[Miller's Court: The Choice]

DateJanuary 14 1984

AbstractReenactment of a court case between a fundamentalist minister and the parents of a baby with a brain injury over the decision not to perform a life prolonging surgery on the brain-dead baby. The question asked on this episode is can the state order life prolonging surgery on a severely handicapped infant against the wishes of the parents? Actors play the witnesses and real lawyers act out the case in front of an audience. After the trial reenactment the lawyers answers questions from the host, Arthur Miller, about their tactics and the greater implications of the case and the jury discusses why they voted the way that they did.

OtherCredits: ‘Miller’s Court with Arthur Miller Harvard Law School, produced by Julie Sattler Rosene, directed by William Lowell, associate producer Diane Sherlock, assistants to the producer Mary Ellen Hayes, Linda Adler, assistant director Bruce Goldman, researcher Stuart Sojcher, stage managers Emmons S. Levine, Frank Gallozzi, switcher Chris O’Hare, audio Joe Mozdiez, audio assistant Tony Bratton, video Karl Lorencic, lighting director Wayne Smith, cameras Ed Paolino, Isiah Bradwell, Richie O’Neill, Peter Walent, camera assistant Sumner Shain, video tape editor / vignette Alan Pratt, post production Doug DeVitt, George Ellard, location crew Ed Dadulak, Ellen Boyce, Emmons S. Levine,set design Ted Talanian, graphics Glenn Robbins, interns Deborah Gershen, Roberta Soloff, executive production manager Alan Ritsko, production manager Ed Andre, engineering supervisor Jim Gilbert, Cynthia Rodgers played by Karen MacDonald, Tom Rodgers played by Tom Bloom, Doctor played by Stuart Burney, Court Reporter Netta O’Brien, Court Officer Stephen Minofsky, Special Thanks to North Quincy High School, Program Manager William C. Brennan, program executive J. Clifford Curley