Courage of her conviction

I Am Innocent told Terri Friesen's wrongful conviction story in stark, searing fashion.

There maybe some argument with the title of the TVNZ series I am Innocent.

But not in the case of Terri Friesen.

The man who actually killed her daughter, her former partner, has admitted the crime. To the police. And been convicted and sentenced.

But what made Tuesday night's programme so shocking was that Terri has not had the conviction for manslaughter expunged.

She is still on the books as responsible for the infant's death.

Hopefully after the screening of this excellent piece of television, she may get the help she deserves and her conviction erased.

Much of the case against Terri hinged on the confession she made to police. And this is where getting the conviction gets in the way of getting the truth.

This programme and others have demonstrated how easy it is to confess to something you didn't do. We could all do it in the right circumstances.

And Terri thought she needed to help her partner out so after hours of interrogation she admitted she had killed her seven week old child.

It was harrowing stuff but the manner in which she told her story was straight forward and strangely uplifting. Unable to get a job because of her conviction, Terri Friesen didn't dwell on the past particularly.

There was little self pity. I haven't watched other programmes in the series but if they are as good as this story it is well worth watching.

Television New Zealand deserves thanks for running the series. Just one niggle, running a promo for next week's programme over the credits obliterates the recognition people who made such excellent television should get.