TWELVE ANGRY MEN

by Reginald Rose

Name ____________________ Date ______ Period _____

POINTS ON PACKET

Synopsis

Following the closing arguments in a murder trial, the 12 members of the jury must deliberate, with a guilty verdict meaning death for the accused, an inner-city teen. As the dozen men try to reach a unanimous decision while sequestered in a room, one juror (Henry Fonda) casts considerable doubt on elements of the case. Personal issues soon rise to the surface, and conflict threatens to derail the delicate process that will decide one boy's fate.

Themes It takes courage to stand alone. Fight for what you believe in. Prejudice makes people misjudge individual people. It is important that all people receive justice whether they are socially affluent or poor.

Cast

Judge Clerk Guard Boy (Defendant) Jurors 1-12

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READ, REFLECT, REVIEW

Listen as I read the article below. After each reading, reflect on the article’s content and discuss the specific question at the end of each article.

SOME JURIES HAVE PENALIZED GOOD DOCTORS TO HELP OUT FAMILIES Pittsburgh Post - Gazette; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Mar 29, 2002;

Jay N. Silberblatt's March 10 Forum piece ("Medical Malpractice Insurance Reform: To Your Health?") regarding malpractice law reform in Pennsylvania is replete with the word "jury" and egregious examples of isolated examples of pure malpractice. I know of no physician who would contest a large settlement for removing the wrong foot or lung. On the other hand, when a procedure carries a small risk of failure or even death and is done by the best of hands and care and fails, a suit often follows.

Increasing numbers of dramatic television ads for malpractice lawyers invite frivolous litigation. The jury system for settling these issues is flawed by courtroom theatrics that beg not the juries' intellect, but their subjective feelings.

I remember well a case in which I was an expert witness, the patient having died after clearly competent care. Day after day, the widow sat in the front row crying. The jury found for the prosecution. I chatted with the jury afterward, and the members said, "We didn't think the doctors did any wrong, but we felt sorry for the widow and wanted to give her something." A malpractice attorney never asks for a nonjury trial.

ROBERT W. HILBERG, M.D.

QUESTION: Should a jury rule with its heart or its head?

TRIAL POWER POINT ASSIGNMENT Separate Handout In Class Work Days: ____________; ______________ ; _______________ Due Date:___________

Vocabulary for Twelve Angry Men

Definitions & Parts of Speech Due _________ Quiz _____________

Acquittal

Appeal (n)

Contempt (n)

Convict (v)

Testify

Testimony

Verdict

Evidence

Subpoena

Cross-examine

Prosecution

Witness (n)

Deliberation

Mistrial

Litigant

Prosecute

Solicitor

Defendant

Writers’ Notebook Prompt #1

Explain “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” and “innocent until proven guilty.” How and why are these terms important as part of the “due process of law”?

Jurors – Personality Traits

TURN OVER

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ACT ONE

1. Why are the jurors are identified only by number?

2. How do you know that Eight is different and alone even before the first vote is taken?

3. In a play the writer must insert necessary information into dialogue without drawing too much attention to the process. List several things you learn about the accused as Eight, Three, and the others discuss how they voted.

4. How do most of the other jurors react to Eight’s statement that they owe the boy “a few words. That’s all.” How are you aware of their reactions even before they speak?

5. Why does Twelve propose giving each man a turn to speak his mind?

6. What important point about the trial-by-jury system in the United States does Eight remind Two of as they begin to talk about the trial?

7. At what time did the murder victim die?

8. Who are the witnesses claiming to have heard or seen the boy kill his father?

9. The people across the hall testified that they heard the boy and his father arguing. What time did that argument take place?

10. What purpose in the play’s development does the discussion around the table serves?

11. Find a speech by Three that shows he has personal motives for voting guilty. Write a few sentences of that speech.

12. What is Eight’s opinion of the lawyer how handled the boy’s defense?

13. What important information is revealed about the murder weapon?

14. When Eight calls for another vote, do you think he feels that other jurors may have changed their minds? If so, which one (s)?

15. Choose one of the twelve men in the play and write a paragraph describing the type of father you think he would be. Give details.

TAKE QUIZ

Writers’ Notebook Prompt #2

One of the key themes of this play is how peoples’ experiences and values shape how they see people and events. Discuss how some of your experiences and values might shape your opinions about someone accused of murder.

ACT TWO

1. Who do the other jurors think changed his vote? Who actually did write “not guilty”?

2. What reason does Nine give for his decision?

3. Why is Four convinced that the woman’s testimony is so persuasive?

4. What does Three do, as the others discuss the el train, to suggest visually how lightly he is taking his responsibilities as a juror?

5. What does the discussion about the el train call into question about the old man’s testimony?

6. When Nine suggests that the old man might have lied, what reason for the lie does he give?

7. Why do you think Five changes his vote to not guilty?

8. Is it ever proved that the boy DID NOT yell, “I’m going to kill you!”? Explain your answer.

9. What reason does Three give for not wanting to go through with the timed experiment?

10. The jurors tensely watch the re-creation of the old man’s walk. Why is the result of this experiment so important to their decision?

11. Do you think Eight deliberately provoked Three into threatening to kill him? Defend your answer.

12. How are the endings of Act One and Act Two similar?

13. If the jurors listed below were to vote again at the end of Act Two, do you think any of the jurors would change their votes? Which ones would change their votes?

TAKE QUIZ

Writers’ Notebook Prompt #3

A current jury issue is juror competence. Which is more fair in a trial involving tax evasion: a jury of average American citizens or a jury of tax experts? Why?

ACT THREE

1. The men decide to vote again. Who votes guilty this time around?

2. What reason do Three give for wanting an open ballot? What other unspoken motive might he have?

3. Two has trouble believing that a body that is five feet eight inches tall could stab downward into the chest of a man six feet two.

- What does Three attempt to demonstrate?

- What does Five attempt to demonstrate?

- Why is Five’s demonstration more convincing that Three’s?

4. Why does Eleven become angry with Seven?

5. eight calls for another vote and the men do so with a show of hands. What is the result?

6. After the latest vote, Ten gives an extended speech in which he lists his ‘reason’ for voting guilty. What are some of them?

7. Why do you think the woman’s evidence, which Four recounts, does not come under discussion until this point in the play?

8. Which juror is most responsible for casting doubt on the woman’s testimony?

9. What is brought out about the woman’s testimony that makes it suspect?

10. How does the audience find out that Ten has changed his vote to “Not guilty”?

11. What does the way in which Ten agrees there is a reasonable doubt say about how he feels?

12. Nine tells Three that, “It takes a great deal of courage to stand alone.” In what context was this sentence spoken earlier in the play?

13. Why do you think Three finally voted not guilty?

14. How might the play have ended if Three had not changed his vote?

TAKE QUIZ

WRITING ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC: Choose one of the twelve jurors and explain in detail how he changes during the play. RUBRIC: See Below

Name ________________________________________ Date ________

TITLE OF PAPER: _______________________________________________

1. MECHANICS:

2. DETAILS FROM TEXT

3. INTRODUCTION WITH THESIS STATEMENT

4. TOPIC SENTENCES

5. TRANSITIONS

6. CONCLUSION

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