Moses Guthrie
Years ago
Poor Taste? Upcoming Law and Order episode
NBA Brawl Inspires 'Law & Order' Episode
Wed Feb 16, 8:02 AM ET Television - AP
DETROIT - The brawl between Indiana Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans has inspired an episode of NBC's "Law & Order."
Unlike the episode titled "The Sixth Man," slated to air at 10 p.m. EST Wednesday, the most serious charge resulting from the Palace brawl is felonious assault not murder. But up to that point, the show's plot closely follows actual events.
The star player for the fictional Philadelphia Cannons, Silas Enwood, lies down on the scorer's table during a game against the New York Empires. A fan, Ira Waldman, dumps beer on Enwood, who rushes into the stands with several teammates and fights with fans, including Waldman.
After Waldman sues Enwood for $20 million, he is found dead of a broken neck.
The show doesn't mention Detroit, the Pistons, the Pacers or Indiana's Ron Artest.
The Nov. 19 fracas began after Artest, who was on the scorer's table, had a beverage dumped on him and rushed into the stands with several teammates. Artest was suspended for the season and four teammates drew shorter suspensions; they and four Detroit fans are charged with misdemeanor assault and battery.
"We were aware of this episode," Pistons spokesman Kevin Grigg told The Detroit News for a Tuesday story. "But we're not going to comment on the content."
*** The corresponding web address where I got this from is: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=494&ncid=763&e=5&u=/ap/20050216/ap_en_tv/tv_law___order ***
