Laura Di Biasi (alias The Avenging Angel) was a woman who was a suspect in the shooting of two Black men on a train, one of whom was killed and the other paralyzed.
Background[]
Di Biasi is a registered nurse and amateur ballerina living in New York City. A few months prior to the episode's events, she was robbed, beaten, and sexually assaulted by a group of Black teenagers, which left her no longer able to dance. While she claims to have never harbored racist beliefs before the attack, she began resenting young Black men like the ones who attacked her, and became obsessed with getting revenge. She bought a gun and began taking shooting lessons, shooting the targets in the crotch.
Subterranean Homeboy Blues[]
While going home from work on the subway, Di Biasi is accosted by two Black teenagers, Michael Mosket and Darnell Chenault. When Mosket hits on her, she flies into a rage and shoots him and Chenault. Mosket dies in the hospital, while Chenault is paralyzed from the waist down. Di Biasi's lawyer, Shambala Green, argues that Di Biasi was defending herself against two sexual predators, an argument helped by the revelation that Mosket had a violent criminal record that included sexual assault. Di Biasi herself tells Assistant District Attorney Paul Robinette, who is Black, that she was motivated by fear, not racism.
While cross-examining Di Biasi, Executive Assistant District Attorney Ben Stone insinuates that she shot Mosket and Chenault because she wanted revenge. Green counters by staging a recreation of the events with the community group CrimeStoppers, who have publicly supported Di Biasi, and who provoke an angry outburst from Chenault. When another woman comes forward accusing Mosket and Chenault of trying to rape her, Stone's case falls apart, and he is forced to settle for probation on minor charges. Di Biasi is last seen giving a press conference in which she thanks the District Attorney's office for "doing the right thing". (L&O: "Subterranean Homeboy Blues")