‘Law & Order’ Writes Off Cast Member in Season 25 Premiere

Det. Jalen Shaw has officially exited Law & Order.

Following Mehcad Brooks‘ departure from the NBC legal procedural in July after three seasons, Thursday’s Season 25 premiere quickly explained Shaw’s absence.

Brooks’ character was effectively written off in a quick exchange between Lt. Jessica Brady (Maura Tierney) and Det. Vincent Riley (Reid Scott), but the door was kept open for a possible return in the future.

“I just spoke to Shaw. Something opened up over at the 8-8, and he’s going to take it,” Brady told Riley of his former partner’s new position at the NYPD’s 88th Precinct. “I knew he wanted to get back to Brooklyn. So good for him,” Riley responded. “I’m going to miss that guy, though.”

Shaw first entered the Law & Order franchise in 2022, appearing in a crossover episode of Law & Order: Organized Crime and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He then joined the franchise’s flagship series in 2022’s Season 22, filling in after the departure of Anthony Anderson‘s Det. Kevin Bernard.

Deadline reported in July that Brooks’ exit from Law & Order was mutual, and that the actor was already exploring different opportunities.

In his place, Law & Order has since cast David Ajala, who will serve as a new partner to Det. Riley when he makes his entrance partway into the season.

Brooks opened up about his experience working on Law & Order after Season 24 wrapped, sharing a photo with Scott and Tierney at the time.

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A post shared by Mehcad Brooks (@mehcadbrooks)

“That’s a wrap on Season 24. What an amazing, intense and deeply grounding experience,” Brooks wrote on Instagram in April 2025. “It’s a pleasure and privilege to share the screen with such talented and hardworking artists and such an intrepid crew who truly care about what we are co-creating.”

Scott added in a similar post, “What a way to wrap a season. These two are the best. Lots of laughs with this crew, which def made the long hard days a hell of a lot brighter. Here’s to my squad at the 27! @mehcadbrooks and the amazing Maura Tierney.”

Law & Order airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.