| "Teenage Wasteland" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | L&O, Episode 11.12 | → |
| Production number: E1315 First aired: 7 February 2001 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Barry Schindel & Aaron Zelman Directed By Constantine Makris | ||
Plot
The beating death of a restaurant owner leads Briscoe and Green to thrill-seeking teenagers; McCoy and Lewin are forced to decide how young is too young for the death penalty.
Cast
Main cast
- Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe
- Jesse L. Martin as Detective Ed Green
- S. Epatha Merkerson as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren
- Sam Waterston as Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy
- Angie Harmon as A.D.A. Abbie Carmichael
- Dianne Wiest as Interim D.A. Nora Lewin
Guest cast
- Danny Burstein as Lester Rosenfeld
- Danielle Carin as Heather Russo
- Lynn Chen as Jenny Wu
- Alex Feldman as Mitch Regan
- Ken Garito as Kevin Russo
- Murphy Guyer as Defense Attorney Leslie Stanton
- John Heffernan as Marvin Warner
- Leslie Hendrix as Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers
- Wai Ching Ho as Mrs. Ngai
- Audrie J. Neenan as Judge Marilyn Haynes
- Giulia Pagano as Mrs. Russo
- Lou Bonacki as Mr. Russo
- Brenda Pressley as ADA Shannon Hayes
- John Ramsey as Judge Walter Schreiber
- Molly Regan as Mrs. Regan
- Jason Ritter as Nick Simms
- Don Sparks as ADA Lawrence Donato
- Michelle Stern as Heather Russo's Attorney
- Jo Twiss as Carol Warner
- Kay Walbye as Neighbor
- Pete Simpson as CSU Officer
- Dennis Paladino as Super
- Clayton LeBouef as Attorney #1
- Sharon Hope as Judge
- Cesar De León as Painter #1
- Brennan Brown as Forensic Technician
- Erin Dilly as Emily
- Lou Sones as Clerk
- Gregory Zaragoza as Joseph
- Courtney S. Bunbury as Juror (uncredited)
References
Tommy Ngai
Quotes
(Lewin addressing the press regarding her decision on the death penalty.)
Nora Lewin: My decision today continues this office's decision of objectively applying the laws of this state to the cases it's charged with prosecuting in this great city. Ours is an island but we are not untouched by the national debate or its dictates concerning the death penalty. That being said, my decision goes against my personal feelings, but as District Attorney, I took an oath to uphold the law which includes applying the death penalty fairly with due process of law. To do otherwise would be to substitute my own judgement for the judgement of those the people elected to make such decisions. Accordingly, I am forced to conclude that notice to the court of our intention to seek the death penalty in the case of the People versus Mitch Reagan is appropriate.
(After Mitch Regan says the killing was an accident)
Jack McCoy: Charge him with murder. A person doesn't lose the back of his skull unless the killer intends him to.
(Talking about Mr. Ngai)
Lennie Briscoe: Guy works fifteen hours a day, ends up in a puddle in the rain.
Ed Green: He left his mark though. Three kids and a business that supports two families.
Nora Lewin: What should be the standard to take the life of a teenager?
Abbie Carmichael: Where I come from, it's where the crime committed is so vicious, so cruel, he forfeits the right to get any older.
Nora Lewin: Where I come from a person can't forfeit that right. We can only take it from him.
Background information and notes
Background information and notes
| Previous episode: "Sunday in the Park with Jorge" |
"Teenage Wasteland" Law & Order Season 11 |
Next episode: "Phobia" |