A suspicious apartment fire leaves a severely disabled boy dead of smoke inhalation. Though an antique store owner in the same building had been "victim" to several other fires in the past, Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) are drawn to suspects closer to home as they discover the tremendous burden the young boy posed to his parents and their failed marriage during his twelve years. As more is learned about the devoted mother (guest star Megan Follows), even A.D.A. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) begins to question whether his prosecutorial direction is truly in the service of justice. In a guest appearance as himself, New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani introduces District Attorney Nora Lewin (Dianne Wiest) to McCoy and Carmichael (Angie Harmon). S. Epatha Merkerson also stars. '

When a woman with no identification is found dead from a blow to the head with a pavement stone, the only clues to her past are found in the information stored on her mass-transit pass. More magnetic evidence leads Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) to the current possessor of the dead woman's credit card--but once they have their suspect, the mental state of the attacker calls into question whether the perpetrator alone is responsible for the tragedy. New District Attorney Nora Lewin (Dianne Wiest) pursues media glory by encouraging ADAs Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) and Abbie Carmichael (Angie Harmon) to take on the health care system responsible for releasing the emotionally disturbed convict into society. '

When the star violinist of the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra is found murdered in her dressing room, Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) don't have to look beyond the concert hall for an array of leads. The priceless violin she played is missing and the rest of the violin section is found to have been resentful of the recent Juilliard graduate's rapid ascent to stardom. Meanwhile, the brilliant and debonair conductor Carl Reger (guest star Ronald Guttman), whose wife also performs in the orchestra, points the detectives toward a stagehand who may have been rebuffed in his advances toward the victim, as his own relationship with his first chair violinist comes under scrutiny. Sam Waterston, Angie Harmon, Dianne Wiest and S. Epatha Merkerson also star. '

When a gang leader convicted of brutal crimes is stabbed to death in a prison scuffle, Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) find that their victim had numerous enemies on both sides of the law. The investigation -- in which gang members, corrections officers, and undercover cops are all suspects -- results in an eventual indictment that leaves A.D.A. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) with an uphill battle as he tries to convict the murderer of a vicious criminal. Donna Hanover ("One Life to Live," "Superstar") appears as trial judge Deborah Bourke. Angie Harmon, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Dianne Wiest also star. '

The murder of a storeowner leads to a case where the suspect flees to Israel and may be protected from extradition by Israel's Law of Return. '

A former Black Panther, accused of murdering a Caucasian police officer, questions Green's integrity amidst a politically charged trial. '

Under pressure from the department's top brass, a 20-year-old murder case, initally investigated by Briscoe's now retired boss, is reopened involving the slaying of a teen-age girl with the spoiled son of a politically connected family as the prime suspect. '

The killing of a school-hockey coach leads to a case in which the defendant claims that he committed the crime while suffering from "sports rage." '

An assistant manager at a jewelers discovers four bodies at the store, leading to the prosecution of an amiable murder suspect who insists on representing himself, and winning the admiration of a female juror. '

The death of a lab technician and the abduction of 17 infected monkeys lead to a trial involving the treatment of research animals. '

Following "wilding incidents" in Central Park, a woman's body is found in the lake and the suspects include the deceased's wealthy husband. '

The beating death of a restaurant owner leads Briscoe and Green to thrill-seeking teenagers; McCoy and Lewin are forced to decide how young is too young for the death penalty. '

Briscoe and Green investigate the beating death of a gay man and the kidnapping of his adopted son, and their investigation leads McCoy and Carmichael to believe that homophobia was the motive rather than ransom. '

Briscoe and Green initially investigate the fiance of a pregnant woman found dying in the trunk of her car, but the investigation soon turns to professional athlete Cris Cody, who may have had reasons of her own to want the woman and her unborn child out of the way. '

When a murder happens on a reality television program, investigators try to identify the real culprits.

When a woman is found strangled to death with a large quantity of the drug Ecstasy in her handbag, Detectives Briscoe and Green have difficulty gathering sufficient evidence for an indictment of their prime suspect, drug-dealer Francis 'Taz' Partell. But when they question one of his former associates, they discover new evidence indicating that Taz is responsible for the earlier murder of a bouncer in Bronx county. '

When the dead body of Karen Hall, an investigator with the State Attorney General's Office Criminal Division, is found in a Manhattan river, Detectives Briscoe and Green find that her boss, Frank Conroy, had written off her disappearance as a random kidnapping from an Albany train station. But as more is learned about Conroy's controlling relationships -- with the dead woman, with his wife and with a long-term girlfriend -- he quickly becomes a suspect. '

Briscoe and Green investigate a couple murdered in their apartment, which leads them to the wife of a major in the U.S. army who is involved in anti-drug activities in Colombia, leaving McCoy with the awkward job of getting her to testify. '

When an hispanic male is found dead from a severe chest trauma, Detectives Briscoe and Green discover that he and two other illegal immigrants had been in a staged automobile accident. As evidence mounts linking numerous similar car crashes with the same employer, chiropractor, insurance adjuster, and lawyers, A.D.A.s McCoy and Carmichael must determine who is ultimately responsible for the man's death, from which so many others profited. '

The murder of a prep school student points to a mystery woman who may have been extorting money from the victim's wealthy father. '

Briscoe and Green discover a murdered businessman may have been the target of a well-known criminal , but the investigation stumbles when the FBI acts as the suspect's alibi. '

Detectives Briscoe and Green investigate when a masked schoolkid opens fire on classmates, killing four and wounding 11. They soon discover more than one student fits the profile of a youth capable of committing such violence. But finding the perpetrator becomes a race against time when an e-mail arrives threatening more murders. '

Briscoe and Green have their work cut out trying to discover who attempted to murder a tough judge, but when the real culprit is found, Carmichael and McCoy have a difficult time building a case. '

The detectives investigate a woman killed in what appears to be a road rage incident. However, as they retrace her last actions, they suspect she was accidentally murdered by an assassin following the wrong car. The plot thickens when the intended victim turns out to be a reporter who claims to have uncovered a plot to rig an election by a senator, who Briscoe suspects of having connections with the Mafia. '