Law & Order (season 3)

The third season of Law & Order aired on NBC between September 23, 1992, and May 19, 1993. This season marked the introduction of Jerry Orbach as Lennie Briscoe, who replaced Paul Sorvino after "Prince of Darkness." (A year prior, Orbach had guest starred as a defense attorney in at least one-episode season two episode two's “Wages of Love”). At the end of the season, both Dann Florek and Richard Brooks departed the main cast.

Law & Order
Season 3
Season 3 U.S. DVD cover
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseSeptember 23, 1992 (1992-09-23) –
May 19, 1993 (1993-05-19)
Season chronology

Cast

Season 3 began with an unchanged cast. However, during the third and sixth episode, Carolyn McCormick was credited in the opening theme and starting with the ninth episode, she is credited for the rest of the season. This made her the first woman to be part of the cast in the series. A third of the way through, Lennie Briscoe (played by Jerry Orbach) replaced Phil Cerreta (Paul Sorvino) in the role of senior detective. This was the first mid-season replacement of a major character in Law & Order's history; the next would not occur until season 15. This was also the final season to feature Dann Florek as Capt. Don Cragen, and Richard Brooks as Paul Robinette. Both men would later return in guest roles, with Florek eventually joining the cast of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. This was also the last season of the original opening theme is used before switching it to the shorter theme next season onwards.

Episodes

{{#invoke:Episode list|sublist|Law & Order (season 3) |EpisodeNumber=50 |EpisodeNumber2=6 |Title=Helpless |DirectedBy=James Frawley |WrittenBy=Michael S. Chernuchin & Christine Roum |OriginalAirDate=November 4, 1992 (1992-11-04) |ProdCode=68011 |Aux4=17.50[1] |ShortSummary=After Dr. Elizabeth Olivet is assaulted by her gynecologist, Dr. Alexander J. Merritt (Paul Hecht), she turns to Detectives Cerreta and Logan to have him investigated. They certainly believe her story but getting evidence that would stand up in court is another thing. The one woman Diane Perkins ([[Felicity Huffman) made a similar claim against Merritt has serious psychological problem and would unlikely make a good witness. Olivet returns to Merritt but this time records their encounter, where he rapes her. With this evidence, ADA Stone feels he has a strong case but Olivet's close working relationship with the police dooms them. He does come up with another way to get evidence against the doctor.

