This is the first of 13 appearances of defense attorney Danielle Melnick, portrayed by Tovah Feldshuh. This character also appeared briefly in the final episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap (2011)."
The actresses Maura Tierney and Lisa Nicole Carson went on to play Abby Lockhart and Carla Reese on "ER (1994)." They did not starred together, however
This episode appears to be based on two separate cases/incidents:
- The 1962 death of actress Marilyn Monroe. Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson) was a major sex symbol and one of the most popular Hollywood stars during the 1950s and early 1960s. She died of a barbiturate overdose late in the evening of Saturday, August 4, 1962, at her 12305 Fifth Helena Drive home in Los Angeles, California. Her body was discovered before dawn on Sunday, August 5. She was a top-billed actress for a decade, and her films had grossed $200 million by the time of her death. Her death was officially ruled a probable suicide by the Los Angeles County coroner's office, based on precedents of her overdosing and being prone to mood swings and suicidal ideation. No evidence of foul play was found, and accidental overdose was ruled out due to the large amount of barbiturates she had ingested. Despite the coroner's findings, several conspiracy theories suggesting murder or accidental overdose have been proposed since the mid-1960s. Many of these involve President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert F. Kennedy, as well as union leader Jimmy Hoffa and mob boss Sam Giancana. Due to the prevalence of these theories in the media, the office of the Los Angeles County District Attorney reviewed the case in 1982, but it found no evidence to support them and did not disagree with the findings of the original investigation.
- Partially ripped from the pages of Mommie Dearest and its film adaptation (Mommie Dearest (1981)).
When Stone asks Robinette if he knows a good probate attorney, the scene immediately focuses on Tovah Feldshuh as Danielle Melnick. A Probate Attorney specializes in asset issues resulting from someone's death; Melnick became prominent in the series as a Defense Attorney.
Tovah Feldshuh (Defense Attorney Danielle Melnick) and Michael Moriarty (EADA Ben Stone) previously appeared together in Holocaust (1978).