| "Good Faith" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | L&O, Episode 17.17 | → |
| Production number: 17017 First aired: 30 March 2007 | ||
 | ||
| Written By David Slack Directed By Sam Weisman | ||
Plot[]
Green and Cassady investigate an arson turned homicide when a body found in a burned church turns out to have been murdered before the fire started. While they solve the other church arsons, they discover the arsonists, a pair of college students are not the killers. Eventually they learn the killer is the fanatically religious father of one of the victim's students. He claims that he feared God's wrath for his daughter being exposed to the theory of evolution and McCoy demands a psych evaluation to determine if he's competent to stand trial.
Before it comes back, they realize that the guidance counselor was lying about when he'd last seen the daughter, Mary and figure out he was having an affair with her. The counselor confesses and agrees to testify in exchange for not going to prison for it. They confront the father and daughter having realized that the father found out about the affair because Mary got an STD and she lied about who it was. The father then murdered who he thought was sleeping with his daughter. To protect his daughter from consequences, the father pleads guilty to all charges and McCoy tells his attorney that he's planning to ask for 25 years to life in prison given the severity of the crimes.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Jesse L. Martin as Detective Ed Green
- Milena Govich as Detective Nina Cassady
- S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
- Sam Waterston as Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy
- Alana De La Garza as A.D.A. Connie Rubirosa
- Fred Dalton Thompson as D.A. Arthur Branch
Recurring cast[]
- Leslie Hendrix as M.E. Elizabeth Rodgers
- Howard W. Overshown as Defense Attorney Kyle Rowan
- Tovah Feldshuh as Defense Attorney Danielle Melnick
- James Lorenzo as Arraignment Judge Albert Bryce
- John Pieza as Assistant M.E. Paul Sharlett
Guest cast[]
- Jeffrey Donovan as Jacob Reese
- Sarah Ramos as Mary Reese
- Denise Dowse as Judge Nora Glover
- Jeffrey Joseph as Fire Marshal Woods
- Dion Graham as Principal Ron Hill
- Eric William Morris as Luke Thornton
- Flora Diaz as Kristin Saunders
- Anastasia Barzee as Claudia Murphy
- La Tanya Hall as Allison Dale
- John Scherer as Pastor Peter Shea
- Kevin Draine as Paul
- Adam Huskey as Jason Ward
- Dan Amboyer as Todd Barton
- Brett Friedmann as Uniformed Officer
- Liam Joynt as Arraignment Clerk
- Jonah Triebwasser as Defense Attorney (uncredited)
References[]
- People v. Flores
- US v. Ballard
Quotes[]
- Jack McCoy: I'll take that as an error of confession.
- Danielle Melnick: How long has it been since your last confession?
- Jacob Reese: AIDS doesn't target homosexuals and fornicators by sheer dumb luck. Hurricane Katrina didn't wipe out New Orleans by chance?
- Jack McCoy: You feared that a hurricane could strike your daughter, Mr. Reese?
- Judge Nora Glover: Who am I to say that the defendant's belief in a literal God is not reasonable?
- Jack McCoy: You are a judge. In a court of law.
- Danielle Melnick: Who's winning, the Christians or the Lions?
- Jack McCoy: Who are you? And what have you done with Danielle Melnick?
- Danielle Melnick: Goodnight and God bless Jack.
Background information and notes[]
- This is actress Tovah Feldshuh's final appearance as Defense Attorney Danielle Melnick on Law & Order.
- Jeffrey Donovan, who portrayed Jacob Reese, was cast in the main role of Detective Frank Cosgrove when the series returned in February 2022.
- Continuity error: John Pieza was credited as "Asst. M.E. Charlett" when he was previously credited as with last name being "Sharlett".
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
New Redemption Church |
Apartment of |
McTanner's Tavern |
Bare Hugs |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Apartment of |
Supreme Court |
Rikers Island |
Supreme Court |