Marcus Woll was a criminal defense attorney who is a former Assistant District Attorney, during which time he had an affair with his coworker, A.D.A. Connie Rubirosa.
Background[]
Woll's career as an attorney began in 1988 when he started working for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. During his time in this office as an ADA he worked to secure 102 convictions. He worked with Connie Rubirosa as his assistant and the two eventually had a romantic relationship. During his tenure as an ADA he was handed the case of Alvin Jackson who was accused of killing one of his lieutenants which made his career. Alvin claimed that a rival drug dealer named Eddie Rice sent someone to kill him and frame Alvin, but Woll didn't care and wanted to convict. But when a witness named Henry Lovett came forward to testify that Alvin wasn't the killer, Woll decided to have him killed. He had Rubirosa call Lovett's wife, Shelley, and ask for his location, but lie, saying they wanted to offer him protection. When Connie got the address he gave the location to Eddie Rice who killed him and buried his body in a grave, which wouldn't be discovered for another two years.
On L&O[]
Woll later takes over representation of three boys from Legal Aid (Rafe Alvarez, Sammy Molina, and Carlos Cabezas) who are arrested for the murder of a Ramon family drug dealer Nina Wilshere at the behest of the Vela Cartel. Woll pleads not guilty for all the defendants and asks they all be released on their own recognizance. Rubirosa argues that based on personal experience Woll was not retained by the families to represent them and asks who hired him. Woll argues it isn't relevant and uses their ages as juveniles but Rubirosa counters each will be tried as adults for murder and states that Molina and Cabezas have no family to be released to. Woll tries to argue their guardians are on their way but the judge remands them. Woll then files a motion to suppress all the evidence found in the mansion.
At the hearing Woll doesn't dispute the results that the money tested positive for cocaine and instead provides a study documenting how most U.S. dollars test positive for cocaine. He argues if warrants are based out on this then no home is safe for a search. Despite E.A.D.A. Cutter's arguments the judge suppresses everything found in the house and Woll immediately files for a dismissal based on lack of evidence. Cutter manages to use the video footage to save the indictments on Molina and Alvarez but dismisses the charges against Cabezas.
After Eddy Blanco, a lieutenant and the leader of the hit squad, is arrested Woll represents him and later argues in court after Alvarez' parents want a new attorney. Woll vigorously states Alvarez has a right to choose his own counsel since he is emancipated and charged as an adult. But because Alvarez was kidnapped and the potential conflict the judge orders new counsel for Alvarez despite his and Woll's objections. After they turn Alvarez they secure an indictment for Blanco and the other two boys and Detective Lupo testifies in the trial with Woll asking no questions and later objects to the testimony of Alvarez stating the DA's office brainwashed him into cooperating and asks for 48 hours and the judge grants him 24. When Woll couldn't get to Alvarez or his parents he has Molina murdered in juvenile detention. Cutter offers a deal to Blanco when Alvarez gets scared but Woll rebuffs him knowing it worked. At the motions hearing the judge denies his motion but Cutter asks for a continuance and Woll demands a dismissal if they don't produce the witness. (L&O: "Boy Gone Astray")
He later learns that Maggie Hayes will be testifying in the murder trial of her ex-boyfriend William Avery and Taryn Murdoch for killing Murdoch's husband. He volunteers to do some pro bono work for Avery's defense counsel, Les Gomez, to keep tabs on Maggie for his own client and her boss, Bart Rainey. After Woll realizes Gomez is going to expose Rainey's mobster dealings in open court, he warns Rainey about her damaging testimony and suggests having her killed. After this Rainey gets her location from his other employee Paige, who is also her lover, and takes one his cars and kills Maggie. When Paige is brought into the 27th Precinct, Woll goes there to try and stop her from talking by claiming he represents her. Det. Lupo lies to him saying Paige isn't in their precinct and Woll leaves and detectives follow suit and arrest Rainey for Maggie's murder.
