Severance 

Stone and Robinette go after a defense contractor, as well as his lawyer and the hit-man he allegedly hired, after two men are killed and a whistle-blower who planned to testify against him goes missing.

Director:

James Frawley (as Jim Frawley)

Writers:

Dick Wolf (created by), Michael S. Chernuchin (teleplay by)

Stars:

Paul Sorvino, Chris Noth, Dann Florek

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Sorvino	...	Sergeant Phil Cerreta
Chris Noth	...	Detective Mike Logan
Dann Florek	...	Captain Donald Cragen
Michael Moriarty	...	E.A.D.A. Ben Stone
Richard Brooks	...	A.D.A. Paul Robinette
Steven Hill	...	D.A. Adam Schiff
George Grizzard	...	Arthur Gold
Maureen Anderman	...	Sharon Styger
Sam Groom	...	Larry Teasdale
Steve Rankin	...	Frank Kemp
Joe Urla	...	Defense Attorney Werner (as Joseph Urla)
Elisabeth Ryall	...	Tina McManus (as Lisa Ryall)
Ralph Bell	...	Judge Jenklaw
J. Smith-Cameron	...	Ms. Moskowitz
Jay Devlin	...	Charles Martine

Storyline

Cerretta and Logan investigate the murder of young woman and two businessmen atop the roof of a parking garage. Which leads to a professional hit man, a crooked lawyer and a convicted defense contractor who may be linked to the murders themselves.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

This episode appears to be based on the CBS Murders case. In 1982, Irwin Margolies hired Donald Nash to kill Margaret Barbera and Jenny Soo Chin, who were cooperating with a Federal investigation into Margolie's $5.7-million-dollar fraud. On January 5 1982, Nash succeed in killing Chin, whose body was never found. On April 12, Nash would kill Barbera and also kill Leo Kuranuki, Robert Schulze, and Edward Benford--three CBS-TV technicians who the police believed were coming to Barbera's aid. Barbera's body was found in Manhattan the next morning. Nash was convicted of four counts of second-degree murder and a single count of conspiracy, and he was sentenced to 100 years in prison. Margolies was sentenced to 50 years for ordering the murders.

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Goofs

When the van driven by the get-away driver speeds out of the lot almost running someone over and not paying their fee, the parking lot attendant uses the payphone to call 911. Yet before he uses the phone he runs into his booth to grab some quarters from the register. There was no need to do this because 911 calls can be made from a payphone for free, similar to how any cell phone can call 911 for free even if it isn't connected to a service provider.

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Quotes

Donald Cragen: [observing the worried witness] I hope she brought a change of underwear.

User Reviews

Murder on the rooftop parking lot

Paul Sorvino and Chris Noth catch a case where two business executives are shot to death in a rooftop parking garage and a woman kidnapped and whisked away in a van. The only way that they were able to even start the investigation was that the parking lot attendant remembered Canadian plates on the van.

Which leads to hit man Steve Rankin, lawyer Sam Groom, and millionaire defense contractor Jay Devlin. Groom who stepped out of his role as attorney facilitated the kidnap/murder of the woman and the murder of the two men who just happened to be bystander witnesses.

George Grizzard makes his first appearance on Law And Order as ace defense attorney Arthur Gold. Grizzard is a brilliant advocate and a smug individual. He and Michael Moriarty crossed in court before and Gold whipped him soundly.

Rankin is a coldblooded individual and he'll freeze you to the marrow of your bones. Groom's character was left incomplete by the writers. He's a respectable sort and the script failed to give him any motivation for his actions.

It's an interesting story based on the CBS murders.

Details

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 January 1992 (USA)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wolf Films, Universal Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1