The latest episode of Law And Order Season 25 put A.D.A. Samantha Maroun in the toughest spot of her career. With her usual partner out of action, Maroun had to lead a murder trial against the very woman who taught her everything.
A.D.A. Nolan Price was missing from the courtroom for a simple reason. The character is recovering from a routine appendix removal, which will keep him away for a few weeks. This gave Odelya Halevi’s Maroun her first real chance to run the show as first chair.
“I got to play first chair, I got to lead the prosecution, which is a pretty big deal,” Halevi told NBC Insider. “It’s something that Maroun has been looking for, and me, as an actor on the show, I’ve been waiting for that opportunity to play.”
The episode, titled “Ride or Die,” aired on April 23, 2026, at 8/7c on NBC.
The Murder Case That Started Everything
The investigation began with the death of Katie Harrington, a local TV news reporter. The victim was found dead backstage after judging the Miss NY Metro pageant.
Detectives quickly focused on Ann Merrick, played by Kelli Williams. Merrick was the victim’s boss and mentor at the TV station. The motive was professional jealousy. Katie was about to take Merrick’s job, and her contract was not getting renewed.
When police found Merrick’s DNA on the murder weapon and evidence placing her near the crime scene, the case seemed simple. But nothing stays simple in the Law & Order courtroom.
Merrick hired Abigail Donahue as her defense attorney. This is where things got personal for Maroun.
Abigail, played by Alanna Ubach, was Maroun’s former mentor from her time in the Bronx District Attorney’s office. She also helped Maroun get her current job at the 27th Precinct.
When a Mentor Shows a Different Side
The reunion between Maroun and Abigail started warmly. They shared memories and seemed genuinely happy to see each other. But that feeling did not last.
Abigail planned to use an “Extreme Emotional Disturbance” or EED defense. She argued that Merrick killed her mentee because her emotions got out of control after losing her career. Maroun and D.A. Nicholas Baxter, played by Tony Goldwyn, saw this as a major stretch since workplace conflicts rarely qualify for EED.
Then Abigail played a dirty card. She found emails proving the victim had lied to get Merrick fired. The defense also found a new witness that could turn the case around. But Maroun discovered her own secret weapon Sarah Chase, another of Merrick’s former mentees who had also received death threats from the defendant.
That is when Abigail visited Maroun at home. She asked her former student to drop the new witness. She called in a favor, reminding Maroun that she owed her for launching her career.
“I think Maroun sees her as not just a professional mentor,” Halevi explained. “When someone’s been there for you since the beginning, you consider them a friend. Especially when they have so much to teach you, you become besties.”
Finding out that her mentor was willing to cheat broke Maroun’s heart.
“It was really heartbreaking for Maroun to hear that she’s asking for this favor from her, because Maroun would never,” Halevi said. “She knows it’s wrong. Maroun knows she would never do such a thing, and it just makes her question whether that relationship was real or was it all agenda-driven.”
Maroun Picks Justice Over Friendship
Maroun refused Abigail’s request. She put Sarah Chase on the stand. The jury quickly saw the pattern in Merrick’s behavior. The defendant was found guilty of murder in the second degree.
After the verdict, Maroun tried to talk to Abigail. Her former mentor gave her a cold look, said they were done, and walked away.
Halevi called the ending “bittersweet.”
“It’s like finding out that a longtime friendship, relationship maybe wasn’t real, maybe it was agenda-driven, and it’s heartbreaking. It’s really heartbreaking,” Halevi told TV Insider. “Even though she knows it’s the right thing to do, it is sad. But also she’s OK with that because it had to happen.”
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D.A. Baxter stepped in to support Maroun after Abigail left. He reminded her that no true mentor would ever ask someone to compromise their integrity. His words clearly meant a lot to Maroun.
“Some people come into your life for a reason and they stay there for a little bit, and then they have to leave for you to grow and move on and be better,” Halevi said. “And I feel like Baxter would be the new type of mentor.”
What This Episode Showed About Maroun
This episode showed a new side of Odelya Halevi’s character. Without Price watching her back, Maroun proved she can handle the pressure of being first chair. She faced a personal betrayal and still got the guilty verdict.
Halevi teased a new chapter for Maroun, specifically “a chapter between Maroun and Baxter. Maybe he’s becoming her new mentor. Professional and honest.”
The episode was directed by Oscar Lozoya and written by Jolie Huang and Jennifer Vanderbes.
Viewers who missed the episode can stream it on Peacock. The episode became available on the platform starting April 24. Peacock plans start at $10.99 per month with a free trial option available.
Law & Order Season 25 continues with Episode 19 titled “Accidentally Like a Martyr.” The episode follows a woman from a famous family found dead on her birthday.
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