Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Dick Wolf and Rick Eid, NBC’s ‘Law & Order‘ brings a unique perspective on the New York Criminal Justice landscape by blending the inner workings of the New York City Police Department and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. The two forces are led by Lieutenant Jessica Brady on one end and District Attorney Nicholas Baxter on the other, catching criminals and bringing them to justice, respectively. However, the story is never quite the same, as each iteration adds a unique spin to this police procedural cum legal drama. Be it increasingly cunning criminals or the holes in the law enforcement system itself, the characters are always on their toes, balancing personal values with professional ethics. In the 25th season premiere, titled ‘Street Justice,’ one such dilemma reaches its crescendo, forcing everyone involved to look inwards. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Carter Mills’ Murder Adds a New Twist to an Old Mystery
The inaugural episode picks up right after the finale of season 24, with Carter Mills, the suspected murderer of Georgia and Christina, being acquitted in court. Given that Christina was the sister of Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun, the case gains a personal dimension, which makes Carter’s sudden murder on an open street all the more suspicious. Nolan Price, the Executive Assistant District Attorney of Manhattan, as well as Maroun’s most trustworthy ally, is the first to reach her doorstep, with a bit of worry and suspicion mixed in his reaction. While he is blunt in his line of questioning, Maroun’s ambiguous reply seems to strengthen his worst fears, and the case only thickens from then on. Nicholas Baxter, the District Attorney, reaches the scene as well with a similar set of questions, but the immediate investigation yields no conclusive answers.
Meanwhile, the police department is up and running, scouring through surveillance footage to catch a glimpse of the mystery killer. While they fail in that pursuit, they do find footage of a cleaner who reacts to the gunshot before fleeing back to the laundromat he works at. Given that he was likely able to see the killer, he is summoned to the station, where he reveals that the culprit is actually a woman who shouted the phrase “You deserve this” before gunning Carter down. This revelation only adds to the possibility of Maroun being the one who pulled the trigger, and Jessica Brady is forced to extend her line of enquiry to the Assistant District Attorney. Once on the table, the duo quickly cuts to the chase, and while Maroun does not deny the possession of a fireman matching the one used by the murderer, she resists inspection, demanding a search warrant instead. This forces the department to take the hard route and storm into her house for evidence, but this only leads to more questions.
Maroun Finds Herself Inextricably Attached to the Case
As it turns out, Maroun’s gun is missing, and she refuses to give an idea about where it might be. This nearly confirms her culpability to the general eye, but Price retains his doubts, citing the trust he has in his long-term partner. In a private conversation, his hunch turns out to be correct, as Maroun gives a detailed account of what transpired on that fateful night. She reveals that while she did venture out with her gun, her sole intent was to instill the fear of judgment in the man. However, halfway there, she changed her mind, fearing that she might let emotions take over and commit a crime. To that end, Maroun threw her gun into the river, destroying any chances of her stance shifting back. This complicated turn of events acts as the perfect red herring in the narrative, but a personal account is not enough to clear her name, and the police continue their investigation into her.
Another breakthrough in the Carter Mills murder case comes with the discovery of a first-hand witness, who did not just see the killer, but also bumped into her while the latter was trying to escape. He confirms that the person is a woman, describing her as an attractive-looking brunette, further matching Maroun’s appearance. However, just when things seem certain, the witness does not identify Maroun as the face he remembers seeing. In the conversation, he drops yet another clue, revealing that the killer was about as tall as him, standing at roughly five feet eight inches. This directly contradicts Maroun’s height, as she is significantly shorter, effectively ruling her out as a suspect. While Price is joyous at the chance of relaying this information, it only confirms that the killer is still out there, and the departments have work to do.
The Answer Lies With Carter Mills’ Ex-Girlfriend
As the investigation goes up another gear, Jessica Brady, along with her partners, Vincent Riley and Violet Yee, scan through the list of potential suspects, but pick up on a new scent after Carter’s girlfriend, Julia Keaton, adds that his sister was never on good terms with him. When the detectives question her at her art gallery, she confirms being with her girlfriend that night, proving that she is not the killer. However, while describing her brother and his ruthlessly manipulative tactics, she brings up the detail of Julia having broken up with Carter a few days prior to his death. Once again, the police shifts their lens to the ex-girlfriend, with Jessica grilling her at the interrogation table. Although Julia begins the exchange by refuting the claims, she soon realizes that all of her pathways are blocked, and wakes up to her demand for a lawyer.
With Julia Keaton as the new suspect, the District Attorney’s office gets to work, prepared to get her behind bars. Price explains to Maroun and Baxter that the evidence is strong enough to land the case, and this is exemplified by his performance in court. Although the seasoned prosecutor brings up a bunch of evidence, ranging from CCTV footage to witness accounts, the defense flips the entire argument on its head by accepting the fact that Julia killed Carter Mills. However, they present it as an act of self-defense using the limited scope of the evidence to their advantage. The prosecution rounds up once again, contemplating whether they can overturn that idea by proving intent, but in a direct communication with the judge, Price loses his lead, and the case gets one step closer to Julia’s victory. However, doubts begin to emerge within his camp as well, as Maroun shows sympathy towards Julia and her brave act.
Julia Keaton’s Side of the Story Compels the District Attorney’s Office to Bend Its Rules
The turning point in the story comes with an argument between Maroun and Price, as the two debate the true reasons that motivated Julia to take such a drastic step. While the latter points out the obvious signs of intent, the former taps into the psychological layer underlying her actions, perceiving it as the work of someone who was threatened with rape and had to live with the fear of her alleged abuser walking free. The argument hits Price to his core, forcing him to question everything he cherishes about law and the legal system. This plot thread reaches its climax when the prosecution offers a guilty plea in return for a lighter sentence. While the discussions are still underway, Maroun chooses to have a personal conversation with Julia, and here the two women find a point of intersection, and the truth comes out in free-flow.
Julia recounts her past decisions, culminating in her relationship with Carter. Furthermore, she explains that his criminal behaviour was driven by a superiority complex, wherein he found himself above the rule of law. It is that ideology, she continues, that led her on this particular course of action, outside the legal system. Right before she finishes a sentence revealing her intentionally waiting outside his condo for the kill, she regains her composure, realizing the blunder she has made. However, Maroun makes a bold decision of her own, covering up the conversation and protecting Julia’s secrets. Later that day, Julia accepts the plea deal, and Maroun considers it the right moment to break the news about Julia’s confession to Price. Although he is vindicated, Price’s opinion seems to have changed on the subject, and he agrees to keep this fact under cover as well, tweaking the law in order to enact justice.
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