Spoiler warning for the Left Coasters... I just wrote a letter along these lines to NBC because of tonight's episode. I am so amazed by the outcome of this episode. It was worse than reading a Stephen King novel. King tends to have a great story, well thought out, explained and described awesomely, and then it's almost like he gets tired and gives up. That's when the alien spider from planet Xenar crash lands into the sewers and everyone dies, even though the story had nothing to do with aliens at all.

That is how I felt tonight after this episode of Law and Order.

So, we are going along with the trial, and all of a sudden, the threat of producing a white girlfriend makes the reporter suddenly accept a plea bargain, giving away minimally 12.5 years of his life, and up to 25, whereas, up until that point, he had been convinced he would have little problems avoiding incarceration.

What was this message supposed to convey? That producing a white woman from Greenwich, CT would confirm that he isn't "black" enough to warrant the sympathy of the jury? What exactly caused that plea bargain to be reached? I'm very confused by this and find what I deem to be the implicit message highly offensive.

- usually loves L&O but is a bit peeved right now