Guest stars
Holt McCallany guest starred in the season premiere episode "Amends," as Det. Patrick Copa who witnesses the murder of his partner Kevin Quinn (Gerald McCullouch), but has degenerative vision impairment. Florencia Lozano portrays Quinn's widow Theresa, with whom Eames shares a special connection since Kevin was previously partnered with Eames' husband. Goren and Eames question Ray and Rodolfo Delgado (Felix Solis and Emilio Delgado, respectively). Rafael Sardina plays Dr. Manny Beltran, who was responsible for the death of Eames' husband years ago. Seth Gilliam plays Det. Daniels from narcotics, who helps Major Case when drugs and gangs are involved.
Michael O'Keefe guest starred in "Seeds" as Doctor Eli Rush in a case where an OB-GYN is murdered and posed in a ritualistic fashion.
In "Smile," Amy Acker as Leslie LeZard, Jason Kravits as Jim Kettle, and Jim Gaffigan as Marty Palin, are FDA employees dealing with a crisis from contaminated mouthwash produced by Shorr Labs, whose CEO Bing Schorr is played by Frank John Hughes. Holley Fain also appears as Stacey, an FDA office assistant.
In "Lonelyville," Lola Glaudini portrays Leanne Baker, a dangerous defense attorney who is more than she seems. Josh Pais plays Noah Brezner, who is cheating on his wife with Tammy Mills (Amanda Detmer). At a bar, he meets Anya Pugach (Jennifer Missoni) who winds up dead in his bed.
In "Depths," Frederick Weller guest starred as Simon Harper, a wealthy man who finances the search for sunken treasure, which goes bad when one of the hunters, Tarek "Rick" Agiza (Amir Arison), turns up dead on a Coney Island beach. Det. Streetman (Alison Becker) is first on scene. To sort out who killed Rick, Goren and Eames hunt for the remaining hunters, Dana Stipe (Kelli Giddish), her husband Greg (Michael Cerveris), and Tom "Chilly" Chilton (Eric Sheffer Stevens).
Steve Guttenberg and Paula Devicq guest star in "Courtship" as a famous couple, Clay Darren and Christine Mayfield, in the middle of a divorce presided by Judge Harvey Frye (Bruce MacVittie). Frye's wife Monica is murdered "pro" style, and a tip on "Client X" from Dr. Jay Alberstein (Remy Auberjonois) leads Logan and Falacci first to FBI Agent Frank Billings (Charles Borland), then to ex-CIA PI Ronald Hawk (John Ventimiglia).
Peter Coyote guest starred in "Self-Made" as Lionel Shill, a celebrated writer whose career is on the decline, as well as his young protégé T.J. Hawkins (Pablo Schreiber). Shamika Cotton plays Kira Danforth, a brilliant up-and-coming writer, working for Ariana Cypher (Barbara Walsh). When Kira is shot dead. Her pot-dealing ex-boyfriend Dante "D Tour" Heath (Al Thompson) is the obvious first suspect, and sleazy agent Gareth Sage (Fisher Stevens) is the next. Ron Simons as Det. Willis is the first on the scene.
Cynthia Watros guest starred in "Offense" as Beth Hoyle, the wife of ambitious Bronx ADA Gene Hoyle (Andrew McCarthy), who is prosecuting a rape case against three college football players, including Tim Pardue (Kenneth Franklin). When key witness Traci Kwon (Yin Chang) dies, Logan and Falacci re-interview everyone, including Tim's mom Grace (Peri Gilpin).
In "Untethered," Tony Goldwyn returned as Frank Goren, Det. Robert Goren's brother. Frank is off the streets and clean, but his son Donny Carlson (Trevor Morgan) suspects foul play in the death of fellow inmate Jay Lowry (Kevin Townley) under the direction of Warden Pellis (Debra Monk). Robert goes undercover into the isolation ward by faking mental illness with Dr. Stern (Anne L. Nathan).
Ben Vereen as Rev. Jeremiah Morris, and Daphne Rubin-Vega as Carmen Mendoza guest star as parents of youths involved in "Senseless" violence. Morris' son Isaiah is shot along with Ty and Naomi Johnson (Monique Lea-Gall). Given Naomi's eye-witness account, Logan and Falacci track down Mendoza's two sons Hector (Reza Salazar) and Paco (Christian Navarro) to find "El Diablo" Felix Aguilar, played by Jesse Garcia.
In "Purgatory," Dean Winters and Lauren Vélez guest star as dirty cops Mike Stoat and Lois Melago. Det. Copa, forced into early retirement because of vision issues, initiates a bar altercation with Goren. Det. Daniels becomes Eames' temporary partner while Goren is suspended pending psychiatric evaluation. To get his shield back, Goren goes undercover to take down drug-dealer John Testarossa (Danny Mastrogiorgio). Louis Martinez portrays Hector Santana, who helps Eames and Copa bust Testarossa.
When Law & Order: Criminal Intent returned from the Writer's Guild strike on 8 June 2008, it was the lead-in to the premiere of new series In Plain Sight, of which the show's star, Mary McCormack, appeared briefly in her role as U.S. Marshal Mary Shannon in "Contract," on 15 June 2008. Mo Rocca plays T.K. Richmond, a New York Ledger gossip columnist and prolific blackmailer, who dies in a car bomb, just as news anchor Elliot Falls (Paul DeBoy) is trying to gather evidence for the district attorney. Logan and Wheeler track down a host of leads, including a chef (David Fumero) looking for investors, real estate developer Ted Regan (Brian Haley), TK's bookie Joey Snails (Anthony Ribustello), TKs doctor Jacoby (Tibor Feldman), and TK's sister Jeannie (Emily Kinney). The investigation leads to the making of the movie "Contract Man" produced by Beverly Tyson (Illeana Douglas) and Barry Freeburg (Jeff Garlin), in which the lead actor Spencer London (Timothy Adams) has also died mysteriously. From the current screenwriter (Maury Ginsberg), they find the original writer is Frank Chess (Federico Castelluccio), and later discover he was a former mob capo, and contract hit-man. Bomb Squad Capt. Al Petrosino (James Biberi) analyzes the car bomb and confirms Chess' signature.
