An arson at an Hispanic social club that killed 53 people is related to a powerful Cuban, an INS agent, and the sale of fake green cards.An arson at an Hispanic social club that killed 53 people is related to a powerful Cuban, an INS agent, and the sale of fake green cards.An arson at an Hispanic social club that killed 53 people is related to a powerful Cuban, an INS agent, and the sale of fake green cards.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode appears to be based on several cases/incidents:
- The 1990 Happy Land Social Club Fire caused by Cuban refugee Julio Gonzalez. On March 25, 1990, Gonzalez poured a gallon of gasoline at the only exit to an illegal Bronx social club, which resulted in the deaths of 87 people. The few who survived jumped through the flames, one of whom was the intended victim of the crime--Gonzalez's girlfriend, Lydia Feliciano.
- The 1980 Denmark Place fire in Central London. The fire, caused by arson, killed 37 people] of eight nationalities. Most of the victims were Spanish or Latin Americans, and were patrons of two unlicensed bars in the building.At the time, The Sunday Times said the fire could be "the worst mass murder in British history".
- The 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City.
- The Rudolph Lee case. Winston v. Lee was a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which held that a compelled surgical intrusion into an individual's body for evidence implicates expectations of privacy and security of such magnitude that the intrusion would be "unreasonable" under the Fourth Amendment, even if likely to produce evidence of a crime.
- GoofsWhen Cerreta and Logan enter the crime scene, Cerreta holds a cloth over his mouth and nose. As they are talking to the arson investigator on the stairs, the camera angle switches and Cerreta is no longer holding the cloth.
- Quotes
Captain Donald Cragen: What's less than nothing? Minus zero? Negative bupkis?
- ConnectionsFeatured in Law & Order: The First 3 Years (2004)
Featured review
A considerable risk
I well remember the social club fire in New York City that inspired this episode. Unlike that real life tragedy this involved a lot more than some poor mook's jealousy.
As Fire Marshal Robert Hogan say this was a professionally done job and the method used involves a considerable risk to one's person. In fact the arsonist came real close to dying himself. Luis Guzman plays the luckless arsonist who had considerable injuries and saw not a dime of his promised payment.
This social club has a considerable following among Central American immigrants, legal and illegal. That was why the place was targeted.
All I can say is that it really takes one coldblooded fish of a human being to perpetrate this kind of tragedy as a form of intimidation.
Michael Moriarty and Richard Brooks build a case that has some considerable corruption uncovered. This is one time you are glad to see the bad guys arrested and exposed.
As Fire Marshal Robert Hogan say this was a professionally done job and the method used involves a considerable risk to one's person. In fact the arsonist came real close to dying himself. Luis Guzman plays the luckless arsonist who had considerable injuries and saw not a dime of his promised payment.
This social club has a considerable following among Central American immigrants, legal and illegal. That was why the place was targeted.
All I can say is that it really takes one coldblooded fish of a human being to perpetrate this kind of tragedy as a form of intimidation.
Michael Moriarty and Richard Brooks build a case that has some considerable corruption uncovered. This is one time you are glad to see the bad guys arrested and exposed.
- bkoganbing
- Jul 6, 2017
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