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"Gunshow"
L&O, Episode 10.01
Production number: E1106
First aired (US): 22 September 1999
First aired (UK): 22 September 1999
First aired (CAN): 22 September 1999
First aired (AUS): 31 January 2000
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William Wright
Written By
René Balcer

Directed By
Ed Sherin

A murderer's shooting spree in Central Park prompts Briscoe and his new partner, Detective Ed Green, to trace the murder weapon's origin; McCoy makes it his mission to punish the killer and the gun manufacturer.

Plot[]

A group of female medical students is gunned down in Central Park by a rejected applicant. During the investigation, it is learned that the murder weapon was an otherwise legal semi-automatic firearm that can be easily converted to full automatic mode. Based on the theory that the gun manufacturer did not modify the gun design to make it more difficult to turn into an illegal weapon, McCoy attempts to prosecute the company for mass murder.

At the conclusion of the episode, the jury returns a guilty verdict against the manufacturer. However, the trial judge sets aside the jury verdict and issues a directed verdict of not guilty, explaining that the case was certain to be overturned on appeal and that a trial courtroom is not the place to decide constitutional issues.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Jack McCoy: When the Red Coats stormed over Bunker Hill maybe.
Abbie Carmichael: What about a 6'5 man breaking in my door?

Anita Van Buren: By the way, did you happen to read the news this morning? It's basically a rehash of departmental statements, but the funny thing is, the only name mentioned is yours, Detective Green.
Ed Green: Maybe because it was easier to spell.

"Never trust anything that bleeds for five days and lives."

–Lennie Briscoe reading Dennis Trope's T-shirt


Ed Green: Hey, Old Spice, what did the L-T say about me?
Lennie Briscoe: Nothing. Did she tell you I don't like nicknames?

Background information and notes[]

  • Jesse L. Martin joins the cast as Detective Ed Green.
  • This episode was probably based on the shooting at the University of Montreal's Ecole Polytechnic campus. The shooter in that case was Marc Lépine, who shot dead 14 female engineering students because he blamed them for his inability to get in to the college.
    • This episode may have also been based on the 101 California Street shooting, in which the shooter, Gian Luigi Ferri, killed eight people with semiautomatic firearms modified to fire like automatic weapons. The shooting resulted in California, the state where the shooting occurred, implementing extremely strict gun control laws.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3

J&P Sport Guns
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Tuesday, July 7

Westside Community Park
West 76th Street
Thursday, July 16

Appellate Division
First Department
Monday, August 17

4 5

Supreme Court
Trial Part 86
Monday, October 19

Supreme Court
Trial Part 86
Thursday, October 22

Previous episode:
"Refuge (2)"
"Gunshow"
Law & Order
Season 10
Next episode:
"Killerz"
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