Law & Order

Season 12 Episode 7

Myth of Fingerprints

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Episode Summary

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Myth of Fingerprints
AIRED:
A murder investigation uncovers deliberately faulty forensics in the wrongful conviction of two men 12 years earlier in the case that paved the way for Van Buren's promotion.

Fan Episode Reviews (4)

SUBMIT REVIEW

  • One of the best of the entire series!

    10
    By Wallyhorse, Mar 24, 2009
    This episode is still in my opinion one of the very best episodes of the entire series, and probably the best episode of the Serena years (even if this episode was one of those with a rushed script because of threatened strikes at the time it was written in 2001). It was a showcase for S. Epatha Merkenson, who in this episode demonstrated her acting ability as Van Buren struggled with the fact that case that led to her being promoted wound up being one where the forensics expert, who was a friend of Anita's wound up deliberately messing with the forensics that resulted in two men being falsely convicted, with one of those men being murdered while in prison.moreless

  • A case of a man mistakenly sent to jail comes back to haunt Lt. Van Buren.

    9.0
    By dcpgaus, Nov 13, 2007
    Most episodes of Law & Order don't fully use their major characters. While the actors do their best to portray their characters emotions, usually they don't have much material to play around with.



    However this episode is well written - especially for the Van Buren character. The story becomes a quest by Van Buren to find out why a person she convicted ages ago could possibly be innocent. She finds out that the fingerprint expert (Russo) could have lied in court to ensure a conviction - which led to Van Buren's promotion. This becomes worse when Van Buren realises that Russo could have lied many times. S. Epatha Merkerson is great as she shows her character's shock in the longtime friend lying in court and wonders if she 'subconsciously' asked Russo to do this. She also wonders how others will perceive her in her current role in the police station. An episode rises above the average when the answers are not black-and-white. Well done to all.moreless

  • Myth Of Fingerprints

    9.3
    By bankscountybabe, Oct 17, 2006
    Womans boyfriend got murdered. Middle of sharing punche to turso uniform man said he did not have anything to do with his child. So basically he was just a sperm donor. Man admits he did not pay child support. Says he paid not a cent this whole time the child needed the money. Mother never took him to court for the money for child support. They had a confidential informant. Mans brother says he was working night shift on his other job. Man states that at the time of the crime his allabi did in fact hold up and he was not at the crime scene.moreless

  • Lt. VanBuren's career rise might be based on a false conviction due to inaccurate forensic evidence, which sent 2 innocent men to prison for murder.

    8.5
    By stellans, Jul 27, 2006
    This riveting episode confirmed my own personal bias against the death penalty. When even the experts are human and prone to human frailties (bribery, frustration, pettiness, etc.) how can we put another's very life in their hands?



    Two men went to prison on life sentences for a crime of which they were innocent, and one died in a prison murder. They were convicted because of the forensic lab supervisor's personal vendetta against criminals. She falsely claimed fingerprint evidence, and not only in this case. The real murderer basicly got away with it thanks to this false testimony.



    This episode not only shook my faith in forensics, it also seems to shake Lt. Van Buren's faith in herself and her own expertise.



    Great episode.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

Elisabeth Rohm

Elisabeth Rohm

ADA Serena Southerlyn
Jerry Orbach

Jerry Orbach

Det. Lennie Briscoe
S. Epatha Merkerson

S. Epatha Merkerson

Lt. Anita Van Buren
Sam Waterston

Sam Waterston

Exec. ADA Jack McCoy
Jesse L. Martin

Jesse L. Martin

Det. Ed Green
Dianne Wiest

Dianne Wiest

Interim DA Nora Lewin
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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

David Green (III)

David Green (III)

 

Guest Star

Lenny Venito

Lenny Venito

Det. Wade

Guest Star

Tara Bast

Tara Bast

Brenda Warren

Guest Star

James Colby

James Colby

Bobby Campbell

Recurring Role

Leslie Hendrix

Leslie Hendrix

Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers

Recurring Role

Maggie Burke

Maggie Burke

Judge Elayne Link

Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (0)

  • QUOTES (3)

    • Ed Green: (Bending over a bloody corpse.) I'm no M.E., but it looks like this guy got his head bashed in.

    • (Briscoe, Green and Van Buren are talking about an inmate.)
      Ed Green: He got transferred to Sing Sing a month ago.
      Anita van Buren: Whose turn is it to put in for gas money?

    • Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers: I found blue fibers, like in work clothes.
      Lennie Briscoe: Like maybe a cable guy?
      Ed Green: Yeah, like they ever show up.

  • NOTES (1)

    • This episode was originally scheduled to air on October 3, 2001. When the episode finally aired on November 14, 2001, the opening guest star credits omitted the names of several guest stars.

  • ALLUSIONS (2)

    • The Myth Of Fingerprints is a 1997 movie with Blythe Danner and Julianne Moore. Paul Simon's album Graceland also contains a song called, "All Around The World/The Myth Of Fingerprints."

    • This episode appears to be ripped from the headlines of the Joyce Gilchrist scandal in Oklahoma City.

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Season 12 Episodes

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Ep 24
Patriot
Ep 23
Oxymoron
Ep 22
Attorney Client
Ep 21
Foul Play
Ep 20
Dazzled
Ep 19
Slaughter
Ep 18
Equal Rights
Ep 17
Girl Most Likely
Ep 16
Born Again
Ep 15
Access Nation
Ep 14
Missing
Ep 13
DR 1-102
Ep 12
Undercovered
Ep 11
The Collar
Ep 10
Prejudice
Ep 9
3 Dawg Night
Ep 8
The Fire This Time
Ep 7
Myth of Fingerprints
Ep 6
Formerly Famous
Ep 5
Possession
Ep 4
Soldier of Fortune
Ep 3
For Love or Money
Ep 2
Armed Forces
Ep 1
Who Let the Dogs Out?

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