Adolescence of Motive, Opinion and Law.

This Television show relates to dark facts in juvenile offender’s cases and an underlying expression for evidence law analysis. The show is both revelatory and mystic, as it forces you to analyse, criticise and conversate with itself. Through the lens Indian Evidence law, we understand truth through behaviour and the relevancy of each piece of finding. Episode 3 focuses on Jamie, the juvenile accused’s, conversation with Briony, a clinical psychologist. A 13-year-old boy Jamie Miller was accused of committing the murder of a classmate Katie Leonard. Jamie was caught in CCTV footage committing the murder where the body of Katie was recovered.^[1] The show details why and if Jamie Miller committed the murder through an expert’s opinion, other material evidence and how he inevitably pleaded guilty.

Relevancy and Admissibility.

Fact in issue are the material facts of a case under Bharatiya Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, wherein not all facts or statements are automatically admissible, and they must go through certain checks. The fact-in-issue is whether Jamie murdered his classmate Katie with intent to do so and the court determines the answer to this by considering relevant facts of the case to check the probability of what occurred. Briony Arnest, a clinical psychologist, has been employed by Jamie’s legal team to write an independent pre-sentence offence report which is essentially a document which helps in deciding the best sentence^[2]. While assessing an accused’s mental state we can determine their motive, preparative and conduct as they committed a crime. Preparation can be determined by the fact that Jamie collected a knife which was the murder weapon, from his friend, before meeting with the deceased. Furthermore, through the conversation with Briony, he relies on the validation from his father and others. Motive under Section 4 to 10 of BSA^[3], show that Jamie’s insecurity, self-loathing, aggression and his words, count as relevant facts. Jamie reveals his motive when he recounts that he approached the deceased in a time where he though she was weak, to be intimate with her. Jamie thought himself to be weak and not masculine because he believed that masculinity is embedded in certain characteristics like the ability to play sports or watch them, the ability to show aggression and being good looking. He believed that his father thought of him as weak because his father would look away when he failed at playing sports. We see that all the facts formed the same transaction as noted in Res Gestae under Section 5 of BSA^[4],

The courts are not concerned with the truth as much as they are concerned with the probability of a specific event occurring as noted in the principle of probabilities. The probability of Jamie committing the murder is extremely high. CCTV footage which caught him walking towards the scene of the crime placing him in the vicinity, then footage of him committing the crime and the recovery of the murder weapon from his friend.

Electronic Evidence and Briony’s Expert Opinion

In Episode 3 of Adolescence, Briony plays the detective and reveals to Jamie the emojis and comments like the kidney bean, dynamite, and heart with a bow wrapped around it, which Katie left under his photos on social media. What initially appeared to be innocent teasing turned out to be disguised communication of incel culture, representing disgrace and refusal. Jamie’s reaction demonstrates the extent to which these digital interactions had hurt his masculinity and self-esteem. Briony’s reading of the emojis is quite and their cultural meaning is decoded just like a digital forensic analyst would do in a courtroom. When Jamie confesses that Katie’s teasing “made him angry,”^[5] and afterward states that Fidget “should have taken more photos before posting them,”^[6] his nonchalance expresses a frightening lack of regret. Briony’s analysis performs the role of expert witness under Sections 39–45 of the BSA^[7]. He has brought to light Jamie’s insecurity, need for validation, and aggression, which not only show the motive. Jamie’s defensive attitude and unstable reactions show him as knowing, which are the main elements for the assessment of intent.

In R.M. Malkani v. State of Maharashtra^[8], the court ruled that the evidence must be relevant to the fact in issue, the voice should be identifiable, and the evidence must be genuine. Since the CCTV footage passes the test and had no illegality in spirit or procedure, it can be held admissible. Under Section 39(2), an expert who is the Examiner of Electronic Devices’ opinion is a relevant fact while determining the admissibility of such evidence^[9]. “The electronic evidence is made admissible by the amendment of section 92 of Information Technology Act-2000 in the Indian Evidence Act. Section 3(2) of Indian Evidence Act states that evidence includes all documents including electronic records produced for the inspection of the court. Such documents are called as documentary evidence”^[10] In the case of Tomaso Bruno and Anr. v. State of Uttar Pradesh^[11], CCTV was held to be a string piece of evidence.

Jamie, what have you done? (Admission and Confession)

Jamie then said “I didn’t kill her. She was a bitch. You can see that. I should have killer. But I didn’t.”^[12] and then later recounts that night and says some disturbing things like “ That night – I didn’t touch her – I could have touched her – I had a knife, she was scared, I could have touched any part of her body I wanted to – I really wanted to – but I didn’t”^[13]. Jamie places himself at the scene of the murder, however all of these are just corroborating evidence and not confessions as it lacks both inculpatory and exculpatory parts. The statements show emotional ups and downs and psychological admission, not a direct and voluntary confession. Their value as evidence lies in corroboration rather than being the conclusive proof.

Episode 3 of Adolescence reveals the story through a psychological trial and can be analysed by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, where every act and word can be used as evidence. Section 7^[14] (motive, preparation, and conduct) discloses Jamie’s insecurity, defensiveness, and need for validation as emotional triggers behind each of his actions. Briony’s critique, as professional testimony, under Sections 39–45^[15], defines his mental state and determines his purpose, while digital evidence, social media posts, and emojis under Section 63^[16], support the motive and the feeling of shame. The statements of the character —“I didn’t kill her… I should have killed her. But I didn’t.”—are admissions, not confessions according to Sections 22–24^[17], thus bring corroboration rather than proof. All these parts together illustrate the skillful conjunction of psychology, technology, and law to indicate the delicate limits between truth, motive, and culpability in the episode.

^[1] Adolescence (Directed by Philip Barantini, 2025) <https://www.netflix.com/search?q=adole&jbv=81756069> accessed 2025 

^[2] Adolescence (Directed by Philip Barantini, 2025) <https://www.netflix.com/search?q=adole&jbv=81756069> accessed 2025 

^[3] Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, s 4 to 10

^[4] Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, s 5

^[5] Adolescence (Directed by Philip Barantini, 2025) <https://www.netflix.com/search?q=adole&jbv=81756069> accessed 2025 

^[6] Adolescence (Directed by Philip Barantini, 2025) <https://www.netflix.com/search?q=adole&jbv=81756069> accessed 2025 

^[7] Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, s 39 to 45

^[8] R.M. Malkani v. State of Maharashtra 1973 AIR 157

^[9] Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, s 39

^[10] KUMAR. AS, ‘Admissibility and Proof of Electronic Records’ (TAMIL NADU STATE JUDICIARY) <https://www.tnsja.tn.gov.in/article/electronic_records_article.pdf> accessed 8 October 2025

^[11]  Tomaso Bruno and Anr. v. State of Uttar Pradesh 2015 7 SCC 178

^[12] Adolescence (Directed by Philip Barantini, 2025) <https://www.netflix.com/search?q=adole&jbv=81756069> accessed 2025 

^[13] Adolescence (Directed by Philip Barantini, 2025) <https://www.netflix.com/search?q=adole&jbv=81756069> accessed 2025 

^[14] Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, s 7

^[15] Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, s 39 to 45

^[16] Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, s 63

^[17] Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, s 22 to 24