Court TV Begins Production on Its 4th Original Film, An Adaptation of The Exonerated, the Critically-Acclaimed Play Based on the True Stories of Innocent People on Death Row.

NEW YORK -- Bob Balaban Directing, Producing; Starring Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, Delroy Lindo, Aidan Quinn, David Brown, Jr.

Court TV(R) - The Investigation Channel(TM) began production today in New York City on its fourth original movie, The Exonerated. The cinematic adaptation of the award-winning off-Broadway play of the same name focuses on the stories of six innocent people who spent years on death row before being set free. Court TV will air The Exonerated next year. This film joins the roster of issue-related programming that the network continues to feature including such controversial subjects as federal mandatory minimum sentencing laws to unsupervised police interrogations of juvenile suspects to political asylum and now, capital punishment and wrongful incarceration.

Award-winning actor/director/producer and Chicagofilms founder Bob Balaban, who developed and directed the stage production, serves as director and executive producer for the screen version. In the actual words of the six death row exonerees, we relive their stories. The film features Academy Award(R)- winning actor Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, Delroy Lindo, Aidan Quinn, and introduces David Brown, Jr.

"Court TV continues its commitment to air important, cause-related programming, through our production of original movies and documentaries," said Court TV Chairman and CEO Henry Schleiff. "The Exonerated exposes the potentially devastating anguish inflicted by the death penalty. Since its opening, the play has been a catalyst for the reevaluation of capital punishment laws and we expect the movie to further that momentum."

Written by Jessica Blank and Eric Jensen and based on true stories, The Exonerated uses documentary material including interviews, letters, transcripts, case files and the public record to illuminate the fallibility of the American criminal justice system. Through six interwoven stories often told with humor and hope, we witness the potential of the human spirit to transcend unimaginable bitterness and hate.

Court TV is producing the film in association with @radical.media. Court TV executives in charge of original movies are Mary D. Silverman and Rosalie Muskatt. Producing for @radical.media are Jack Lechner and Greg Schultz. Steven Tabakin and Karen Wolfe are also producers on the film.

Court TV - The Investigation Channel(TM) is the leader in the investigation genre, providing a window on the American system of justice through distinctive programming that both informs and entertains. Court TV telecasts trials by day and high-profile original programs like Forensic Files(R) and popular off-network series like NYPD Blue(R) in the evening. Court TV is 50% owned by Time Warner, and 50% owned by Liberty Media Corp. The network is seen in over 82 million homes. (www.Courttv.com or AOL Keyword: Court TV)