Guides · 134 cases

Defense Strategies and How Often They Work

Insanity, self-defense, extreme emotional disturbance and the rest: every defense raised for a defendant on trial in Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and how those cases end. Across 107 counted cases the defense wins an acquittal or a hung jury in 18 (17%). Battered-spouse or battered-child syndrome does best among defenses tried at least five times.

Defense	Cases	Convicted	Acquitted	Hung	Defense wins
Insanity	35	29	6	0	17%
Extreme emotional disturbance	11	8	1	2	27%
Self-defense	36	32	2	2	11%
Battered-spouse or battered-child syndrome	7	4	2	1	43%
Intoxication or diminished capacity	3	2	1	0	33%
Duress	1	1	0	0	0%
Entrapment	0	0	0	0	–
Jury nullification	2	1	0	1	50%
Novel defenses	12	12	0	0	0%

Convicted counts guilty verdicts and plea deals. Defense wins counts acquittals and hung juries as a share of cases that end in a verdict, a plea or a hung jury; dropped and unresolved cases are listed but not counted.

Insanity 46 cases

The defendant was so mentally ill they could not understand what they did or that it was wrong. It wins an acquittal in 6 of 35 counted cases and hangs the jury in 0.

Law & Order S2E12 “Star Struck” (1992): Jesse · guilty verdict
Law & Order S5E18 “Privileged” (1995): Steven Smith · guilty verdict
Law & Order S5E22 “Switch” (1995): Megan Nelson · agreed insanity disposition
Law & Order S6E6 “Paranoia” (1995): Megan · agreed insanity disposition
Law & Order S6E8 “Angel” (1995): Leah Coleman · guilty verdict
Law & Order S6E21 “Pro Se” (1996): James Smith · plea deal
Law & Order S9E7 “Venom” (1998): Dennis Pollock · guilty verdict
Law & Order S10E11 “Collision” (2000): Bauer · plea deal
Law & Order S11E1 “Endurance” (2000): Megan Parnell · not guilty by reason of insanity
Law & Order: SVU S2E2 “Honor” (2000): Jaleel Amir · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S2E21 “Scourge” (2001): Daniel Varney · no verdict or plea
Law & Order: SVU S3E8 “Inheritance” (2001): Darrell Guan · guilty verdict
Law & Order S12E10 “Prejudice” (2001): Burrows · guilty verdict
Law & Order S13E2 “Shangri-La” (2002): Fiona · plea deal
Law & Order: SVU S4E9 “Juvenile” (2002): Jeremy Brice · guilty verdict
Law & Order S13E22 “Sheltered” (2003): Justin · not guilty by reason of insanity
Law & Order S14E4 “Shrunk” (2003): Myers · plea deal
Law & Order S14E9 “Compassion” (2003): Allison · agreed insanity disposition
Law & Order: SVU S5E13 “Hate” (2004): Sean Webster · no verdict or plea
Law & Order: SVU S6E14 “Game” (2005): Garrett Perle · guilty verdict
Law & Order S15E24 “Locomotion” (2005): Buckley · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S7E14 “Taboo” (2006): Ella Christiansen · not guilty by reason of insanity
Law & Order: SVU S7E17 “Class” (2006): Adam Halder · guilty verdict
Law & Order S17E9 “Deadlock” (2006): Purcell · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S8E14 “Dependent” (2007): Charlotte Truex · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S17E21 “Over Here” (2007): Cole · plea deal
Law & Order: SVU S9E1 “Alternate” (2007): Janis Donovan · not guilty by reason of insanity
Law & Order: SVU S9E13 “Unorthodox” (2008): Jack Trembley · not guilty by reason of insanity
Law & Order: SVU S10E10 “Smut” (2008): Eric Lutz · no verdict or plea
Law & Order: SVU S10E15 “Lead” (2009): Jeff Lynwood · agreed insanity disposition
Law & Order: SVU S18E9 “Decline & Fall” (2017): Lawrence Hendricks · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S19E24 “Remember Me Too” (2018): Lourdes Vega · plea deal
Law & Order: SVU S20E7 “Caretaker” (2018): Anne Mill · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S22E14 “Post-Graduate Psychopath” (2021): Henry Mesner · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S21E4 “Fault Lines” (2022): Lucy McDaniel · plea deal
Law & Order S21E8 “Severance” (2022): Baker · not guilty by reason of insanity
Law & Order S21E9 “The Great Pretender” (2022): Wyatt · plea deal
Law & Order S22E3 “Camouflage” (2022): Nelson · guilty verdict
Law & Order S22E8 “Chain of Command” (2022): Fallon · guilty verdict
Law & Order S22E11 “Second Chance” (2023): Erickson · plea deal
Law & Order S22E20 “Class Retreat” (2023): Aaron · guilty verdict
Law & Order S22E22 “Open Wounds” (2023): Quinn · guilty verdict
Law & Order S23E6 “On the Ledge” (2024): Kenneth Cartwright · guilty verdict
Law & Order S23E9 “Family Ties” (2024): Darina · guilty verdict
Law & Order S24E17 “A Perfect Family” (2025): Melinda · agreed insanity disposition
Law & Order: SVU S26E22 “Post-Rage” (2025): Ted Schramm · no verdict or plea

Extreme emotional disturbance 13 cases

A New York partial defense: a killing under extreme emotional disturbance with a reasonable explanation is manslaughter, not murder. It wins an acquittal in 1 of 11 counted cases and hangs the jury in 2.

