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N
E W S April 28, 2003
The latest production, "The Jury," is about the trial of a 16-year-old Sikh boy, Duvinder Singh, who is accused of killing a fellow classmate who had been bullying him for a long time. The murder weapon was a sword stolen from the local Gurdwara by Duvinder. The question is whether he carried out what he set to do with the sword because there is no DNA evidence and there are 11 minutes unaccounted for, although Duvinder was seen running away from the scene with bloody clothes. The prosecutor uses all the tools it has to get a guilty verdict. He argues harshly about the kirpan, militancy, nihangs, and gatka. But the defense comes back with powerful arguments which actually put these issues in the Sikh perspective. He goes so far as to say that the reason Duvinder is being tried without substantial evidence is - politics. Intertwined with the case is the personal life drama of each of the jurors and the process they go through to come to a verdict. "The Jury" has raised some concerns with Sikhs in the US; however, the drama was first aired in the UK without much criticism. One viewer from New York stated, "During these times of turmoil this is going to have a major impact on any minority who wear 'turbans'. People in New York who saw the first part (it is a 4 part series) have been largely offended by it. The fact is that this is total fiction and the drama but is being shown/created at a very volatile time." Although this viewer urged that this be taken off PBS, other viewers who had seen the entire drama came to a different conclusion. One viewer who saw all four episodes said, "This has already been shown in the UK and I can confirm that it is not against the Sikh community in anyway. In fact it shows the Sikh community in a very good light and highlights many of the cultural traditions of the community. It also highlights, how many people can simply assume someone is guilty simply because they are different. It is sensitive and thought provoking and should definitely not be banned from public viewing. If anything it gives Sikhism much needed promotion as a world religion." The film starts with an indication that it is the Sikh boy who has committed the murder, but the truth becomes clear later in the episodes. "As a community we should be extremely vigilant of what is happening in our surroundings. But at the same time we need to examine the facts and ensure that if we are campaigning for something then it is being done for the correct reasons. Please note that the film created by Miramax does have a scene which needs to be edited by the film producers and this campaign should be fully supported, but "The Jury" is quite a good film." The drama was aired on PBS from April
6, 2003 to April 27, 2003. The last episode will aired again on some PBS
stations. Check your local listings at www.pbs.org. "The Jury"
can also be ordered on video or DVD at 1.800.255.9424. |
"The
Jury" is a production of Masterpiece Theatre, the longest running
prime time drama series on American television. The quality of the series
is excellent and is usually aired on PBS (Public Broadcasting Systems)
stations all over the country.