Sheridan Smith leads I Fought the Law about repeal of double jeopardy law
The series comes from All Creatures Great and Small screenwriter Jamie Crichton.
Sheridan Smith has been cast in a brand new ITV drama I Fought the Law, which will be based on the real-life story of a mother’s determination to change the double jeopardy law and see her daughter’s murderer brought to justice.
Smith will play Ann Ming in the series from screenwriter Jamie Crichton (All Creatures Great and Small), which will be based on the book For the Love of Julie, written by Ming, who is also a consultant on the series.
The series will recount how Ming battled for 15 years after her daughter Julie, who was a mother to a three-year-old, Kevin, and married to husband Andrew, disappeared after a late shift at a local pizza parlour in November 1989.
Eighty days later, in January 1990, Ming found Julie’s body concealed in the bathroom of her terraced house, in spite of extensive searches of the property by police forensics teams.
When Julie's murderer was controversially acquitted following two mistrials, Ming took on the Criminal Justice System, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Government and more to get justice.
Smith said of starring in the series: "I am so honoured to have been asked to play the role of Ann Ming, a mother so determined to fight for justice for her murdered daughter that she spent 15 years campaigning for the double jeopardy law to be changed.
"She is a truly courageous and remarkable woman to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude."
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Meanwhile, Ming said of the series: "I am very pleased that [production company] Hera Pictures will tell the story of my campaign to overturn the double jeopardy law.
"My daughter's killer was wrongfully acquitted, and a number of years later confessed to her murder, for which he could only be prosecuted for perjury due to the 800-year-old double jeopardy law. I wasn't going to let this stand in my way of getting justice for Julie.
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"I'm overwhelmed that Sheridan Smith will be playing me. Having such an iconic and talented actress portray me is truly wonderful."
Filming on the four-part series is due to begin in August 2024 in Teesside and surrounding areas.
I Fought the Law will air on ITV1 and ITVX.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
