| "Mad Dog" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | L&O, Episode 7.18 | → |
| Production number: K1116 First aired: 4 April 1997 | ||
| Written By René Balcer Directed By Christopher Misiano | ||
McCoy comes dangerously close to abusing his prosecutorial authority, after a convicted serial rapist is released from prison after serving 18 years of a 30-year sentence.
Plot[]
McCoy testifies at the parole hearing of convicted serial rapist Lewis Darnell, and is dissatisfied after Darnell is released after serving 18 years of a 30-year sentence.
Darnell starts sharing an apartment with his daughter Janeane and his grandson. Janeane has steadfastly claimed that Darnell was always innocent of any crimes, and that he only confessed so he could be paroled. Then, a teenager named Teresa Perez is found raped and murdered in her own bedroom.
Briscoe and Curtis are called in because despite lack of evidence of rape, Teresa's mother says that Teresa never slept naked. The cops link Darnell to Teresa's building after they discover that he lived in the building next door as a child.
McCoy wants Darnell examined for scratches. Using suspected drug use as a ruse, Briscoe and Curtis work with his parole officer to have him checked. Darnell has a few scratches, but even more interesting, he has no body hair so he won't leave any hair wherever he goes.
McCoy, sensing that Darnell is the killer, but short on evidence, sets out to find a legal loophole to ensure Darnell's return to prison. His persistence (from 24-hour surveillance to the use of Megan's Law) brings him dangerously close to abusing his prosecutorial authority.
McCoy even tries to have Darnell civilly committed to a mental institution, arguing that the fact that he is "incurable" renders him a danger to society.
McCoy's zeal leads to accusations of undue "strongarm" methods on the part of Briscoe and Curtis. He subpoenas everyone who has been near Darnell in the last six weeks and has posters put up in Darnell's neighborhood, infuriating Janeane, who refuses to believe that Darnell is a rapist.
As a result, Darnell loses his job and applies for change of residence, but he can't find anyplace that will take him. Darnell gets the ACLU involved and gets a restraining order. The judge later removes it, but warns McCoy to tread lightly.
However, the pressure gets to Darnell and he attacks a teenage neighbor. Janeane comes face to face with the truth about Darnell and is forced to kill her father in order to save her neighbor.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe
- Benjamin Bratt as Detective Rey Curtis
- S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
- Sam Waterston as Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy
- Carey Lowell as A.D.A. Jamie Ross
- Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff
Recurring cast[]
- Ned Eisenberg as Defense Attorney James Granick
- Carolyn McCormick as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet
- Leslie Hendrix as M.E. Elizabeth Rodgers
- John Fiore as Detective Tony Profaci
- Dan Frazer as Judge Barry McLellan
- Alice Liu as Forensics Technician Karyn Sasabe
Guest cast[]
- Burt Young as Lewis Darnell
- David Wolos-Fonteno as L. Munro
- Lisa LoCicero as Janeane Darnell
- Laurie Kennedy as Judge Edna Shields
- Olivia Negron as Mrs. Perez
- Teddy Coluca as Leacock
- Stephen Henderson as Judge Gerald Mowat
- Anthony Ruivivar as Raymond Cartena
- Merritt Wever as Myra
- Barton Tinapp as Roger Taban
- Eden Riegel as Natalie
- Donald Christopher as Doctor
- Sarah Burke as Natalie's Mother
- Edward D. Murphy as Parole Board Member
- Candice Rose as Tami
- Sylvia Kauders as Elderly Woman
- Monique Cintron as Young Mother
- John LaGioia as Super
- Ron Brice as Officer Service
- Edward Cannan as CSU Tech Atwood
- John Finnerty as CSU Technician
- Jeannine Comeau as Clerk
- Tamara Daniel as Secretary
References[]
- Teresa Perez
- Civil Commitment
- Ohio
- Kansas v. Hendricks
- Bellevue Hospital Center
Quotes[]
(on McCoy's attempts to have Lewis Darnell committed rather than jailed)
| “ | It's legally brilliant! Sure to be a hit with the public. And you have no business trying it. | ” |
–Adam Schiff | ||
- Lewis Darnell (to McCoy): You son of a bitch, you better step off! You leave me the hell alone!
- McCoy: There's only three ways that's gonna happen, Mr. Darnell. Either you'll kill me, kill yourself or go back to prison.
- Briscoe: Wrong M.O., no eyewitness and no murder weapon. This gets better all the time!
Background information and notes[]
- The episode was later adapted into the Law & Order: UK episode "Hounded".
- Constantine Makris won the 1997 Emmy for "Outstanding Cinematography for a Series" for his work in this episode.
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|
|
Office of |
Forensics Laboratory |
Janeane's Salon |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Office of |
Chambers of |
Supreme Court |
| 7 | 8 |
|---|---|
|
Chambers of |
Building of |
| Previous episode: "Showtime" |
"Mad Dog" Law & Order Season 7 |
Next episode: "Double Down" |