Law & Order Season 25 Premiere Recap Answers The Question: Did Maroun Do It? Plus, Grade The Episode!
We waited all summer to find out: Could Law & Order Assistant District Attorney Samantha Maroun actually have been involved in killing her sister's murderer? Showrunner Rick Eid promised we wouldn't have to wait long to find out, and he delivered: The Season 25 premiere answered the question in no uncertain terms.
"Yeah, yeah," you grumble, "but did she do it?" All will be revealed — including what became of Mehcad Brooks' Det. Jalen Shaw. Read on for the highlights of Episode 1, "Street Justice."
WELL THIS IS AWKWARD | Right after Maroun shuts her door in Nolan's face, he meets up with Baxter to let him know that Carter Mills — the man believed to have raped and killed Sam's sister and at least one other woman, but who was acquitted — had been shot dead. "There's no reason to think Sam had anything to do with this, right?" the district attorney asks. "I'm not sure," Nolan says, pained.
Maroun wants nothing to do with her co-worker the next morning, despite his defense that he did what the law dictated. "You did what you wanted to do," she says, scowling. "You did what made you feel good and noble. That's always important to you." As if proving her point, Nolan gets even higher and mightier than usual, and it doesn't look like either party is going to give any ground on this one.
SHAW'S FATE REVEALED | Det. Riley catches the case of Mills' murder: They've got footage from a street camera and a potential eye witness, and he sets out to investigate. But first, Sgt. Brady has a message: "I just spoke to Shaw. Something opened up over at the 8-8, and he's going to take it." Riley digests this for a minute. "I knew he wanted to get back to Brooklyn, so good for him," he says. "I'm going to miss that guy, though." Me, too, Riley!
The trail leads Riley to believe a pretty brunette of Maroun's build, wearing a hoodie, committed the crime. Even more incriminating: Sam owns a .38-caliber handgun, the same type of weapon that did the deed. When Maroun won't answer police questions or consent to a search, Riley gets a warrant... and the officers tossing her place find out that the gun is nowhere to be found.
Alone with Nolan later, Maroun says she's not involved — "I swear I didn't shoot him" — but immediately undercuts her credibility by admitting she threw the gun in the East River. She admits that she wanted to confront and scare Mills, so she grabbed the firearm and headed toward his apartment, but realized along the way that it was "a terrible idea." She looks gutted. "I was afraid of what I might do with it."
MAROUN IS CLEARED | Her confession convinces Nolan of her innocence; Brady is less certain. But an eyewitness says the shooter was as tall as he is — and Maroun is not — so the cops start to look for someone else. They eventually talk with Carter's girlfriend, Julia, who was visibly supportive throughout his trial. But after a little digging, they find out that the couple broke up three days before his verdict was handed down... and that Julia drove to Pennsylvania to buy a gun once she knew Carter had been set free.
The case goes to trial. On the stand, Julia testifies that Mills had previously beat and raped her, and she acted in self-defense when she killed him because she was convinced he was going to kill her.
Maroun feels very strongly that Nolan did Julia a disservice: "You let a monster walk free," she says. "If you ask me, we practically forced Julia to shoot the bastard. She says at most, Julia should be charged with first-degree manslaughter by way of "extreme emotional disturbance." And Nolan listens, because that's what he takes to Baxter, who approves it, and that's the plea they eventually offer Julia and her lawyer.
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED | Julia accepts the deal, but when it's just her and Sam left in the room, a highly upset Julia confesses that she didn't coincidentally run into Mills that night: She waited outside of his building. "Shhh stop talking," Maroun says, leaving the room. I thought she might not share this intel with Nolan — who, unbeknownst to her was outside the room and likely heard it firsthand — but she tells him everything and admits that he was right: Julia's crime was premeditated, which would bump the manslaughter charge up to murder.
Nolan carefully asks Sam how she would like to proceed. She suggests that they move forward with the plea, pretending Julia didn't say what she said. Nolan thinks a minute, agrees, then thanks his co-worker for being "so honest."
Now it's your turn. What did you think of the premiere? Grade it via the poll below, then hit the comments with your thoughts!