LAW & ORDER {LAW AND ORDER}: SHOWTIME {PART 3 OF 3} (TV)

Summary

One in this series of dramas that deals with the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of criminals. The first half of each episode concerns the police procedure that leads to the arrest of a suspect, while the second half covers the efforts of the district attorney to prosecute the case. In the final episode of this three-part arc, two young civil litigators working on the sexual harassment case against Mattawin Studios, Heidi Ellison's place of employment, find an audio recording of two employees casually threatening to murder her to prevent her from testifying for the plaintiffs, as planned. The detectives quickly determine that Ben Hollings, Heidi's boss, is on the tape, though fellow employee Jennings Canter states that she had decided against testifying before her death. Greta, however, claims that she definitely would have wanted to call her bosses out, having experienced similar harassment herself. In court, McCoy questions the cabbie who drove Eddie Newman to Islip to dispose of the murder weapon, though Gorton handily dismantles his argument, and Hollings mentions that their production company will suffer greatly if Eddie is convicted. One of the defense attorneys, Ms. Joyner, interrogates Curtis about Lisa, suggesting that he is helping her to frame Eddie, whom she loathes, because of their apparent sexual relationship. The defense objects when McCoy calls Dr. Olivet to the stand, arguing that she has never actually met the defendant, though McCoy points out that she is an expert in matters of addiction and that Eddie is clearly a heavy user.

Ross is outraged when Gorton abruptly sues her for full custody of Katie, and Curtis tries to explain to his ex about Lisa, though Lisa then contacts him and, despite her disappointment at his tactful rejection, offers to testify against Eddie, explaining that Heidi ruined an important film project of his, thus giving him plenty of motive. When called to the stand, Duvall refuses to break privilege except to say that Eddie is innocent, but Ross and McCoy soon find that Duvall had been leaking Heidi's private comments, including her decision not to testify in the harassment suit, to Hollings. The detectives wonder if Duvall is now a suspect, though when the judge demands to see the evidence, McCoy points out that it does not pertain directly to Eddie's guilt and is therefore inadmissible. Later, McCoy argues furiously with Ross about her "priorities" when she leaves work to be with her daughter, prompting Ross to quit in defiance. Gorton argues that Duvall's notes offer a valid alternate theory of the crime, in which he killed Heidi when she discovered his duplicity, and the defense is granted access to the evidence.

In family court, the judge quickly senses that Gorton and Ross' feud is rooted in something other than custody and instructs them to "work it out," and when Greta testifies that Hollings hired Duvall to spy on Heidi, Gorton ruins her credibility by revealing that she herself leaked stories about Heidi to the tabloids for money. Schiff suggests that McCoy offer a plea of second-degree murder, though McCoy refuses to give in just yet and approaches Ross, urging her to come back and help him close the case properly. On the stand, Hollings smugly agrees that Duvall "handled" Heidi, as planned, and Eddie, when called, finally admits that he killed her, but he places the blame largely upon Duvall, tearfully claiming that the doctor drugged him heavily and then advised him on disposing of the body after he awakened from his "blackout" and saw his handiwork. McCoy, however, scorns Eddie's clearly rehearsed story and goads him to admit that Heidi ruined him by tanking his prestigious movie, leaving him with only embarrassing children's films, and Eddie unintentionally reveals his deep-seated rage towards her as he rants against his "vindictive" ex. The jury soon finds him guilty, and Gorton attempts one last bargain with Ross, offering to withdraw his custody motion if she opts not to pursue the death penalty, though she quickly shames him into signing the papers. Eddie is sentenced to death after all, and a relieved Ross heads home to be with her daughter, while McCoy enjoys a private drink in his office. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: NBC
• DATE: March 27, 1997 10:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:46:31
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:49353
• GENRE: Drama, police/detective
• SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, police/detective; Drama, legal
• SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1990-2010
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Ed Sherin … Executive Producer, Director
• Dick Wolf … Executive Producer, Created by
• Rene Balcer … Executive Producer, Writer
• Ed Zuckerman … Co-Executive Producer, Writer
• Arthur W. Forney … Supervising Producer
• Gardner Stern … Supervising Producer, Writer
• Billy Fox … Producer
• Lewis H. Gould … Producer
• Jeffrey Hayes … Producer
• Jeremy R. Littman … Co-Producer
• Mike Post … Music by
• Jerry Orbach … Cast, Detective Lennie Briscoe
• Benjamin Bratt … Cast, Detective Reynaldo Curtis
• S. Epatha Merkerson … Cast, Lieutenant Anita Van Burren
• Sam Waterston … Cast, Assistant D.A. Jack McCoy
• Carey Lowell … Cast, Assistant D.A. Jamie Ross
• Steven Hill … Cast, District Attorney Adam Schiff
• Keith Szarabajka … Cast, Neil Gorton
• Lauren Graham … Cast, Lisa Lundquist
• Scott Cohen … Cast, Eddie Newman
• Paul Hecht … Cast, Dr. Dan Duvall
• Franchelle Stewart Dorn … Cast, Ms. Joyner
• Bernie McInerney … Cast, Judge Michael Callahan
• Michael Zaslow … Cast, Ben Hollings
• Carolyn McCormick … Cast, Dr. Elizabeth Olivet
• Janeane Garofalo … Cast, Greta Heiss
• Stewart Bick … Cast, Jennings Canter
• Keely Eastley … Cast, Judge Lillian Barone
• Lauren Klein … Cast, Susan Spencer
• David Kener … Cast, Ralston
• Aasif Mandvi … Cast, Gulab Singh
• Stephanie Lane … Cast, Denise
• Stuart Feldman … Cast, Kevin
• Amy Povich … Cast, Lasky
• Bill Cwikowski … Cast, Jerry Vance
• Lee Shepherd … Cast, Ben Tanner
• Pat Moya … Cast, Deborah Curtis
• Mary Catherine Nashlenas … Cast, Olivia Curtis
• Arielle Kaplan … Cast, Serena Curtis
• George Guidall … Cast, Mr. Ellison
• Caralyn Gorel … Cast, Katie
• Diana LaMar … Cast, Receptionist
• Daniel D'Amicol … Cast, Process Server
• Patricia Randell … Cast, Reporter
• Jud Meyers … Cast, Reporter
• Karen Ullman … Cast, Jury Foreperson