Dena Carter was a defense attorney and former prosecutor who was a candidate for the New York State Senate.
History
Carter's candidacy for the State Senate was plagued with scandals, and she suffered from low poll numbers. When escaped convict and school shooter Leon Vorgitch managed to avoid the death penalty again, Carter reached out to Robert Purcell, the father of one of the victims, and urged him to kill Vorgitch, supplying Purcell with Vorgitch's whereabouts. Carter had intended to use Purcell's case as a platform to advance her campaign, hoping to appeal to the public's desire to reinstate the death penalty in New York. Despite this, her plan fails, as Purcell is found guilty of second-degree murder.
Shortly after the trial, Jack McCoy, who had realized Carter's involvement in Vorgitch's death, visits Purcell in prison and convinces him to expose Carter in exchange for a lighter sentence. Carter is later indicted and her political campaign is certain to have failed as a result. She is presumably disbarred and imprisoned for her crimes afterwards. (L&O: "Deadlock")