‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Alum Cast in ‘Law & Order’

His casting comes two months after Mehcad Brooks departed.

September 24, 2025, 8:32pm

Pictured: (l-r) Reid Scott as Detective Vincent Riley, Maura Tierney as Lieutenant Jessica Brady, Hugh Dancy as A.D.A. Nolan Price, Odelya Halevi as A.D.A. Samantha Maroun, Tony Goldwyn as District Attorney Nicholas Baxter — (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

A Star Trek: Discovery alum is coming to Law & Order.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, David Ajala has joined the long-running series as an NYPD detective.

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Although an exact episode has not been revealed, Ajala will make his first appearance halfway through Season 25, which premieres on Thursday. His casting comes just two months after Mehcad Brooks departed. He portrayed Detective Jalen Shaw for three seasons, with sources saying the departure was mutual as Brooks was exploring other opportunities.

David Ajala as Book in Star Trek: Discovery, episode 8, season 5, streaming on Paramount+, 2023. Photo Credit: Marni Grossman /Paramount+

Since Ajala won’t be appearing until later in the season, Reid Scott’s Vincent Riley will be without a partner for the beginning of Season 25. Maura Tierney, Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi, and Tony Goldwyn will all be returning. More information on Ajala’s character should be released in the coming months.

David Aajala is best known for his role as Cleveland “Book” Booker in Seasons 3-5 of Star Trek: Discovery, appearing in 33 episodes between 2020 and 2024. He can most recently be seen in the MGM+ British thriller Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue. Additional credits include Supergirl, Nightflyer, Falling Water, Black Box, Halet, Dream Team, Brotherhood, Jupiter Ascending, Fast & Furious 6, and The Dark Knight, among others.

Meanwhile, Law & Order is going big for its 25^th season. NBC and Peacock will be doing a special pop-up diner experience in Manhattan for a limited time in collaboration with NVE Experience Agency. The diner experience, appropriately named “Dun Dun Diner,” will run from Friday, Oct. 3, to Sunday, Oct. 5. The diner will feature partnerships with New York City’s Milk Bar and Dinner Serve NY and will be decorated with Law & Order memorabilia. Fans will also be able to purchase limited-edition merchandise.

Even though Ajala won’t be coming aboard until later in Season 25, with the new season premiering on Thursday, there will surely be a lot to look forward to. It should also be interesting to see how Riley does without a partner, but it might just mean he’ll be itching for a new one. It’s unknown how the series will write off Jalen Shaw, but there should at least be some mention of his absence. The Season 25 premiere of Law & Order airs on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by the Season 27 premiere of Law & Order: SVU, streaming the next day on Peacock.