| "Darwinian" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | L&O, Episode 14.11 | → |
| Production number: E4313 First aired: 7 January 2004 | ||
| Written By Marc Guggenheim Directed By Jace Alexander | ||
Plot[]
A homeless man goes on trial for manslaughter, accused of killing another homeless man. His defense attorney argues that the laws of civilized society should not apply to homeless people because of their realities.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe
- Jesse L. Martin as Detective Ed Green
- S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
- Sam Waterston as Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy
- Elisabeth Röhm as A.D.A. Serena Southerlyn
- Fred Dalton Thompson as D.A. Arthur Branch
Recurring cast[]
- Kate Burton as Defense Attorney Erica Gardner
- Leslie Hendrix as M.E. Elizabeth Rodgers
- Dylan Baker as Defense Attorney Sanford Remz
- John Cariani as C.S.U. Technician Julian Beck
- Lynn Cohen as Judge Elizabeth Mizener
- Gustave Johnson as Judge Robert Daniels
Guest cast[]
- Reg E. Cathey as Gerald
- Christopher Donahue as Max Edgars
- Brigitte Bako as Carrie Salter
- James Biberi as Officer Stewart
- Robert Funaro as Richie Lupo
- Sekou Laidlow as Prial
- Tonye Patano as Officer Feldman
- Reg Flowers as Dr. Robert Emmerich
- Leslie Cohen as Gina Fisher
- John C. Vennema as Dr. Aaron Geller
- Elliot Cuker as Alan Stein
- Lair Torrent as Matt Roberts
- Kiran Merchant as Sanjit Korde
- Adam Wade as Noah
- Ashlie Atkinson as Wendy
- Nance Williamson as Assistant M.E. Erika Malchiodi
- Mark Casella as Jury Foreperson
- Ray Sullivan as Alan Fisher (uncredited)
References[]
References
Quotes[]
- Green: I think I'm coming down with whatever everybody else has. (coughs and sneezes)
- Briscoe: (looks down at the dead body) He was dumped here late last night or this morning.
- Green: Man, he took a beating.
- Police Officer: Of the vehicular variety. Safety glass like from a windshield and paint flakes. He's got tib and fib breaks in both legs.
- Green: Bumper fractures?
- Briscoe: (looks at Green) And you thought you were feeling run down.
- Southerlyn: So it's the survival of the fittest?
- Attorney: Go ahead, make fun. It only shows how ignorant you are.
- McCoy: Fortunately, we have laws that prevent man from descending into a Darwinian society.
- Attorney: Except we've evicted the homeless from our society. We've made them into outcasts.
- McCoy: (after Max Edgars' breakdown on the stand) Sounds... human to me Mr. Edgars.
- McCoy (during his summation): The law exists to protect as well as to punish, so if you say that society's laws don't apply to defendants like Max Edgars, you're also saying that society's justice doesn't apply to victims like Alan Fisher. If that's your verdict, then society truly has turned its back on these people. They have no food, no shelter, no money ... don't deny them justice as well.
Background information and notes[]
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Apartment Of |
Salter Publicity |
JD Precision Auto Body |
Chambers Of |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Supreme Court |
Sanjit Market |
Supreme Court |
Supreme Court |
| Previous episode: "Ill-Conceived" |
"Darwinian" Law & Order Season 14 |
Next episode: "Payback" |