Heart of Darkness

"Heart of Darkness"
←	L&O, Episode 16.13	→
Production number: 16013 First aired: 18 January 2006
	th of 456 produced in L&O
←	th of 456 released in L&O	→
	th of 1271 released in all
Written By Carter Harris Directed By Richard Dobbs

Plot

McCoy pursues murder charges against a woman in an assisted suicide case. However, he finds out during the trial that a third person is involved after spotting their shadow in the video of the death. On the stand, McCoy forces the victim's girlfriend Angela to admit that the shadow in the video was the victim's brother, Gerald. Angela explains that it was actually Gerald who did most of the work. McCoy offers her a ten year sentence in exchange for testifying against Gerald. They discover that the victim, Tadhg Ruane, ruined Gerald's life by his constant demands resulting in numerous disruptions including the failure of his marriage. In addition, McCoy suggests Gerald was angry that their mother depleted her savings to pay Tadhg's drug debts depriving Gerald of a chance to start a new life. McCoy suggests in court that this caused heavy resentment in Gerald and was the real reason he killed his brother. He is unable to respond to this accusation while on the stand, but later in a private meeting with McCoy and Borgia, Gerald states that he loved his brother and had the best of intentions when he tried to help his brother kill himself. He then confesses that it really was the resentment that motivated him in the end. McCoy offers him 15 years in prison for Tadhg's death, but Gerald's attorney states he would take even more time if Angela's sentence is reduced as she did nothing but love Tadhg. McCoy agrees and Angela's sentence is reduced to 3 years. It is not clear what sentence Gerald was ultimately given.

Cast

Main cast

• Dennis Farina as Detective Joe Fontana
• Jesse L. Martin as Detective Ed Green
• S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
• Sam Waterston as Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy
• Annie Parisse as A.D.A. Alexandra Borgia
• Fred Dalton Thompson as D.A. Arthur Branch

Recurring Cast

• Susan Floyd as Defense Attorney Jessica Sheets
• Leslie Hendrix as M.E. Elizabeth Rodgers
• Lizzy Davis as Assistant M.E. Carla Birch
• Stephen Henderson as Judge Marc Kramer
• Ed Bogdanowicz as ESU

Guest cast

• John Rubinstein as Defense Attorney Thurber
• Corey Stoll as Gerald Ruane
• Jessalyn Gilsig as Angela Burquette
• Jimmy Burke as Eamon Liriano
• Phil Burke as Tadhg Ruane
• Sarah-Jane Casey as Sarah Ridell
• Chris Chalk as Alfred Biso
• Frank Deal as Don Balderston
• Derek Hoxby as Dr. Glen Freemi
• Mike Nelson as Uniform Cop Ethan Chang
• Kurt Rhoads as Mike Wells
• Jenny Sterlin as Mrs. Ruane
• Caroline Strong as Jacey Finster
• Melinda Peinado as Eunice
• Doreen Montalvo as Marita

References

• Mark Twain

Quotes

Borgia: Are you familiar with Mark Twain's account of a incident on a river boat where a man was trapped, burning underneath an exploded boiler, begging his crew mates to shoot him?

McCoy: A crew mate did shoot him.

Borgia: How much time would you give him?

McCoy: I'm not sure I'd prosecute.

Borgia: And 3 years is light for someone who thought they were doing the same thing?

McCoy: That exploded boiler was real, Alex, not just in the trapped man's mind. There's a big difference.

Borgia: Do you think Taghd Ruan would agree with that?

McCoy: If he was around, I'd ask him.

Background information and notes

Episode scene cards

1	2	3
Ruane Residence Elmhurst, Queens Thursday, December 9	Yamuna Studio 132 Perry Street Saturday, December 11	Healthline Pharmacy 109 West 14th Street Saturday, December 11

4	5	6
Supreme Court Trial Part 30 Tuesday, January 18	Supreme Court Trial Part 30 Wednesday, January 19	Supreme Court Trial Part 68 Monday, February 8

Previous episode: "Family Friend"

"Heart of Darkness" Law & Order Season 16

Next episode: "Magnet"