Law & Order (TV Series) Can I Get a Witness? (2004) User Reviews

You know what his street name is? Slug

[Mrpalli77 · 9/10 · 6 December 2017]

By the Projects, a guy was shot two times by a small caliber gun; he died shortly afterwards. Detectives found some dope in his pocket, so all seemed to be related to drug trafficking. Two witnesses identified the shooter as a black guy in a bike with a meaningful trademark: a white right eye. The killer was caught right away and at trial one witness (the other was too scared to talk) stated the homicide was not drug related: the victim slapped the shooter's sister after she had teased him. The same night the witness (under police protection in Brooklyn) got back to his hood, finding the death by gunshot. Charges had to be dismissed because defense attorney hasn't still done the cross examination; prosecutors needed a new trial for the new murder, due to double-jeopardy. There were three defendant this time, including the killer's cousin named slug (Dorian Missick) and the hit-man he hired. The verdict left me speechless.

Life in the hood is not easy at all. It rules the survival of the fittest, the others are afraid to talk because they know their lives are at stake. But what about hiring a hit-man for a pair of shoes? Unbelievable.

Intimidation

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 7 July 2022]

The original 'Law and Order' did become inconsistent in its later seasons, so Season 11 onwards, especially post-Briscoe. It was still watchable, but Seasons 1-10 were a lot more consistent and had a much higher number of great and more episodes. The regular cast members were also a good deal better. Season 14 was though a contender for the best post-Season 10 season, with a good number of great episodes (including the best season opener for the show since Season 11's).

"Can I Get a Witness" to me was a great episode and one of the best of Season 14. Not quite "Bodies", "Identity" or "Darwinian", but close. Benefitting primarily from having one of the most intricate and suspenseful cases of the season and from that the policing and legal portions are equally good, when there have been many times where one half is a little, or sometimes much, better than the other. "Can I Get a Witness" is a complex episode, but not in a bad way.

Never did properly get behind Elisabeth Rohm's casting or behind the character of Southerlyn, with a small group of exceptions, and her acting is a lot less involving and a lot colder than the rest of the cast's.

Everything else though is great to truly excellent. Can find nothing to fault the production values for though, the slickness and grit still present and likewise with the more fluid editing. The music is used relatively sparingly and is not too intrusively orchestrated, fitting too with the mood. The direction is generally alert but also sympathetic, shining in the character interactions in the legal scenes. Liked the tautness, edge and thought-probing of the second half's writing.

Did like the policing scenes very much, there was grit and urgency with no signs of the routine, benefitting hugely from the great characters of Briscoe and Green and their beautifully gelled chemistry. Easily my personal favourite police lead pairing on the show, and none of the pairings since equalled or came close to its level. The legal portions are even better, where there is even more suspense and with much more at stake. Not to mention its complexity, a very complex case with a lot going on without being overly so that it becomes confusing. The acting is extremely good from the rest of the regulars, particularly Jerry Orbach and Sam Waterston and support was strong.

Great all in all. 9/10.

Killing the witnesses

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 12 November 2020]

The reason that killing the witnesses to a crime is made abundantly clear in this episode. They key witness to a homicide is killed resulting in a dismissal with prejudice. Jerry Orbach and Jesse Martin have to start all over again investigating the intimidator.

Who in this case is Dorian Missick represented by a very sleazy attorney. The original case had Missick's cousin riding up on a bike and shooting ndown someone in broad daylight. The DA has it all ballistics and witnesses, but the witnesses go south on the prosecution, one is shot to death and the other is afraid to testify.

In the end there are mixed results. Justice ain't easy.