Brenda Strong portrays Kathy Jarrow, who is "Betrayed" by her husband Woody Sage (Scott Evans) as he disappears with his lover Avery Hubert (Kim Allen). Goren and Eames start looking where they were last seen by questioning a bodega clerk Amado (Adrian Martinez), then Avery's husband Roy Hubert (Eric Roberts), who is also cheating with his ex-wife, Trina Melda (Kate Miller). Senator Charles E. Schumer makes a cameo appearance.
In "Assassin," Indira Varma plays Bela Kahn, a Tamil freedom fighter and political activist who survives an assassination attempt at JFK when she returns from her house arrest in Sri Lanka. Madhur Jaffrey plays her mother, Stephen Schnetzer her husband Ajay, Waleed Zuaiter her brother Rani, and Aadya Bedi her niece Jasmina Khan. Olivia Birkelund plays Blair Khan, Rani's ex-wife.
Sarah Jane Morris guest starred in "Please Note We Are No Longer Accepting Letters of Recommendation from Henry Kissinger" as Marla Reynolds, a woman who murders the parents of three children who are on an exclusive and long waiting list to get into a Day Care Center. Jessica Walter portrayed her wealthy, ambitious, and vindictive mother-in-law Eleanor.
In "Reunion," Joan Jett plays Sylvia Rhodes, a public access hostess of "Rock 'n' Talk" who is murdered. Michael Massee plays Jordie Black, a rock-star accused of the murder, and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson plays Jordie's wife, Tara. Noel Fisher plays Milo Rhodes-Black, Sylvia's son. David Patrick Kelly plays Bo Levy, the family attorney.
James Frain as Dean Holiday and Christopher Lloyd as The Great Carmine guest star in "Vanishing Act" as magicians accused of murdering another magician, Miles Stone. Will Janowitz portrays Jacob Green, Stone's technician, and Kristen Connolly plays Miranda/Teresa, initially seen as Carmine's assistant. The cold opening includes Access Hollywood cameos by Paul Shaffer, The Naked Cowboy, and Shaun Robinson.
Miguel Ferrer guest starred in "Ten Count" as boxing coach Gus Kovak, who coached Gabriel and Peter Gardela (Enver Gjokaj). Karolina Wydra plays Christina, Peter's girlfriend. When Gabriel is shot outside a bar, Logan questions the Bouncer (James Colby), then Callie's mother (Lisa Emery) to find the girl Gabriel was trying to save from her thug boyfriend (Rick Aiello). But they discover ten grand in Gabriel's room, and Wheeler thinks that "the fix was in," so she and Logan question fight promoter Ziggy Gold (Tony Roberts).
Anthony Carrigan portrays H. Jack Walker III, a privileged "Legacy" student at Manor Hill, and member of the elitist "Jack Pack" and John Shea plays his father. Sonequa Martin-Green plays Kiana Richmond, one of several lacrosse players who beat up geeky student Paul Phillips, who later turns up hanged in the tunnels beneath the school. Matt Salinger and Betsy Aidem play Paul's parents, and Kiana's lawyer-father is played by Peter Francis James. Joanna Adler plays Anna Nobile, an unpopular teacher, and Sarah Steele her daughter Tessa. Jefferson Mays as Headmaster Keifer Gates, helps detectives with a locker search.
In "Neighborhood Watch," Scott Sowers is Sgt. Whelan, an overly-zealous cop who floods the neighborhood with flyers calling out Kyle Jones as a sex offender. Halley Gross plays Nancy Williams, who was fifteen when she and nineteen-year-old Kyle had a consensual relationship. Leslie Hope plays as ADA Terri Driver, an ambitious prosecutor who railroaded Kyle into prison. Logan and Driver immediately begin knocking heads. Alison Becker plays Det. Streetman, who is first on-scene when Kyle's body is found. Skipp Sudduth plays Clete Dixon, a former detective who offers Capt. Ross his theory of the crime in order to become famous. Dreama Walker is neighborhood girl Brenda Lally, who tips detectives to Ricky Moss (David Call), a local ne'er-do-well. Jonathan Cake appears as Colin Ledger, Det. Wheeler's husband.
In "Last Rites," Father Chris Shea (Denis O'Hare), a friend of Logan's former partner Lennie Briscoe, convinces Logan to reopen a 16-year-old homicide case. It jeopardizes both Logan's and Wheeler's careers because the prosecutor was ADA Driver, who, as a young ADA, ramrodded the case for personal gain. Now she will stop at nothing to bury the truth to run for Attorney General. Chris McKinney plays Randy Nichols, who has already served sixteen years and has another eight years left on his sentence. Kene Holliday plays a cold case detective, and Guy Boyd plays the original detective. James Murtaugh portrays Alan Bottner, whose son Peter and daughter-in-law Shannon were kill.
In "Frame," John Glover returns as Dr. Declan Gage, who manipulates Nicole Wallace (Olivia d'Abo) into killing Goren's brother Frank (Tony Goldwyn), then Gage kills her as well. Det. Fontanella (Daniel Oreskes) is on-scene at Frank's murder when Goren arrives. Ilana Levine plays Evelyn Carlson, Frank's ex-wife and mother of Goren's nephew Donny.
