The latest episode of Law & Order, “Enemy of the State,” revisits the tragedy of 9/11 through the lens of contemporary emotions. The play deftly balances a critical examination of post-9/11 counterterrorism measures with an exploration of moral boundaries. Overall, it’s a worthy return after the show’s winter hiatus.
Young man Raymond Clark (Javon Donaldson) is pushed into an oncoming subway train. His mother described Raymond, the washed-up police recruit, as “lost.” Detectives Jalen Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Vincent Riley (Reed Scott) soon track down Luke Bragg (Josh Hooks), a Playboy, Raymond invested all his money in him to learn how to be an alpha male. Bragg’s methods failed to impress Clark, so he exposed him as a fraud. However, a kid trying to expose Bragg as a charlatan is not a reason for Bragg to kill him
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“Enemy of the State” — “Law & Order,” pictured: Pictured: Karin James as Noah Turan.
A subway murder escalates into an act of terrorism when detectives visit the home of Raymond’s oldest friend, Noah Turan (Karin James). At Turan’s home, police found undeniable evidence that he had murdered his friend. Additionally, they discovered that he planned to bomb the Brooklyn Public Library during a visit by Chinese citizens. Shaw and Riley arrested Noah just in time. What Noah didn’t know was that his suicide mission was fabricated. Noah pleads for a plea deal in frustration. He negotiated a reduced sentence for his friend’s murder in exchange for the name of the man who radicalized him. The man turns out to be brash FBI agent Joshua Haddad (Hazy Suleiman), who exploits Noah’s anger at the United States for allowing the Chinese government to commit egregious human rights abuses, including deporting Muslim children Separation from parents, sexual violence against women, sterilization of men, and what many believe constitute a low-key genocide.
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“Enemy of the State” – “Law & Order”, pictured: (left) Reed Scott as Detective Vincent Reilly, Maura Tierney as Lieutenant Jessica Brady, McArdle Brooks plays Detective Jalen Shaw.
Noah confessed to the DA that he had no intention of killing Raymond; however, when he called Joshua to report that Raymond had seen bomb-making materials, Joshua instructed him to “deal with it.” In Noah’s mind, this meant silencing Raymond because he believed that the next day he would take the lives of potentially hundreds of people with a bomb that Joshua had taught him to make. Executive prosecutor Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) continues to prosecute the methods and standards of the “bait and trap” counterterrorism program in court, paying particular attention to how Haddad executed the program. Price argued that Raymond’s murder would not have happened if Haddad had not manipulated, threatened and set Noah on fire with gas. Haddad’s defense relied on his exemplary record, saying that of the 216 people he came into contact with, only Noah committed the murder and therefore bore full responsibility.
“Enemy of the State – Law & Order, pictured: (left) Alimi Ballard as lawyer. Ron Delahunt, Haaz Sleiman Plays Joshua Haddad.
At this point, Price is on the verge of losing Haddad’s manslaughter case until he discovers that District Attorney Nicholas Baxter (Tony Goldwyn) has written a “bait and trap” guide. “My job is to legitimize methods and standards,” Baxter explained. Price wanted Baxter to testify. Baxter clearly didn’t want to do that, arguing, “Now that I’m the district attorney, I don’t need to let the world know what we did to keep this city safe after 9/11. It looks like today There’s a difference.” Price responded, clapping his hands: “I’ll go to sleep knowing that I’m fighting tooth and nail for justice. Tell me where you stand in the morning. The next day, District Attorney Baxter testified that the FBI agents “went well beyond the legal boundaries of their mission,” and Haddad was found guilty of manslaughter.
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“Enemy of the State” – “Law & Order”, pictured: (left) Hugh Dancy as ADA Nolan Price and Tony Goldwyn as District Attorney Nicholas Baxter. Media, LLC.
After the court showdown, Price and Baxter had a conversation that highlighted their ongoing rivalry. Everyone competes for moral superiority within the DA’s office. Baxter praised Price’s closing argument and acknowledged that while he personally disliked the aggressive tactics of the sting program, it did save lives. There’s an old saying that fits this scene perfectly: “If you explain, you can’t win.” Since Baxter is the interpreter, the moral advantage clearly belongs to Price.
Overall, “Enemy of the State” tells a gripping and thought-provoking story that forces us to face the harsh realities of more than 20 years of war on terror. It compels us to question whether the tragic fate of Raymond Clark was justified—even as an innocent man suffered collateral damage on American soil in an effort to stop terrorist activity overseas. What did you think of this episode? Do you find yourself feeling sympathy for Agent Hardat?
Overall rating:
9/10
Lynette Jones