Law & Order

Season 12

Who Let the Dogs Out?

1. This story was inspired by the case of Diane Whipple, a California college lacrosse coach who was mauled to death by two Presa Canarios in the hallway of her apartment building. The dogs had been given to neighbors by the owners, who were in jail at the time.
2. This is Elisabeth Rohm's first episode.

Armed Forces

For Love or Money

Soldier of Fortune

Possession

Formerly Famous

1. Although this episode aired after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, it was filmed prior to them. After Briscoe and Green visited the copy/mailbox store and then barge into Brad Feldman's office to confront him with "obstruction of justice", you can see the South Tower and Marriott Hotel in the view behind Feldman as the two detectives speak to him. The tower is partially obscured by Feldman and the large dark building on his right (One Liberty Plaza). The Hudson River with the wake of a recently departed ferry can be seen past the tower itself. The other dark building (the Deutsche Bank Building) to Feldman's left was severely damaged during the attacks and remained vacant for many years afterwards. The building was eventually dismantled, a process that was slowed and took three years (2004 - 2007) during which time human remains were found on its roof and throughout its interior, and a seven-alarm fire in 2007 killed two firefighters.
2. This episode was inspired by the 2001 murder of Bonnie Lee Bakley, the wife of the actor Robert Blake and the mother of his infant daughter.

Myth of Fingerprints

1. Based on the case of Joyce Gilchrist, an Oklahoma City forensic chemist who was found to have falsified forensic evidence in order to help prosecutors obtain convictions, sending dozens of innocent men and women to prison, and leading to the execution of at least one man who was later fully exonerated.
2. First on-screen role for Ginnifer Goodwin, who at the time was only 22. She plays the victim's girlfriend during the cold opening.

The Fire This Time

3 Dawg Night

1. Nora Sutherland's idea of having a black ADA at the prosecution table is a reference to the LA District Attorney's Office having Christopher Darden, a black ADA, as part of the prosecution's team in the OJ Simpson murder trial case.

Prejudice

1. Courtney B. Vance guest starred on two earlier episodes of Law & Order but in this episode, Jack McCoy suggests that A.D.A Ron Carver should sit second-chair on the case. Vance played Carver on Law & Order spin-off Criminal Intent.
2. While not the first episode aired after 9/11, this was the first one filmed after 9/11. You can tell the change by the number of American flags in the background, increased uniformed police presence and then a reference to the Towers falling by ADA Sutherland.

The Collar

1. Kent Broadhurst who plays an attorney for the archdiocese also played a lawyer for an archdiocese in The Verdict.

Undercovered

DR 1-102

1. This episode is often used in law schools as a teaching tool for discussions on attorney ethics.

Missing

1. Loosely based on the ''Ripped from the Headlines'' news story of California Congressman Gary Condit and missing intern Chandra Levy, whose skeletal remains were later found in a Washington, D.C. park.

Access Nation

1. Some interesting tidbits about Jack McCoy's personal life: he banks at Citibank; uses his grandmother's name as a password for almost everything; listens to quite a bit of the Beatles, and fusion jazz; rents many movies; and has an almost unhealthy obsession with the band The Clash.
2. Tracy Conley was murdered on December 19, 2001.

Born Again

1. Based on the case of 10-year old Candace Newmaker, a Colorado girl who was smothered to death after several adults sat on her during a "rebirthing" ceremony that was meant to help bring her closer to her adopted mother.
2. The episode has the ex-husband living near Philly in Camden, PA. Camden is actually located in NJ, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.
3. Paula Weston was murdered on January 7, 2002.

Girl Most Likely

1. ADA Southerlyn makes several statements regarding the victim being a lesbian, yet never admits she is one herself. Her character's departure from the series 3 seasons later in Law & Order: Ain't No Love (2005) was due to being fired, and was noted for her asking "Is this because I'm a lesbian?"

Equal Rights

Slaughter

Dazzled

Foul Play

1. When a youth director mentions he's heard of parents attacking an umpire, Southerland says her office prosecuted a hockey dad several months earlier. She's referring to the episode "Thin Ice" from season 11, where a father murdered his son's hockey coach.

Attorney Client

1. The actress who plays the stripper Jasmine Blake (Annie Parisse) is none other than the actress who would go on to portray ADA Alexandra Borgia during the 15th season of Law and Order (3 seasons / 64 episodes later - "Fluency"). In fact, the ADA in this episode (Serena Southerlyn) would be replaced by this actress.

Oxymoron

Patriot