Avsnitt 5

Far from the image of LA Law, the New York City criminal courts sit 24 hours a day handling one million court appearances and 250,000 new defendants a year. But a defendant's fate hangs not upon the decision of a jury but on the outcome of discreet negotiations between his or her lawyer, the prosecution and the judge. These deals were off the record. Until now . Currently under discussion for introduction to British courts, this system of "plea bargaining" means that for the majority of Americans the constitutional right to a trial by jury is a thing of the past. With comprehensive access to the New York criminal courts, Inside Story observes and records this system at work . What emerges is a frightening vision of the future where gun law rules the streets and justice is little more than social control.