This episode appears to be based on several different cases/incidents:
- The 2006 West Nickel Mines School shooting.
- The 2000 Wendy's massacre. Five people were killed during a robbery at a New York City Wendy's. One of the killers was sentenced to death but New York State's highest court overturned the death penalty in New York in 2004, which commuted the killer's sentence to life in prison.
- The 2004 People v. John Taylor case and subsequent legislative efforts to reinstate the capital punishment law in New York.
- The 1986-1989 escape and killing spree of Allan Legere.