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		US viewers
(millions)
451"Skin Deep"Daniel SackheimRobert Nathan & Gordon RayfieldSeptember 23, 1992 (1992-09-23)6800914.90
After photographer Julian Decker is found murdered in his studio, Logan and Cerreta discover that Decker's real business was prostitution and pimping for models who aren't getting the work they need. Their investigation leads to Angela Brandt (Alberta Watson), one of Decker's models who found more money working for Decker in other ways, but they also discover that Decker was romantically involved with Angela's teenage daughter Tracy Brandt (Claire Danes). Stone realizes that something strange is going on when the case gets weaker against Angela, but she suddenly wants to cut a deal.
462"Conspiracy"Ed SherinMichael S. Chernuchin & René BalcerSeptember 30, 1992 (1992-09-30)6800612.80
After Marcus Tate, the respected leader of a controversial African-American rights movement, is assassinated at a rally, Logan and Cerreta attempt to get information on the crime but are stonewalled by many of Tate's followers, who aren't interested in talking to white police officers. Photographs lead them to Mitchell Kolbin, a white man who had followed Tate religiously but who seemed to lose some of his wonderment when Tate began an affair with his wife.
473"Forgiveness"Bill D'EliaS : Robert Nathan;
S/T : Ed Zuckerman		October 7, 1992 (1992-10-07)6800517.20
After Elizabeth Milgram is found beaten to death in an alleyway following her going-away party, Logan and Cerreta initially turn their suspicion to the girl's father. Her fiancé, Tommy Beltran, claims that he had hit her after Beth told him they were engaged, but it isn't long before their primary suspect becomes Beltran himself. Stone has the unpleasant task of facing the renowned Cyrus Weaver (Laurence Luckinbill), who is determined to prove that Tommy Beltran is not guilty of murdering Beth Milgram because, as a poor young man from a Mexican family Beltran could not restrain his rage when his upper-class girlfriend broke up with him.
484"The Corporate Veil"Don ScardinoMichael S. Chernuchin & Joe MorgensternOctober 14, 1992 (1992-10-14)6800714.80
Cerreta and Logan investigate the death of a young man, Roberto Martinez, who died of a heart attack behind the wheel of his car. Despite his young age, Martinez had a pacemaker which apparently failed. His family is suing the company that manufactured the pacemaker but they also want a criminal investigation. What they learn is the device implanted in Martinez was previously used in another patient. The doctor in that case claims she donated the device to a medical school after her own patient received a new one. The pacemaker was acquired and refurbished by Bruce Sutter but it appears he may have changed the expiration date of the battery. A detailed examination however reveal's the problem may have been one of quality which leads them back to the manufacturer and eventually charge the owner's son, Steven Cleary, with murder.
495"Wedded Bliss"Vern GillumRobert Nathan & Edward PomerantzOctober 21, 1992 (1992-10-21)6800414.80[2]
The body of a young Spanish woman who is found dead and floating in the river with her hands handcuffed behind her back. They had had a similar case of young man but the police weren't able to make any headway with that case. A police department forensic anthropologist is able to reconstruct their faces and they turn out to be brother and sister who were in the USA illegally working in the garment industry. When they learn that a city inspector was found dead in the river also handcuffed, the police are certain they are dealing with illegal immigrants working as virtual slaves. It leads them to sweat shop owners Ellis (Bill Raymond) and Betty Drake (Patti D'Arbanville) and to Rudy Amendariz (Jose Zuniga) who has been supplying them with the slave labor. ADA Stone's case is weak however and getting a conviction will depend on getting one of the three to testify.
517"Self-Defense"Ed SherinRené Balcer & Hall PowellNovember 11, 1992 (1992-11-11)6800814.90[3]
Cerreta and Logan investigate the shooting of two young men Cesar and Garland Booker. They were known small-time drug dealers and one had convictions for armed robberies. They focus on one particular shopkeeper, George Costas (Adam Arkin), after part of his story doesn't check out. They subsequently learn that he was previously involved in shooting a robber and was something of a local hero as a result. It turns out the two dead men did try to rob him and he did shoot them. Costas however then reloaded his gun and ran after them outside his store to finish them. The question for the jury is whether Costas was simply acting in self-defense or whether he's a murderer.
528"Prince of Darkness"Gilbert ShiltonRobert Nathan & William N. FordesNovember 18, 1992 (1992-11-18)6800314.60[4]
While investigating the shooting death of Manuel and Natalie Ortega who were having dinner in a restaurant with their young daughter. It has all of the hallmarks of a mob-style killing but everyone who knew Manuel insists that he was clean. It turns out however he may have eliminated a member of the Columbian drug cartel and his killing was retaliation. The weapon Manuel used was rare and the police track down the man George Lobrano (Mark Margolis) who sold it to him. Cerreta poses as a buyer but it all goes wrong and he is severely injured. With the gun dealer under arrest, they are able to apprehend the Columbian hit man who killed the Ortegas. ADA Stone has to decide if he wants to give the dealer immunity in exchange for his testimony. The Columbian assassin meanwhile claims to be someone else.
539"Point of View"Gilbert MosesWalon Green & René BalcerNovember 25, 1992 (1992-11-25)6801216.40[5]

Logan has trouble dealing with Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach), who has been brought in while Cerreta recovers from surgery. During their investigation of the murder of Tommy Duff, a small-time hood, their investigation leads them to Mary Kostrinki (Lisa Eichhorn), who claims Duff raped her. When her attorney, Lanie Stieglitz (Elaine Stritch) (an old friend of Stone's from law school), calls Olivet to the stand to testify in Mary Kostrinski's defense, Schiff forces Stone to use Olivet's recent rape to discredit her testimony. Logan is upset to learn that Cerreta has accepted another position within the department and will not be returning.