Law & Order S6E18 “Atonement” (1996): John Stivers · plea deal
Law & Order S9E12 “Haven” (1999): Jerome · plea deal
Law & Order S10E20 “Untitled” (2000): Brunig · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S4E23 “Grief” (2003): Ray Bevins · guilty verdict
Law & Order S14E15 “Veteran's Day” (2004): Silva · hung jury
Law & Order S15E2 “The Dead Wives Club” (2004): Collette Connolly · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S6E3 “Obscene” (2004): Carolyn Spencer · hung jury
Law & Order: SVU S6E6 “Conscience” (2004): Brett Morton · acquitted
Law & Order: SVU S10E16 “Ballerina” (2009): Birdie Sulloway · no verdict or plea
Law & Order: SVU S11E2 “Sugar” (2009): Vance Shepard · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S20E13 “Steel-Eyed Death” (2010): Sachs · plea deal
Law & Order S20E17 “Four Cops Shot” (2010): Stokes · guilty verdict
Law & Order S25E18 “Ride or Die” (2026): Merrick · guilty verdict

Self-defense 45 cases

The defendant used force because they reasonably believed it was needed to protect themselves or someone else. It wins an acquittal in 2 of 36 counted cases and hangs the jury in 2.

Law & Order S3E7 “Self-Defense” (1992): Costas · guilty verdict
Law & Order S4E6 “Pride and Joy” (1993): Sean McKinnon · guilty verdict
Law & Order S5E12 “Progeny” (1995): Jenkins · plea deal
Law & Order S5E12 “Progeny” (1995): Seely · plea deal
Law & Order S5E18 “Privileged” (1995): Steven Smith · guilty verdict
Law & Order S7E7 “Deadbeat” (1996): Schaeffer · plea deal
Law & Order S8E10 “Ritual” (1997): Martin · plea deal
Law & Order S10E14 “Entitled” (2000): Stephanie Mulroney · guilty verdict
Law & Order S11E6 “Burn Baby Burn” (2000): Miller · acquitted
Law & Order: SVU S2E6 “Noncompliance” (2000): Mark Nash · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S11E10 “Whose Monkey Is It Anyway?” (2001): Peavey · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S3E7 “Sacrifice” (2001): Jaina Jansen · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S12E12 “Undercovered” (2002): Garcia · hung jury
Law & Order: SVU S4E1 “Chameleon” (2002): Maggie Peterson · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S13E10 “Mother's Day” (2003): Diane · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S4E21 “Fallacy” (2003): Cheryl Avery · guilty verdict
Law & Order S14E8 “Embedded” (2003): Meacham · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S15E3 “The Brotherhood” (2004): Worley · hung jury
Law & Order S15E16 “The Sixth Man” (2005): Inwood · guilty verdict
Law & Order S16E2 “Flaw” (2005): Lorraine · guilty verdict
Law & Order S16E4 “Age of Innocence” (2005): Steven Lamar · guilty verdict
Law & Order S16E8 “New York Minute” (2005): Prentiss · guilty verdict
Law & Order S16E12 “Family Friend” (2006): Cerullo · guilty verdict
Law & Order S16E15 “Choice of Evils” (2006): Allison · guilty verdict
Law & Order S17E5 “Public Service Homicide” (2006): Harper · guilty verdict
Law & Order S17E22 “The Family Hour” (2007): Bailey · guilty verdict
Law & Order S19E3 “Lost Boys” (2008): Patrick · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S20E1 “Memo from the Dark Side” (2009): Franklin · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S20E5 “Dignity” (2009): Grogan · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S12E11 “Pop” (2011): Nicky Roberts · no verdict or plea
Law & Order: SVU S15E3 “American Tragedy” (2013): Jolene Castille · acquitted
Law & Order: SVU S17E2 “Criminal Pathology” (2015): Dr. Carl Rudnick · plea deal
Law & Order: SVU S18E6 “Broken Rhymes” (2016): Hype (Randall Leonard) · guilty verdict
Law & Order S21E1 “The Right Thing” (2022): Bell · guilty verdict
Law & Order S21E7 “Legacy” (2022): Bennett Richardson · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S22E19 “Private Lives” (2023): Myers · plea deal
Law & Order S23E4 “Unintended Consequences” (2024): Hines · guilty verdict
Law & Order S24E2 “The Perfect Man” (2024): Kingsbury · guilty verdict
Law & Order S24E10 “Greater Good” (2025): Ross · guilty verdict
Law & Order S24E15 “Crossing Lines” (2025): Gallo · guilty verdict
Law & Order S24E16 “Folk Hero” (2025): Weller · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S25E1 “Street Justice” (2025): Keaton · plea deal
Law & Order S25E2 “Hindsight” (2025): Cassie · guilty verdict
Law & Order S25E7 “Guardian” (2025): Pickett · guilty verdict
Law & Order S25E20 “Once Burned” (2026): Peralta · guilty verdict

