Act 1
The first vote is what to what? Who votes not guilty?
The first vote is 11 to 1. Juror Eight votes not guilty.
Is it ever proven, without a doubt, that the boy did not yell out a murder threat towards his father?
No, though it is determined that it is unlikely that the old man could have heard any threats that may have occurred over the sound of the el train.
Who was the last juror to change his vote to not guilty?
Juror Three
Who are the three witnesses?
The old man, the woman, and the ticket taker at the movie theater
Who is the most decorated Olympian of all time. Hint: He is a swimmer.
Michael Phelps. He has 28 Olympic Medals, 23 of which are gold.
Why is the switch-knife an important piece of evidence?
It is the murder weapon.
What does the discussion about the el train call into question about the old man's testimony?
The jurors question whether or not the old man would have been able to hear the defendant threaten to kill his father over the el train.
Did the jury prove that the defendant was not guilty?
What is the ticket taker's testimony and how is it discredited?
The ticket taker states that she doesn't recall seeing the defendant at the movie theater on the night of the murder. Juror Eight points out that it is unlikely that she would remember the defendant, given that she sees so many people each day. It is also pointed out that the defendant could have snuck into the movies.
Where will the 2028 Summer Olympic Games take place? Hint: It is in the USA.
Los Angeles
Which juror is in a particular hurry to reach a verdict? Why?
Juror 7 is in a hurry to reach a verdict because he has tickets to a popular Broadway show.
Do you think that Juror Eight deliberately provoked Juror Three into threatening to kill him? Explain.
Yes, Juror Eight deliberately provoked Juror Three into threatening to kill him as a way to show him that people say things that they don't mean all the time, particularly when under duress.
Why is Juror Five qualified to speak on knife fights?
Juror Five grew up in a rough neighborhood and often saw knife fights across the street from his home.
At the beginning of this unit we watched a video titled, "Why Witnesses Sometimes Get It Wrong." What YouTube channel was this video on?
TED Talk
What Olympic gymnast has been dubbed, "The GOAT?" Hint: She is from Team USA and is married to a pro football player.
Simone Biles
What do we discover about the murder weapon in this act?
It is not unique. Juror Eight pulls out an identical switchblade knife that he bought down the road from the murder scene.
When Juror Nine suggests that the old man may have lied, what explanation does he offer?
Juror Nine claims that the old man lied to get his fifteen minutes of fame. In other words, the old man has largely been forgotten and thinks that his testimony will bring him some recognition.
How does Juror Five discredit an important piece of testimony?
Juror Five states that an experienced knife fighter would have stabbed underhanded rather than overhanded.
What is the CSI Effect?
The CSI Effect refers to the expectation held by many jurors that there will be a huge amount of evidence, particularly forensic evidence. This effect can make it easier for some juries to determine that there is reasonable doubt, even when a defendant may be guilty.
What swimmer made her Olympic debut at the age of 15 in the 2012 London games and his since won 10 Olympic medals? Hint: She is from Team USA and is known for being a powerful distance swimmer.
Katie Ledecky
What proposition does Juror Eight make to his fellow jurors?
Juror Eight says that he will sit out of the next vote. If everyone votes guilty, he will not stand alone and the jury will take in a verdict of guilty.
Which juror changed his vote?
Juror Nine
What important piece of evidence is brought in towards the end of the act, causing the majority of the remaining hold outs to change their vote to not guilty?
It was revealed that the woman couldn't have seen anything without her glasses on, therefore it is unlikely that she actually knew who committed the murder.
Who played the starring role of Juror Eight in the 1957 movie version? Hint: His daughter, Jane, was once famous for her exercise videos.
Henry Fonda
Who was the first Olympic gymnast to score a perfect 10? Hint: This Romanian gymnast defected to the United States in 1989. She is currently married to an American citizen and has dual citizenship.
Nadia Comaneci