Law & Order Season 9 Episode 24 Refuge (2)
- May 26, 1999
- 46 min
-
8.6 (349)
After the dramatic events of the first part of this two-part episode, Law & Order Season 9, Episode 24, titled "Refuge (2)," continues the story of a family who have fled political persecution in Bosnia and now find themselves in a complex legal situation in the United States.
The episode opens with the arrival of a group of Bosnian refugees in New York City. Among them is young Armin, who was separated from his family during the chaos of their escape and is now missing. Meanwhile, the family that we met in the previous episode - father Jan, mother Lena, and their son Mirko - have been taken into custody by the INS and face deportation back to Bosnia. Their only hope is the sympathetic lawyer Serena Southerlyn, who is fighting to keep them in the United States on grounds of asylum.
As the episode unfolds, we see the legal case against Jan and Lena being built by Assistant District Attorney Jack McCoy. He must prove that the couple were involved in crimes against humanity in Bosnia, and that they are not deserving of asylum in the United States. However, the evidence is thin, and McCoy must rely on the testimony of witnesses who are understandably reluctant to speak out against the couple. At the same time, Serena Southerlyn is doing her best to discredit the witnesses and prove that Jan and Lena are victims themselves, having fled for their lives from a brutal regime.
As the legal battle rages on, the search continues for young Armin. Detectives Lennie Briscoe and Ed Green are hot on the trail of those who may have abducted the boy, and the tension mounts as they race against time to find him before it's too late.
In between the legal and investigatory drama, we get glimpses into the personal lives of the characters. Jack McCoy struggles with his conscience over whether he is doing the right thing in prosecuting Jan and Lena, while Serena Southerlyn faces the challenge of balancing her job with her own personal demons. Meanwhile, Lennie Briscoe continues to indulge in his love of alcohol, putting himself and others in danger.
Overall, Law & Order Season 9, Episode 24 is a fitting conclusion to the gripping two-part story of the Bosnian refugee family. It maintains the show's trademark mix of legal and criminal drama, along with insightful character development that keeps us invested in the outcome of the case. As with any episode of Law & Order, the tension is expertly crafted, and we are left guessing until the very end about how it will all play out.