| "Prince of Darkness" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | L&O, Episode 3.08 | → |
| Production number: 68003 First aired: 18 November 1992 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Robert Nathan & William N. Fordes Directed By Gilbert Shilton | ||
A Colombian drug cartel assassin is accused in the murder of a Colombian couple in a restaurant. During the investigation, Ceretta sets up a buy with a black market arms dealer, but is shot twice when the deal goes wrong.
Synopsis[]
A Colombian businessman, Manuel Ortega, and his wife, Natalie, are brutally murdered in a crowded restaurant.
Ortega and his boss, Roberto Buenaventura, were in the business of flying members of the Colombian cartel into the country under the guise of a travel agency. Ortega's mother tells the police that her son killed a major dealer named Felix Arias when he made advances towards Natalie. Ortega's murder was done by Javier Gaitan in revenge for Arias's killing. Gaitan also goes by the name Paolo Esteban.
Cerreta and Logan arrest Gaitan for murder. However, Stone is unable to prosecute with the weak evidence presented. They have 30 days to build a case before Gaitan is released. Cerreta and Logan determine that the gun used was a Steyr Aug. They set up a sting with a black market gun dealer, George Lobrano. The sting goes bad, and Cerreta is shot twice.
With Cerreta's permission, Stone makes a deal with Lobrano to testify against Gaitan. Gaitan's girlfriend, Sandra Alvaro, refuses to testify in person after being threatened. Stone is able to have her testimony taken in jail, and read aloud in court. Gaitan is convicted for the murders of the Manuel and Natalie Ortega, but is killed outside of the courthouse by a man known as Cristobal.
Cristobal is able to con Stone and Robinette into believing that Gaitan had killed his son, and that his actions were a heat-of-the-moment revenge killing. Lobrano tells them that this is a lie, but Cristobal is on a flight back to Colombia before they are able to re-arrest him.
Schiff is informed that Lobrano had his throat slit, Buenaventura was strangled, Ortega's mother fell out of a window, and their daughter was picked up at school by an uncle. A horrified Ben Stone points out that "She doesn't have an uncle..."
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Paul Sorvino as Sergeant Phil Cerreta
- Chris Noth as Detective Mike Logan
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
- Michael Moriarty as Executive A.D.A. Benjamin Stone
- Richard Brooks as A.D.A. Paul Robinette
- Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff
Recurring cast[]
- Christine Farrell as Forensics Technician Arlene Shrier
- Rosemary De Angelis as Attorney Sally Goldman
- Bernie McInerney as Judge Michael Callahan
- Joe Lisi as Attorney Chris Minetti
Guest cast[]
- Rosanna DeSoto as Mrs. Ortega
- Saundra Santiago as Sandra Alvaro
- Mark Margolis as George Lobrano
- Shawn Elliott as Ramone Buenaventura
- Jaime Sánchez as Mr. Cristobal
- Lonny Price as Frank Hoover
- Lizan Mitchell as Judge Lerner
- Carlos Sanz as Javier "Elvis" Lariano Gaitan
- Alice Spivak as Judge Esther Fein
- Debra Riessen as Maryann Thompson
- Ivan Kronenfeld as Stein
- Michael Hammond as Scott Newman
- Gary Perez as Manuel Ortega
- Carrell Myers as Natalie Ortega
- Catherine Gardner as Felice Ortega
- Susan Aston as Lydia
- T. Scott Cunningham as Kennedy
- Mark Woodcock as Lucas
- Curzon Dobell as Alan Kirk
- Dylan Price as Jack Ketcham
- Jerry Rockwood as Mr. Lawson
- Norma Rockwood as Mrs. Lawson
- John Finnerty as Nelson
- Virginia Wing as Jury Forewoman
References[]
- Rikers Island
- Felix Arias (victim)
- Devil
- Peter Pan
Quotes[]
| “ | Merry Christmas! You're under arrest. | ” |
–Mike Logan | ||
- Cerreta: Do you think we need a warrant to search Manuel's apartment?
- Logan: He's not a suspect. He's a victim. We search his apartment, we're doing him a favor, right?
- Cerreta: I like your thinking.
- Logan: (laughs)
| “ | If Manuel dies, you prop him up in a suit behind a piano. I don't care what you do, but no one finds out. You get guards around his home. | ” |
–Captain Cragen | ||
- Stone: We're dropping all charges.
- Robinette: (to Sandra) You're free to go.
- Stone: We'll hold a press conference announcing a new prosecution witness.
- Ben Stone: She'll solidify our case.
- Sally: This is not you, Ben.
- Stone: This is definitely me, Sally. When a cop gets shot, I want a conviction.
- Schiff: You would have held a press conference?
- Stone: I'm glad I didn't have to decide.
| “ | I LOVE cases where a homicidal gun dealer is our best witness. | ” |
–Schiff | ||
- Logan: Manuel hits Arias: They send a signal. "Don't anybody do it again."
- Cragen: Hold your horses. Something here sounds familiar.
- Logan: Yeah, drug dealers shoot people
- Schiff: The gun dealer was in the yard at Riker's. Had his throat cut. Buenaventura was strangled in the kitchen at Dannemora. And Manuel Ortega's mother fell out of a window.
- Robinette: What about the little girl?
- Schiff: She was picked up at school by her uncle.
- Stone: She doesn't have an uncle.
Background information and notes[]
- In the last appearance of actor Paul Sorvino as regular cast member Sergeant Phil Cerreta, it is revealed that his mother is 73 years old and still works in the clothing industry. Cerreta became a cop in 1969. After Max Greevey, Cerreta is the second partner to Mike Logan who gets shot.
- The episode title "Prince of Darkness" is a reference to the nickname given to Columbian hitman Javier Lariano Gaitan. It is also a common nickname used in reference to the Devil.
- In a possible goof, one of the title cards lists the interrogation room as being in the 33rd Precinct, not the 27th.
| Previous episode: "Self Defense" |
"Prince of Darkness" Law & Order Season 3 |
Next episode: "Point of View" |