This is another episode where an African American child gets shot and killed in a school playground. The other episode was Baby Killer (2000).
During the interrogation of the suspect, the DA mentions living in fear that some one in prison will put ground up glass in his food. This was a plot device used in HBO's Oz (1997) which has many crossover cast members.
"Leave the gun, take the cannoli", is a quote from Oscar-winning film The Godfather (1972), directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The iconic line was actually improvised by Richard S. Castellano, who plays Peter Clemenza. In 2021, Mark Seal released a non-fiction book named "Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather".
Krav Maga is an Israeli martial art. Developed in the 1930s - 1940s, for the Israel Defense Forces, it is derived from a combination of techniques used in Aikido, Judo, Karate, Boxing, and Wrestling. It is known for its focus on real-world situations.
Brian Ackerman (J.C. MacKenzie ) says to Olivia Bensen (Mariska Hargitay ) "Oh yeah, the requisite tuna feminist. Why don't you stay out of this one Hillary". Tuna can be a derogatory word for lesbian, or a woman in general. This episode aired in November 2005, therefore the "Hillary" reference is likely to be attributed to Hillary Clinton (b. 1947). She was the first lady of the U.S. to president Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001, and a U.S. senator representing New York from 2001 to 2009.