Battered-spouse or battered-child syndrome 7 cases

Years of abuse explain why the defendant believed they were in danger when they struck back. It wins an acquittal in 2 of 7 counted cases and hangs the jury in 1.

Law & Order S4E17 “Mayhem” (1994): Louisa D'Angelo · plea deal
Law & Order S5E3 “Blue Bamboo” (1994): Martha Bowen · acquitted
Law & Order S12E18 “Equal Rights” (2002): Leslie Cooper · acquitted
Law & Order S15E3 “The Brotherhood” (2004): Worley · hung jury
Law & Order: SVU S10E8 “Persona” (2008): Linnie Malcolm (Caroline Cresswell) · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S23E22 “A Final Call at Forlini's Bar” (2022): Delia Hackman · plea deal
Law & Order S24E21 “Tough Love” (2025): Josh · guilty verdict

Intoxication or diminished capacity 3 cases

Drink, drugs or impairment left the defendant unable to form the intent the charge requires. It wins an acquittal in 1 of 3 counted cases and hangs the jury in 0.

Law & Order S8E11 “Under the Influence” (1998): Dressler · plea deal
Law & Order S16E14 “Magnet” (2006): Greg · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S13E10 “Spiraling Down” (2011): Jake Stanton · acquitted

Duress 2 cases

Someone forced the defendant to commit the crime under threat of death or serious harm. It wins an acquittal in 0 of 1 counted cases and hangs the jury in 0.

Law & Order S6E5 “Hot Pursuit” (1995): Leslie Harlan · guilty verdict
Law & Order S17E15 “Melting Pot” (2007): Julio · no verdict or plea

Entrapment 2 cases

Police or their agents pushed the defendant into a crime they would not otherwise have committed.

Law & Order S3E6 “Helpless” (1992): Merritt · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S7E9 “Entrapment” (1997): Huey Tate · no verdict or plea

Jury nullification 2 cases

The defense asks jurors to acquit even if the law was broken, because conviction would be unjust. It wins an acquittal in 0 of 2 counted cases and hangs the jury in 1.

Law & Order S8E5 “Nullification” (1997): Philip Christie · hung jury
Law & Order: SVU S22E4 “Sightless in a Savage Land” (2021): Mickey Davis · guilty verdict

Novel defenses 14 cases

Unusual theories, from “black rage” to genetics, that defense lawyers try when the usual defenses do not fit. It wins an acquittal in 0 of 12 counted cases and hangs the jury in 0.

Law & Order S3E20 “Securitate” (1993): Leon (Cultural insanity defense) · plea deal
Law & Order S4E9 “Born Bad” (1993): Chris (XYY chromosome defense) · plea deal
Law & Order S5E13 “Rage” (1995): Greer (“Black rage” defense) · guilty verdict
Law & Order S11E8 “Thin Ice” (2000): Ray Taylor (Rage as a psychiatric defense) · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S3E8 “Inheritance” (2001): Darrell Guan (Inherited violence gene defense) · guilty verdict
Law & Order: SVU S4E9 “Juvenile” (2002): Jeremy Brice (Adolescent brain defense) · guilty verdict
Law & Order S13E12 “Under God” (2003): Hogan (Divine-command justification) · plea deal
Law & Order: SVU S5E13 “Hate” (2004): Sean Webster (Genetic hatred defense) · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S14E21 “Vendetta” (2004): Grimes (Donner's death) (Prison instinct defense) · plea deal
Law & Order S15E1 “Paradigm” (2004): Nadira Harrington (Geneva Conventions resistance defense) · guilty verdict
Law & Order S17E17 “Good Faith” (2007): Reese (Divine-punishment justification) · plea deal
Law & Order: SVU S9E3 “Impulsive” (2007): Shane Mills (Sex addiction defense) · plea deal
Law & Order: SVU S10E10 “Smut” (2008): Eric Lutz (Pornography addiction defense) · no verdict or plea
Law & Order S23E6 “On the Ledge” (2024): Kenneth Cartwright (Race-based traumatic stress) · guilty verdict

A defense is listed when the recap shows the defense raising it for the defendant on trial. Short, general explanations, not legal advice. How these summaries are written.