This episode appears to be based on the 1986 Bruce Cutler case. Cutler was the attorney for famed Mafia boss John Gotti, who was removed as Gotti's counsel because he was deemed to be too immersed in Gotti's activities to be an independent counsel. Gotti was found not guilty in part due to the bribery of juror George Pape.
When Detective's Lennie Briscoe and Mike Logan are at the ice company interviewing the Lincoln owner, the phone number (212-675-4115) and name (Diamond Ice) of the ice company on the truck are both real and correct.
Defense Attorney Mark Kopell says that the tape will "go the way of all flesh" meaning it will not be seen. The Way of All Flesh (1927) was at the time of this episode (and continues to be) considered a lost film.
Vincent Pastore appears in this episode, as a character (John Furini) involved with crime families of New York. Actors Edie Falco and Dan Grimaldi appeared in Scoundrels (1994). All three would later appear on HBO's The Sopranos (1999).