5410"Consultation"James HaymanMatt Kiene & Joseph ReinkemeyerDecember 9, 1992 (1992-12-09)6801413.40[6]

A pregnant woman Kelani Amonda from Nigeria arrives and goes into labor in the cab she's on. She dies while giving birth. Briscoe and Logan are called in because the ME says she had ingested some drugs that were in latex bags that burst open. They learn that a tribal chief Ola-Gimju Nwaka (Wendell Pierce) paid for her to come. So they assume that someone close to the chief or the chief himself is smuggling drugs. When they think they have enough to arrest him they do. And when he appears before the D.A. he claims that he has diplomatic immunity. So with a Nigerian official Sir Idris Balewa (Roscoe Lee Browne) they try to find enough evidence that can have his immunity be waived.

5511"Extended Family"Charles CorrellT : Robert Nathan;
S/T : Wendell Rawls		January 6, 1993 (1993-01-06)6801516.10[7]
Briscoe and Logan investigate a possible abduction of a young girl, Samantha Silver, who disappears from a crowded department store when she is out shopping with her nanny. Her father is Gary Silver (Barry Primus) , a well-known Broadway producer. The case takes a major twist however when they locate the child with her mother Janet Silver (Anna Holbrook), who claims she had taken the child because her ex-husband has been sexually molesting her. Her claim is backed up by several child protection advocates and a pediatrician's report that seems to confirm the little girl was molested. ADA Stone knows however that these types of cases are difficult to prosecute as they inevitably have to rely on the child's testimony.
5612"Right to Counsel"James FrawleyMichael S. Chernuchin & Barry M. SchkolnickJanuary 13, 1993 (1993-01-13)6801915.10[8]
When painters find the body of 61 year-old Barbara Spiegleman a wealthy elderly woman, who is stabbed to death in the back on her kitchen floor. The police have several possible leads. She had forced her daughter to leave her husband, who she didn't like. They focus however on Steven Gregg (Richard Cox), her new boyfriend who is over 20 years her junior, after learning from the dead woman's estate attorney Kevin Doyle that Gregg will inherit $2 million. It's a weak case and ADA Stone offers him a deal, something his attorney Sally Knight (Mary Mara) urges him to accept. ADA Robinette knows something is wrong however when Gregg gets the facts wrong at his allocution hearing.
5713"Night and Fog"Ed SherinMichael S. Chernuchin & René BalcerFebruary 3, 1993 (1993-02-03)6801814.60[9]
Briscoe and Logan investigate the death of an elderly holocaust survivor who apparently took her own life using her husband's prescription medication. The woman was ill and dying and it seems legit. Until they hear that she had recently become very concerned about news reports of a Nazi enforcer who was convicted in Europe of war crimes in absentia. The police quickly learn that she had become convinced that her husband is that man. ADA Stone charges the husband, David Stinmetz (Nehemiah Persoff) with her murder but realizes that proving him to be the man convicted of war crimes will be a major challenge.
5814"Promises to Keep"Ed SherinS : William N. Fordes & Douglas Stark;
T : Robert Nathan & Joshua Stern		February 10, 1993 (1993-02-10)6802211.40[10]

The body of a young woman Jennifer Gorham who is found dead in Central Park. They quickly realize it isn't a mugging as they first thought as someone left a trail for them to follow. All of the evidence points to Jennifer's fiancé Dan Garrett who searched her apartment after the incident. He eventually claims Jennifer's death was an accident but also that he had been having an affair with his therapist, Dr. Diane Mead (Lindsay Crouse), who told him that he could not have her if he continued with Jennifer. DA Adam Schiff thinks it will almost impossible to convict a doctor for the actions of a patient but ADA Stone thinks he has a chance at a conviction.

