<Li> Episode 7: "Poison" </Li> <P> In 2005, the Lennie Briscoe character was written out after the second episode of Trial By Jury; coinciding with Orbach's death on December 28, 2004, from prostate cancer . The character's departure from the show was originally to be in the episode "Baby Boom" in which members of the DA's office attend a memorial service for him . This scene was in fact filmed, but was not included in the aired episode . </P> <P> In the 2007 Criminal Intent episode "Renewal", Mike Logan mentions that Briscoe has died, but that he still sees him alive in his dreams . In the 2008 Law & Order episode "Burn Card", Ed Green says that he returned to gambling briefly after Briscoe died . In the 2009 Law & Order episode "Fed", Rey Curtis returns to New York to bury his deceased wife Deborah, who had finally succumbed to complications related to multiple sclerosis . He reveals to Lt. Van Buren that he had spoken with Briscoe a few days before his death, and that he was his old wisecracking self right up to the end . </P> <Ul> <Li> Lennie Briscoe was voted the 30th - greatest television show character of all time by Bravo TV . </Li> <Li> Lennie Briscoe was Law & Order's third - greatest detective on the Hallmark Channel poll in 2010, beaten only by Special Victims Unit Detective Olivia Benson, who came in second, and Criminal Intent Detective Robert Goren, who won the poll . </Li> <Li> Lennie Briscoe was ranked number 9 on Sleuth Channel's poll of America's Top Sleuths between Sherlock Holmes at number 10 and Gil Grissom of CSI at number 8 . </Li> <Li> Lennie Briscoe was named one of TV's Smartest Detectives by AOL TV . </Li> <Li> Lennie Briscoe was ranked 15th on TV Guide's list of the 25 greatest TV detectives . </Li> </Ul>

How did lenny briscoe leave law and order