Atonement (10 Apr. 1996)

A model is murdered and the evidence points to her driver. He claims he acted under extreme emotional disturbance because he was infatuated with her. However, McCoy later uncovers a connection between the driver and a drug dealer.

Director:

Martha Mitchell

Writers:

Dick Wolf (creator), Morgan Gendel (teleplay),

Stars:

Jerry Orbach, Benjamin Bratt, S. Epatha Merkerson

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Jerry Orbach	...	Detective Lennie Briscoe
Benjamin Bratt	...	Detective Rey Curtis
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Lt. Anita Van Buren
Sam Waterston	...	Jack McCoy
Jill Hennessy	...	A.D.A. Claire Kincaid
Steven Hill	...	D.A. Adam Schiff
Michael Imperioli	...	Johnny Stivers (as Michael Imperiola)
Joanna Merlin	...	Deirdre Powell
Josh Hopkins	...	Ken Soames
Mark Zimmerman	...	Frederick Scannel
Patty Dworkin	...	Carol
Karen Williams	...	Monica Wickles
Margo Martindale	...	Ms. Best
John Woodson	...	Det. Henry Jones
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Patti Allison	...	Mrs. Lasko

Storyline

Detectives Briscoe and Curtis investigate the murder of model Sharon Lasko who was found dead in a landfill soon after a photo shoot. The autopsy reveals that she was struck on the head with a bottle. They investigate the photographer, Rick Casteler, who admits they slept together that afternoon but swears she was alive when he left. After his story checks out, they look for other connections and find that she had called her regular limo driver, Johnny Stivers. When they find blood evidence in his limo, he's arrested. Stivers admits killing her but claims he was under extreme emotional disturbance at the time as he was in a relationship with the woman. The police and DA's office can't find any amorous connection between the two but they do discover a connection between Lasko, Stiver and a major drug dealer.

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Plot Keywords:

bare chested male

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 April 1996 (USA)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wolf Films, Universal TV

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Guest star Michael Imperioli's last name is misspelled in the opening credits (as "Imperiola").

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Quotes

Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy: Isn't you're theory getting to be like yours? They say he's an outraged boyfriend, you say he's an outraged would-be boyfriend.
Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy: There's a world of difference between a jealous lover and some horny bastard who's mad he can't get to first base.
Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy: Eloquent. Can't wait for your closing argument.

User Reviews

Star Struck.

A beautiful young model (not the "ugly old model" that Briscoe jokingly references) is found with her head bashed in and the detectives begin following the threads through several dead ends to the real murderer. Michael Imperioli plays the limo driver who is so hopelessly in love with the model, who is just using him as a source for cocaine, that he's forced by passion and by circumstance to kill her.

A slight problem I had with the story is that Michael Imperioli doesn't look particularly homely -- not as uninteresting in appearance as he's described by everyone as being -- although his job as a limousine driver is definitely working against his sex appeal. Imperioli is dark and has even features. He's a little shorter than the other principles but Alan Ladd was short too. So was Mickey Rooney, and he married Ava Gardner.

The plot itself isn't outstanding, meaning that it's up to par for this above-average series. Suspects and relatives come and go. But the idea of a pointless, desperate, hopeless love for someone who is unattainable ought to strike a resonant chord in many of us. You know, worshiping from afar? (I wonder whatever happened to Kathy Hall, that cheerleader in my high school. Oh, those pom poms!) It's interesting too because the victim, the model, is described at first as ambitious but otherwise perfectly normal. It's only in the course of the story's development that her bitchy and dissolute qualities become apparent. I appreciate that kind of very human ambiguity. It makes for a more mature product rather than a cartoon of good and evil.