5915"Mother Love"Daniel SackheimS : Walon Green;
S/T : Robert Nathan		February 24, 1993 (1993-02-24)6802414.60[11]
Briscoe and Logan investigate the murder of Dawn Bryan. The young African-American woman once had a bright future ahead of her. She was a good student and was even voted most likely to succeed. It seems to have all come tumbling down when she got hooked on crack. She was shot with a .45 caliber gun and their first suspect is her supplier and sometime live-in boyfriend who goes by the street name of Skate. The dead woman's family are devastated by the loss of their daughter but they feel they lost her long ago when she became hooked on drugs. When the evidence points to a family member as the likely culprit, ADA Stone and DA Adam Schiff both feel a good deal of sympathy. Paul Robinette however doesn't think anyone should have leniency and pushes for a grand jury indictment.
6016"Jurisdiction"Bruce Seth GreenWalon Green & René BalcerMarch 3, 1993 (1993-03-03)68017TBA
Briscoe and Logan investigate a vicious knife attack on two nurses Vicky Hemmings and her roommate Aloma, who survived. Briscoe recalls a similar attack in Brooklyn and learn that that the Brooklyn victim, Mary Davis, and Vicky had worked at the same walk-in clinic. The Brooklyn detective, Lt. Brian Torelli (Dan Hedaya) , make an arrest where the suspect David Zifrin confesses to the crime. When Briscoe and Logan interview the suspect, they quickly realize he is mentally challenged and seriously doubt he actually committed the crime. ADA Stone agrees but his Brooklyn counterpart doesn't and Stone soon finds himself appearing as a witness for the defense.
6117"Conduct Unbecoming"Arthur W. ForneyS : Walon Green & Peter S. Greenberg;
T : Michael S. Chernuchin & René Balcer		March 10, 1993 (1993-03-10)6802313.50[12]

Briscoe and Logan investigate the death of Navy Lt. Tracy Hagen, who was found dead in her hotel room where a ship's crew was having a wild party following 6 weeks at sea. Using video one of the sailors took at the party, they question two officers one of whom, Ensign Evan Walters, admits being the last person with her before she died but has no memory of what might have happened. The Navy insists on taking jurisdiction in the case and Walters is quickly found guilty. ADAs Stone and Robinette find a number of holes in the Navy prosecution's case and continue their own investigation. When the medical examiner confirms that Hagen died of a slow brain hemorrhage and could have been injured 30 minutes before she died, the evidence points to another officer who had a previous incident with her.

6218"Animal Instinct"Ed SherinMichael S. Chernuchin & Sibyl GardnerMarch 17, 1993 (1993-03-17)6802112.70[14]
Dr. Faye Walsh, a genetic researcher is found shot to death in the back in her university laboratory. The killing has all of the hallmarks of animal rights activists with lab rats having been released and slogans written on the wall. They arrest one activist but he has a alibi for when Walsh was killed. The case takes a sudden turn when they learn the victim thought her husband, Donald Walsh, was having an affair and had even hired a private detective to look into it. An administrator at the lab, Susan Boyd (Frances Fisher), admits to the affair but flatly denies having anything to do with Faye's death. She agrees to a plea bargain offered by ADA Stone and testifies against Walsh. Afterwards however, Stone begins to wonder if Boyd is a fantasist who has made the whole thing up.
6319"Virus"Steven RobmanMichael S. Chernuchin & René BalcerApril 21, 1993 (1993-04-21)6801011.90[15]
Briscoe and Logan are investigating the deaths of some patients at a clinic for diabetics. They learn the ones who died were not given the correct dosage of their meds. They learn that someone hacked into the clinic's systems and altered the dosages. They learn who the hacker is and see him but he claims to be innocent. He thinks someone went through his system to cover his tracks. They have him find out who and does and they arrest him. But because of how they found him, the case is dismissed. So now the D.A. has to start from scratch and they start by finding out why he attacked the clinic. They learn his father was a patient who went blind and blamed them but couldn't do anything about it. But they still can't get him so they go after the father.
6420"Securitate"James HaymanMatt Kiene & Joe ReinkemeyerMay 5, 1993 (1993-05-05)6802610.80[16]
Briscoe and Logan investigate the murder of Nicholas Iliescu, a furniture dealer who was shot in the back of the head and then dragged by a car. In the course of the investigation, they learn that people who shopped at Iliescu's store subsequently had their credit card number used illegally. It points to Nicholas's brother Alex Iliescu and one of his sidekicks, Tommy Dinescu. Before they can do much about, the police find Alex in his apartment, dead from a number of stab wounds. Alex had only been in the U.S. for a short while but his teenage son, Leon Iliescu, had been living with his Uncle Nicholas for many years. The evidence points to Leon as being responsible for killing his father. His lawyer however Jonathan Shario (Alan King) tries to use the boy's cultural differences as his defense.
6521"Manhood"Ed SherinS : Walon Green;
S/T : Robert Nathan		May 12, 1993 (1993-05-12)6802513.70[17]

