Monday, Jul. 13, 1998

Television

By Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles

No suspects have been indicted and no grand jury impaneled, but ABC is encouraging development of a TV movie based on the JONBENET RAMSEY murder case. Knowledgeable sources say execs at the Disney-owned network have been considering a prime-time docudrama offering a behind-the-scenes portrait of the Ramsey family. "It would look at an American tragedy without getting into significant aspects of the ongoing investigation," remarks a participant. A script should be finished by late July, with the narrative focusing on JonBenet's life rather than the mystery surrounding her death or the subsequent legal wrangles. No other network has a JonBenet project in the works; calls to ABC for comment were not returned.

--By Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles