Law & Order Tackles Adrienne Shelly Murder

Coming this season: Law & Order will definitely have an episode based on the murder of Adrienne Shelly. A reader just sent us a casting notice to find someone to play an immigrant construction worker accused in the crime:

[JULIO CONTRERAS] male, 19-24, Hispanic, illegal immigrant. Speaks English w/accent. He has been working as a day laborer/construction worker in this country for almost two years. He sends money back home to his family in So. America - he is the sole breadwinner for his mother and siblings. He is suspected of murdering Erin Garrett after they argued about his construction crew turning off the electricity in her building. He admits to the argument and pushing her. She fell, hit her head, and was knocked unconscious. Julio swears he did not hang her. He is brought to trial.

In the Shelly murder, Shelly and construction worker Diego Pillco argued over noise. Pillco told police he staged Shelly's body to look like a hanging because he thought she was dead after hitting her (she was only unconscious); he is pleading not guilty.

This Friday's Law & Order involves a star who adopts a baby from Africa.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on January 11, 2007 4:31 PM

Comments [rss]

ohplease

As others have said the show's concept is "ripped from the headlines..." not just "ripped from the headlines that don't offend your particular ethnic or socio-economic group."

socgrrrl

"Ripped from the headlines..." is L&O's tag line.

I love this show, which I think is very well written. One of the best episodes from last season was with Chevy Chase, who played a Mel Gibson-esque character.

I miss Jerry Orbach though. :(

SixSider

If they had just added a shopping cart subplot... maybe...

Peter

Amazing! L&O isn't changing the criminal to white!

anonymass

edEx is right: L&O is a laugh riot.

Almost as funny as a (presumably) fully grown adult using an apostrophe in place of a verb conjugation.

ed_Extinct

every law/crime show parody's real life... including the famed "24".

Dirk

Like this is something new. Law and Order always takes their storylines from the news headlines. You guys are just now getting upset about this?

Bob A Booey

Enough with the Law & Order already...and the Shake Shack...and the graffitti glorification....

jvm

That's just tacky. End the show. It jumped the shark years ago. I haven't been watching in years, did they do a show about that girl from Juilliard who got shot on the LES? Seriously, I think it's low, and I've sunk to the depths...

Chris

Another example of how Law & Order has sunk to new depths. The Writers' Guild of America should really revoke the credentials of anyone working on those shows due to the lack of originality.