When NYPD officer Rick Newhouse comes under fire, he requests backup and two patrol cars are dispatched. Both arrive too late and Newhouse is killed. The subsequent investigation clears everyone involved but Detectives Logan and Briscoe smell a rat and get Captain Cragen's permission to investigate on their own. They find that both patrol cars arrived at the scene at virtually the same time though one was 20 blocks further away when they set out. When a passer-by says he saw a patrol car sitting around the corner while the shooting was going on, they know Newhouse was left on his own. What they find is that Newhouse was gay and his fellow officers were giving him a hard time about it making it clear he wasn't welcome in their precinct. ADA Stone charges three cops with second degree murder though he knows the odds are stacked against getting a conviction.

6622"Benevolence"Ed SherinT : René Balcer;
S/T : Douglas Palau		May 19, 1993 (1993-05-19)6802815.40[18]

Briscoe and Logan investigate the murder of Kathleen McKenna, a deaf woman who is found in the alleyway next to her apartment building. Neighbors heard her scream and one had even saw her signing with a man just before that but the police have very little to go on. Kathleen worked for an advocacy group for the deaf and the group's leader Gordon Bryce (Leon Russom) says everyone liked her. She had a boyfriend but he has an alibi for the time she was killed. When the police find she had been threatened, likely by a hearing person, they go back to the boyfriend. They finally determine that Bryce is the most likely suspect but ADA Stone is going to have a difficult time making his case.

Notes and references
  1. Gable, Donna (11 November 1992). "Election news, football kick up ABS's ratings". USA TODAY.
  2. Gable, Donna (28 October 1992). "Baseball cleans up for CBS". USA TODAY.
  3. Gable, Donna (18 November 1992). "'Jacksons,' solid gold for ABC". USA TODAY.
  4. Gable, Donna (25 November 1992). "Jacksons help as-easy-as-ABC win". USA TODAY.
  5. Gable, Donna (2 December 1992). "'Weapon 2' serves CBS well". USA TODAY.
  6. Donion, Brian (16 December 1992). "No royal ratings for ABC's 'Charles and Diana'". USA TODAY.
  7. Daniels, Charlene (13 January 1993). "Women help push CBS to victory". USA TODAY.
  8. Donion, Brian (30 January 1993). "ABC gets a Thursday night boost". USA TODAY. pp. 3D.
  9. Gable, Donna; Daniels, Charlene (10 February 1993). "CBS rides to top on wings of 'Skylark'". USA TODAY. pp. 3D.
  10. Gable, Donna (17 February 1993). "King of Pop and 'Queen' rule the ratings". USA TODAY.
  11. Gable, Donna; Daniels, Charlene (3 March 1993). "Grammy show a winner for CBS". USA TODAY.
  12. Gable, Donna; Daniels, Charlene (17 March 1993). "ABC improves with bench strength". USA TODAY.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-09-06. Retrieved 2013-07-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. Gable, Donna (24 March 1993). "Waco standoff lifts CBS' '48 Hours'". USA TODAY.
  15. Donion, Brian; Daniels, Charlene (28 April 1993). "'Walker' kicks in for CBS". USA TODAY.
  16. Donion, Brian; Daniels, Charlene (12 May 1993). "Sturdy 'Home' helps lift ABC". USA TODAY.
  17. Gable, Donna; Hainer, Cathy (19 May 1993). "'Cheers' nudges NBC to No. 1". USA TODAY.
  18. Gable, Donna (26 May 1993). "'Cheers' brings happy times to NBC". USA TODAY.
  • Eric Bogosian, who guest starred as a defense attorney in the episodes "Conspiracy" and "Night and Fog", would later have a starring role in the Law & Order spin-off, Criminal Intent.
Preceded by
Season Two
(1991–1992)		 List of Law & Order seasons
(1990–2010)		 Succeeded by
Season Four
(1993–1994)
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