Benjamin Stone
Encyclopedia
Benjamin "Ben" Stone is a fictional character portrayed by Michael Moriarty
in the TV drama Law & Order
.
's office under Alfred Wentworth (in the pilot episode) and Adam Schiff
. It was Schiff with whom he is closest, treating him as a kind of surrogate father, his own father having been an overbearing alcoholic. Stone's prosecutorial methods are portrayed as being grounded in moral principles stemming from his Catholic
faith; he is shown to be pro-life
and anti-death penalty. He also is a strong advocate of social justice
, having marched in the civil rights
movement, although his sympathy for those at a disadvantage in society does not extend to criminals. Despite holding some conservative beliefs, Stone is shown to be a Democrat in the episode "The Torrents of Greed", in which he is shown attending a Democratic fundraiser with Schiff.
and Claire Kincaid
.
A strict, unyielding boss, Stone can be very difficult to work with; in the pilot episode
, Detectives Max Greevey and Mike Logan
, intimate that Stone "eats ADAs for lunch." Stone is usually rather soft-spoken; he is fond of using harmless words like "sir" to convey his contempt for the people he prosecutes.
The 1991 episode "The Troubles
" establishes that Stone is a Catholic
who was mostly raised by his Irish
grandmother. He is divorce
d with one daughter, who is never seen on the show, except by way of a photograph kept on a shelf in his office. (The child in the actual photograph used on the set was Moriarty's own son, Matthew.)
The last straw is in the episode "Old Friends", which portrays a racketeering case in which the main witness, whose safety Stone had personally guaranteed, is murdered by the Russian Mafia
. Wracked with guilt, he resigns. He is succeeded by Jack McCoy
as Executive ADA.
, now a defense attorney, wants a judge to recuse himself for past comments showing bias against drug addicts and support for forced sterilization, Robinette threatens to subpoena Stone as a witness against the judge. Upon hearing of the threat, Adam Schiff
informs Jack McCoy
that Stone "is travelling in Europe, not available to testify at any hearing." However, the judge by this time has already declared himself "unavailable" to hear the case.
Michael Moriarty
Michael Moriarty is an American-Canadian actor of stage and screen, and a jazz musician. He played Benjamin Stone for four seasons on the TV series Law & Order.-Early life:...
in the TV drama Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
.
Character overview
Stone works in the Manhattan District AttorneyNew York County District Attorney
The New York County District Attorney is the elected district attorney for New York County , New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws....
's office under Alfred Wentworth (in the pilot episode) and Adam Schiff
Adam Schiff (Law & Order)
Adam Schiff is a fictional character on the TV drama series Law & Order. He was played by Steven Hill from 1990 to 2000. Schiff was one of the main characters of the series and appeared in every episode of the first ten seasons except for Everybody's Favorite Bagman, which was produced before Hill...
. It was Schiff with whom he is closest, treating him as a kind of surrogate father, his own father having been an overbearing alcoholic. Stone's prosecutorial methods are portrayed as being grounded in moral principles stemming from his Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
faith; he is shown to be pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
and anti-death penalty. He also is a strong advocate of social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, having marched in the civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
movement, although his sympathy for those at a disadvantage in society does not extend to criminals. Despite holding some conservative beliefs, Stone is shown to be a Democrat in the episode "The Torrents of Greed", in which he is shown attending a Democratic fundraiser with Schiff.
Career within the show
Stone became Executive Assistant DA in 1985 after convicting con artist and murderer Philip Swann (who, in the 1993 episode "American Dream", enters a civil suit against Stone when the validity of the conviction is called into question). Stone's assistants have been Paul RobinettePaul Robinette
Paul Robinette, played by Richard Brooks, is a fictional character who appeared in the TV drama series Law & Order from the pilot episode in 1990 until the final episode of the third season, "Benevolence," in 1993...
and Claire Kincaid
Claire Kincaid
Assistant District Attorney Claire Kincaid is a fictional character on the television series Law & Order, played by Jill Hennessy from 1993 to 1996.-Character overview:...
.
A strict, unyielding boss, Stone can be very difficult to work with; in the pilot episode
Everybody's Favorite Bagman
"Everybody's Favorite Bagman" originally aired on October 30, 1990 as the sixth episode of NBC's legal drama Law & Order. It was produced in 1988 and was the intended pilot episode of the series.-Plot:...
, Detectives Max Greevey and Mike Logan
Mike Logan (Law & Order)
Michael "Mike" Logan is a fictional character in the police procedural and legal drama television series Law & Order franchise, played by Chris Noth.-History in the franchise:...
, intimate that Stone "eats ADAs for lunch." Stone is usually rather soft-spoken; he is fond of using harmless words like "sir" to convey his contempt for the people he prosecutes.
The 1991 episode "The Troubles
The Troubles (Law & Order episode)
"The Troubles" is the twentieth episode of NBC's legal drama Law & Order. It originally aired on 26 March 1991.-Plot:A Cuban drug dealer and an IRA militant are suspected of the murder of a Lebanese drug smuggler and gun runner. Logan must deal with his own bias and sympathy towards the Irish...
" establishes that Stone is a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
who was mostly raised by his Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
grandmother. He is divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d with one daughter, who is never seen on the show, except by way of a photograph kept on a shelf in his office. (The child in the actual photograph used on the set was Moriarty's own son, Matthew.)
The last straw is in the episode "Old Friends", which portrays a racketeering case in which the main witness, whose safety Stone had personally guaranteed, is murdered by the Russian Mafia
Russian Mafia
The Russian Mafia is a name applied to organized crime syndicates in Russia and Ukraine. The mafia in various countries take the name of the country, as for example the Ukrainian mafia....
. Wracked with guilt, he resigns. He is succeeded by Jack McCoy
Jack McCoy
John James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest...
as Executive ADA.
Post departure
Stone is mentioned in the 1996 episode "Custody" as a possible witness against a judge. When his former assistant Paul RobinettePaul Robinette
Paul Robinette, played by Richard Brooks, is a fictional character who appeared in the TV drama series Law & Order from the pilot episode in 1990 until the final episode of the third season, "Benevolence," in 1993...
, now a defense attorney, wants a judge to recuse himself for past comments showing bias against drug addicts and support for forced sterilization, Robinette threatens to subpoena Stone as a witness against the judge. Upon hearing of the threat, Adam Schiff
Adam Schiff (Law & Order)
Adam Schiff is a fictional character on the TV drama series Law & Order. He was played by Steven Hill from 1990 to 2000. Schiff was one of the main characters of the series and appeared in every episode of the first ten seasons except for Everybody's Favorite Bagman, which was produced before Hill...
informs Jack McCoy
Jack McCoy
John James "Jack" McCoy is a fictional character in the television drama Law & Order, created by Michael S. Chernuchin and played by Sam Waterston since 1994. He is the second-longest tenured character on the show, after Lt. Anita Van Buren . On January 28, 2009, McCoy's character ended the longest...
that Stone "is travelling in Europe, not available to testify at any hearing." However, the judge by this time has already declared himself "unavailable" to hear the case.