| "American Dream" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | L&O, Episode 4.08 | → |
| Production number: 69018 First aired: 9 November 1993 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Sibyl Gardner Directed By Constantine Makris | ||
The discovery of a decomposed body at a Manhattan construction site leads to a new trial for a prisoner who is serving time in the victim's murder.
Plot[]
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe
- Chris Noth as Detective Mike Logan
- S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
- Michael Moriarty as Executive A.D.A. Benjamin Stone
- Jill Hennessy as A.D.A. Claire Kincaid
- Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff
- Carolyn McCormick as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet (credit only)
Recurring cast[]
- Bernie McInerney as Judge Michael Callahan
- Josh Pais as Assistant M.E. Borak
- La Donna Mabry as Forensic Technician Dubief
- John Fiore as Detective Tony Profaci
- Norma Fire as Appellate Judge Pamela Jensen
- George Bartenieff as Appellate Judge Shawn MacNamara
Guest cast[]
- Željko Ivanek as Phillip Swann
- Scott Sowers as Billy Doyle
- Mark Tymchyshyn as Chip Rafferty
- Sophie Hayden as Beverly Dorfman
- Bernie Passeltiner as Harry Schuman
- Margaret Hilton as Mrs. Whitaker
- Guy Davis as Russell Bobbit
- Jeff Robins as John Ross
- Stephen Payne as George Mazlansky
- Charles Major as Peterson
- Paul Hoover as Peabody
- Tanny McDonald as Appellate Judge Ellen Fraser
- Chester A. Sims II as Appellate Judge Gordon Humphrey
- Stephen Myles Berger as Liebowitz
- Jane Caldwell as Jill
- Vic Noto as Parking Attendant
- Matt Malloy as CSU Technician #1
- Joel Blake as Murphy
- Kay Walbye as Jury Forewoman
References[]
- People v. Rodriguez
- Justice Marshall
- Judge Richard Mounteney (indirectly)
- People v. Serrotti
- Buckley v. Fitzsimmons
Quotes[]
- Phillip Swann: So, who makes the first move?
- Stone: I want a confession. Not only for the murder of Russell Bobbit, but for the murder of Sid Cohen as well.
- Swann: And give away my greatest victory?
- Stone: Take this man back to his cell.
- Swann: You give up so easy? It doesn't make any sense, Ben; you're being totally impractical... and it's not like you.
- Stone: Obviously you don't know me...you never did.
- Stone: I guess you just weren't clever enough...
- Swann: I got this far, Ben.
- Stone: A lot of effort to wind up right back where you started. And in polite society, sir, you don't call people by their first name unless they ask you to. I didn't do that. You're not a friend, and you're certainly not a colleague.
- Swann: I spent eight years earning the right to call you whatever the hell I want.
- Stone: Mr. Swann, do you routinely list killing people as part of your daily calendar?
- Swann: Mr. Stone, do you routinely lack a sense of humor?
- Stone: About murder, I have none, sir.
Background information and notes[]
- This episode is based on the Ron Levin case, which was also the subject of a 1980s telemovie, The Billionaire Boys Club. In 1984, Joseph Henry Gamsky, also known as "Joe Hunt", was believed to have murdered Ron Levin, a con artist who had allegedly swindled Hunt and other members of the Billionaire Boys Club (BBC) out of over $4 million. In 1987, Hunt was found guilty of Levin's murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hunt remains in prison but maintained his innocence. The plot of this episode even includes a scene of Swann making a note in his planner to commit the murder, just as Joe Hunt penned "Kill Ron Levin" in his daily agenda. (Source: Billionaire Boys Club at Wikipedia)
- This episode was later adapted into the Law & Order: UK episode "Unsafe".
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
Queen Anne's Buttons |
Apartment of |
Chip Rafferty |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Forensics Laboratory |
Supreme Court |
Supreme Court |
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|
|
Swann V. Stone |
Ossining |
27th Precinct |
| Previous episode: "Apocrypha" |
"American Dream" Law & Order Season 4 |
Next episode: "Born Bad" |