Severance (14 Jan. 1992)

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.