Woll files a motion to suppress the car and shell casing as evidence based on the fact it was searched and seized in Columbia. But the judge rules it admissible after Cutter says an NYPD Detective was present during the search and can be available to testify. As they leave Woll gloats to both Cutter and Rubirosa that he will beat them at trial and even offers Rubirosa a job at his firm, which she declines. He tries to set up a meeting with Paige to get her location, but Cutter tells him that after their last witness was intimidated through murder he will pass. He decides to give Rainey the locations of several hotels he and Rubirosa used to house witnesses and Rainey sends a contract killer to kill Paige. The contract killer fails to kill Paige and is himself killed by Detective Bernard, but Paige is scarred into keeping quiet.
He later hears Cutter and Rubirosa are applying for a warrant to bug his conversations with Rainey he pays them both a visit after the judge denies the motion. Woll subtly threatens both of them to back off unless they want all his convictions overturned on appeal. When his involvement in Lovett's murder is discovered he is arrested for both murder and the attempted murder as he moves to dismiss the charges against Rainey. While he is being arrested he implores the judge to make a ruling and she decides to dismiss the charges without prejudice. When Woll's attorney manages to convince the judge to dismiss using Woll's pattern of having witnesses killed as evidence, Rubirosa amends the charges. She states they will only charge Woll with one count of first-degree murder in Henry Lovett's case while naming herself as a co-conspirator. The judge adjourns the hearing pending a superseding indictment and Woll's bail is continued. After they leave Woll taunts Cutter with his past relationship with Connie.
At trial Woll listens to Jackson testify about how Eddie killed his lieutenant and framed him and how Woll helped keep Lovett from talking. Woll's attorney uses his conviction to cast doubt and asks no other questions. Woll arrives outside the DA's building, corners Rubirosa, and attempts to intimidate her not to testify against him. Rubirosa isn't intimidated but as she leaves he informs her of Cutter's crush on her and Rubirosa walks away. Woll listens to Rubirosa testify about how she found Lovett's address, gave it to Woll and Woll asked her to work on his closing statement, indicating he knew Lovett was going to die. On cross Woll's attorney tries to use Rubirosa's past relationship with Woll and her current job to suggest she is merely a vindictive girlfriend. But she holds her ground and even makes a snide comment that Woll wasn't that memorable.
Woll gets up to testify and tries to paint the picture that Rubirosa is delusional and he didn't have Lovett killed. On cross, Cutter uses his phone records to prove he didn't call Lovett but he did call Rice and Woll plays dumb. Cutter then tricks Woll by making it seem he is putting the blame on Rubirosa for killing Lovett and gets him to say he doesn't kill witnesses. This allows Cutter to bring up Maggie's murder and Paige's attempted murder. After this Woll tries to cut a deal with Cutter to give them Rainey in exchange for being allowed to walk, but he doesn't realize that Cutter is recording the conversation and he shows them the tape. Cutter cuts a deal with Rainey to testify against Woll and Woll is tried and convicted of three counts of murder in the first degree in the deaths of the witnesses and one count attempted murder in the first degree of a witness and is serving a life sentence without parole in Attica Correctional Facility, whilst Rainey is serving 12-14 years in the same prison for the murder of Margaret Hayes and his participation in the attempted murder of Paige Reagan. (L&O: "For the Defense")
Clients[]
- Vela Cartel (L&O: "Boy Gone Astray")
- Eddy Blanco
- Rafe Alvarez
- Samuel Molina
- Carlos Cabezas
- Bart Rainey (L&O: "For the Defense")
Known Victims[]
- Unknown date in 2005: Henry Lovett (murdered by Rice's hitman and buried the body)
- October 21, 2008: Samuel Molina (throat slashed by Blanco's assassin)
- 2009:
- October 7: Margaret Hayes (shot once in the chest and head by Rainey)
- October 9: Paige Reagan (attempted to have shot by Rainey's assassin)