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WONDERING WHETHER `JUSTICE' WILL BE SERVED.


Byline: David Kronke Television Critic

Critics attending the summer television press tour in Pasadena weren't convinced on Tuesday whether the new Fox legal drama ``Justice'' was appropriately titled.

The show focuses on a dream team of high-profile defense attorneys who represent wealthy clients, and some critics wondered whether the series' characters uphold or pervert justice. Which executive producer Jonathan Shapiro This article is about the computer software expert. For the political cartoonist Jonathon Shapiro, see Zapiro.

Jonathan S. Shapiro is an expert in low-level computer system programming.
 says is precisely the point.

```Justice' was the title just for that question. ... Every week, we'd like you to consider that question.''

Shapiro, a former federal prosecutor, noted that those in his former line of work were often outmatched by the sort of big-money defense teams ``Justice'' depicts.

``I once went up against the lawyers who had represented (a former Washington, D.C. mayor). The federal government gave me a big piece of butcher paper and a pen.

``A good lawyer can use that to their advantage. I didn't, but a good lawyer can.''

Shapiro expressed no concerns that viewers will be turned off by haughty haugh·ty  
adj. haugh·ti·er, haugh·ti·est
Scornfully and condescendingly proud. See Synonyms at proud.



[From Middle English haut, from Old French haut, halt
 characters devoted to putting potentially guilty clients on the streets in an era of paranoia and unease.

``I have faith that the audience will respect these professionals for what they do. Great trial lawyers do their best work for guilty clients. We respect the audience enough to not pander To pimp; to cater to the gratification of the lust of another. To entice or procure a person, by promises, threats, Fraud, or deception to enter any place in which prostitution is practiced for the purpose of prostitution.  to their need to like every single second of every single show.''

Victor Garber (``Alias'') stars as Ron Trott, the swaggering head of the law firm and a master at manipulating the media during trials.

``What intrigued me about the character is he's such an arrogant guy, almost unlikable in some ways,'' Garber said. ``The challenge for me is to play him so that he's palatable and interesting to watch.''

Garber noted that his profession and his character's profession have a lot in common.

``I think you have to be a performer to be an attorney ... because you are acting. You're telling a story, and you have to be compelling, and that's what we do as actors.''

``Even with all this technology,'' says Shapiro, ``if the lawyers aren't great showmen and storytellers, they can't win.''

Shapiro adds that technology has also made life harder for attorneys because jurors can do some surreptitious SURREPTITIOUS. That which is done in a fraudulent stealthy manner.  snooping on their own and undermine lawyers' intentions for trials.

``The biggest problem lawyers have today is Google,'' he said. ``You can't sequester sequester v. to keep separate or apart. In so-called "high-profile" criminal prosecutions (involving major crimes, events, or persons given wide publicity) the jury is sometimes "sequestered" in a hotel without access to news media, the general public or their  jurors, and there's not a single thing that a juror juror n. any person who actually serves on a jury. Lists of potential jurors are chosen from various sources such as registered voters, automobile registration or telephone directories.  can't go home and Google.''

MEANWHILE, IN `PRISON': When ``Prison Break'' concluded last season, Michael Scofield Michael Scofield is the fictional main protagonist in the American television series, Prison Break. He is portrayed by Wentworth Miller. The character first appeared in the series pilot as a man who stages a bank robbery in order to get sent into the prison where his older  (Wentworth Miller Wentworth Earl Miller III (born June 2, 1972) is an English-born American Golden Globe nominated actor. He rose to stardom following his starring role in the Fox Network television series Prison Break. ) had broken his brother Lincoln (Dominic Purcell) out of jail after he was framed for murdering the vice president's brother. So what happens when the show returns next month?

Following a 45-minute press conference, reporters didn't have many, if any, answers.

Series creator Paul Scheuring has lit out for the same veil of opacity Refers to being "opaque," which means to prevent light from shining through. For example, in an image editing program, the opacity level for some function might range from completely transparent (0) to completely opaque (100).  where ``The Sopranos''' David Chase dwells.

This much we know: William Fichtner (``Invasion'') joins the cast as a ruthless FBI agent determined to catch the guys, who will split up and try desperately to remain hidden. And, like the first season, season two will only comprise about three weeks' time.

``We will not see a rehash re·hash  
tr.v. re·hashed, re·hash·ing, re·hash·es
1. To bring forth again in another form without significant alteration: rehashing old ideas.

2. To discuss again.
 of season one,'' Scheuring said, ``where they all end up back in the prison by episode three and say, `Now we have to figure out another way out.' ''

David Kronke, (818) 713-3638

david.kronke(at)dailynews.com

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``Justice'' star Victor Garber: ``I think you have to be a performer to be an attorney.''
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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Jul 26, 2006
Words:585
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