On Law And Order District Attorney Adam Schiff's character is based on the long serving District Attorney of New York County Robert Morgenthau. In his life Morgenthau had the closest thing I've ever seen to a permanent job that an elected official could such was his popularity with the Manhattan electorate. Twice in his tenure which began in 1974, Morgenthau had two electoral challenges before he retired in 2010. This episode Under The Influence shows how politics does enter into the criminal justice system. Politics did enter into the first of Morgenthau's challenges, but the circumstances were totally different from those in this episode.
A hit and run driver runs down three people in Harlem and there is a hue and cry. A lengthy investigation leads Jerry Orbach and Benjamin Bratt to Daniel McDonald who is an arrogant piece of work. A rich executive he takes some careful steps to conceal his part in the crime, but he gets nailed anyway. He's the kind of defendant you truly love to hate. Some indication he may have deliberately run the victims down for kicks.
A solid case for Murder 2, but the DA's office goes for Murder 1 which means proving intent. And everybody's got an agenda. The judge is played by Cliff Gorman who would make the first of a few appearances as he later challenges Steven Hill in the primary. He's deliberately tilting against the defendant. Hill wants to show he's just as 'tough on crime' and against a loathsome defendant, who'll care. And Sam Waterston remembers the drunk driver who killed Jill Hennessy, he's ready to throw out the ethics on this one.
Carey Lowell proves to be the conscience of her office. She registers very strong in this episode and in many ways this is her finest hour as Waterston's second chair. You have to see how this one plays out and Cliff Gorman will be back.