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"Disappeared"
L&O, Episode 8.19
Production number: K2528
First aired: 22 April 1998
  th of 456 produced in L&O  
th of 456 released in L&O
  th of 1271 released in all  
Written By
Richard Sweren & William N. Fordes

Directed By
David Platt

Plot[]

It begins with a boy entering his apartment in Chelsea with a family friend. His parents are missing, and the apartment looks like it was prepared for a dinner party that never happened. Briscoe and Curtis find evidence of foul play.

They learn that the couple had a bit of a falling out with their landlord, who had promised to put an art gallery on the first floor of their building, but had instead opened a coffee shop which he himself owned. The grievance had evolved into litigation, but when Briscoe and Curtis track down the landlord to question him, they find only his abandoned van. He's been kidnapped, too. And the kidnappings might have something to do with the gentrification that's been going on in the neighborhood.

The detectives believe that Ben O'Dell is the kidnapper, but he insists that someone else is. Ben eventually relents, and reveals the identity of the man he thinks is the kidnapper: his brother Matt O'Dell. Ben hopes to secure medical treatment for Matt, who Ben says is mentally ill.

Ben gets Ross to promise that Matt won't get the death penalty. The detectives are led to a warehouse in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn, where they find the bodies of the couple and the landlord. Danielle Melnick becomes Matt's attorney. Melnick earns a major victory when she gets all the evidence from the warehouse suppressed. And there is evidence that Matt was institutionalized in the 1970s and 1980s.

Schiff and McCoy want the death penalty for Matt, but Ross is willing to tank her own career to do what she believes is the ethical thing.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Matthew O'Dell: Who sent you? The property mongers?
Briscoe: Yeah, the property mongers. They said to be sure to tell you you're under arrest.

Dr. Skoda (reading the manifesto): "Our strength is as the strength of ten . . ." He's overcompensating.

Schiff (to McCoy and Ross about soliciting Benjamin O'Dell's testimony about Matthew's medical background): You two take a lot of liberties.

Background information and notes[]

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3

Home of
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Stanhouse
1273 Madison Avenue
Tuesday, March 12

Department of
Environmental Protection
293 Broadway
Wednesday, March 13

Jenkins Shoe Repair
460 Hudson Street
New York
Friday, March 15

4 5 6

Rikers Island
Correctional Facility
Staten Island, New York
Wednesday, April 10

Supreme Court
Motion Hearing
Staten Island, New York
Tuesday, April 23

Metropolitan Musseum
of Art
Staten Island, New York
Thursday, April 25

7 8

Supreme Court
Trial Part 91
Monday, May 27

Supreme Court
Trial Part 91
Thursday, May 30

Previous episode:
"Stalker"
"Disappeared"
Law & Order
Season 8
Next episode:
"Burden"
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