Through Their Eyes

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," the Judge says. "You have just experienced the extraordinary technology of 'Mind-Watching'; a technology that has revolutionized the courtroom. This technology allows us to see into someone's mind. It brings forth untainted memories. We see and hear exactly what the subject experienced. "This technology, as you can imagine, makes guilt or innocence easy to determine; trials are now used solely for the purpose of sentencing. All five defendants in this case are guilty of the crimes for which they are being tried. Your job is to observe the circumstances of the crime and decide what sentence will best serve to rehabilitate them into productive, contributing members of society-if, of course, you believe that is possible."Five young people stand convicted of a crime in a world that looks a lot like our own, but in a courtroom that looks very, very different. The invention of Mind-Watching has reshaped the judicial system; a conviction is easy. A sentence, however, is hard. The jury has been chosen to view the lead-up to and circumstances of the crime through the eyes of the defendants and decide what consequences are best for them and for society as a whole. As their guide, they have a passionate People's Advocate, whose only goal is to truly bridge the gap between defendant and jury and create real understanding. But no matter how vividly, how exactly their story is told, interpretation-as ever-is in the eye of the beholder.