nick also finds himself on the wrong side of the criminal justice system, which could mean the end of his legal career before it's even started.
Premieres at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode two
Beth tries to convince an apparently sceptical Ford about the merits of a case in which the infallibility of fingerprint evidence comes under scrutiny. Vulnerable Martin Toal retracted a confession of murder, even though his fingerprints were found at the crime scene.
Adam is mentoring a young boy, Dizzy, but trying to overturn his ASBO (Anti Social Behavior Order) is loaded with difficulty. With her mother putting extra pressure on her, Beth finds herself with more on her plate than she can handle.
Premieres at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Thursday, May 17
Episode three
Adam tries to understand how a murder conviction can be beyond reasonable doubt when there’s no body. This is what happened to John McKenna who’s been convicted of murdering his common-law wife even though the body has never been discovered.
Meanwhile, Ford makes Nick struggle with a case that’s over 300 years old – an attempt to prove the innocence of a woman who was executed as a witch. Sarah is caught off-guard when her boyfriend from home, Craig, turns up with an unexpected proposal.
Premieres at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode four
The students tackle the complex ramifications of a joint trial - co-defendants who were tried together and both convicted of murder. The team hit a wall when they attempt to analyze what evidence the jury ultimately based their guilty verdict on. Beth is appalled by the injustice and wants to approach the jury but Ford intervenes and prevents her illegal action.
Sarah and Nick get sidetracked by a case involving an adult website which raises some complex questions about exactly what obscenity means in today’s world.
Premieres at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Thursday, May 24
Episode five
An old face appears from Ford’s past, asking for help, but he’s not so sure he wants to get involved.
The students attempt to help a convicted drug dealer get her sentence reduced when evidence emerges that an undercover policeman may have been more than just a willing buyer. And Adam questions his idealistic values when it appears Dizzy may have betrayed him.
Premieres at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode six
The students re-assess supposedly solid evidence when a convicted murderer claims that, rather than killing the victim, he was actually trying to help.
When Sarah and Beth get involved in a case the legal system has passed over, Beth finds herself working for the other side - the police - with unexpected rewards. Ford can’t seem to shift the piles of work on his desk but has a good reason for taking so much on.
Premieres at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Thursday, May 31
Episode seven
The students are put to the test by the different claims and counter claims in a rape case. It’s a notoriously difficult offence to get a conviction for and they wonder
if it's something they should even be looking at.
Ford is stumped when Sarah and Andrew want to discuss how to prove a retired police dog was an unreliable witness.
Premieres at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode eight
The team struggles to prove that a murder case was really suicide. Adam gets involved in analyzing the mechanics while the others investigate the victim’s state of mind.
When it emerges that Ford may know more about the drugs which might have contributed to the victim’s death than he’s letting on, he finds himself with several difficult decisions to make - both personally and professionally.
Premieres at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
