The Feb 6. airing of the popular NBC drama "Law & Order" depicted a situation similar to the infamous missing persons case of Washington intern Chandra Levy. The storyline involved a character like Carolyn Condit— wife of U.S. Congressman Gary Condit, D-Calif. — playing a key role in the disappearance of a missing intern. Carolyn Condit now demands an immediate apology for the episode, claiming defamation of character.
For years, "Law & Order" has functioned as a social critique, and has also functioned as a stage for political commentary on the current state of our judicial system — using storylines that have "been ripped from the headlines," according to the show's disclaimer. The television show, however, contends that it is purely fictional and inspired by real events.
Carolyn Condit needs to realize the Levy scandal involving her husband — against whom Washington police never found evidence of wrongdoing — was the biggest story of last summer. As a result, she must be scrutinized by the public eye, whether through the evening news or a fictitious show such as "Law & Order." Although the episode may have been inspired by the Levy case, it has not claimed to be that situation. The show's writing and producing team may have found inspiration from current events, but a fabricated story that Carolyn Condit finds unfavorable to her image will not derail the successful drama.
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