Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Fighting the law from the inside FOR LIFE
Sky Witness, 9pm THIS gripping American legal drama with a prison twist stars Brits Nicholas Pinnock and Indira Varma and is based on a true story.
Pinnock plays Aaron Wallace, a former club owner wrongly convicted of drug traf ficking when the drugs actually belonged to one of his friends.
While serving his life sentence he manages to overcome obstacles to become a qualified lawyer – working not only to defend innocent fellow inmates but also striving to get his own sentence overturned.
It’s loosely based on the true story of Isaac Wright Jr, who was imprisoned for a drug crime he didn’t commit, but became a lawyer and helped to quash the wrongful convictions of 20 of his fellow inmates.
The drama begins nine years after Aaron’s conviction. He is now qualified and back in the courthouse where he lost his liberty.
Adding insult to injury, while acting as the defence lawyer, Aaron is working opposite the prosecutor who helped put him away – and who wants to see him stay behind bars.
Meanwhile, Varma plays Safiya Masry, the warden who oversees the prison where Aaron is doing his time, while Mary Stuart Masterson plays Safiya’s wife, who is running for Attorney General of New York State.
Joy Bryant plays Marie Wallace, Aaron’s wife, who is now in a new relationship with one of Aaron’s friends.
There’s also a strained relationship between Aaron and his teenage daughter.
Wi t h fraught cases and tense relationships, this has a pacy prison plot and an underdog you’ll be rooting for.