12 Angry Men
by Ethan Pennington
As my ninth-grade English continues with their study of Reginald Rose’s classic play 12 Angry Men, they are learning about the complexity of law, and jury trials in particular. In the play, a minor is on trial for murder and the action begins as the jurors are dismissed to deliberate. In 2016, my wife Kassie served on the jury for a murder trial in Brooklyn. Having her speak with my students seemed like a logical extension to further introduce students to this delicate aspect of our criminal justice system, so last month, the entire class met via Zoom to hear her story.
Students were struck by the parallels between her experience and the ideas echoed in the play. Kassie provided a behind-the-scenes look at the dynamics of a jury and the excruciating details that 12 strangers mull over in order to reach a decision. She also discussed the challenges of serving as a juror on a case that has such immediate and dire consequences, especially since her trial also involved a 14-year-old defendant who, like the one in the play, was tried as an adult. The final essay assignment for the class involves finding evidence for themes like “the fragility of justice,” and the “ambiguity of language.” My hope is that hearing her first-hand account of a juror’s experience grounds their understanding of the play in an immediate and relevant context.
