'Paula Deen SHOOTS Trayvon Martin' in new SVU that wraps both scandals into one controversial episode... and Cybill Shepard plays gun-wielding TV chef



Cybill Shepard plays Jolene Castille, a famous southern chef who guns down an unarmed, hoodie-wearing black teen in New York

Castille claims she killed the teen in an act of self-defense because she knew police were chasing a rapist of the same description

On Wednesday, pictures emerged from the SVU set, sparking rumors the show was taking on the George Zimmerman trial

'Can self-defense involve racial profiling? We're diving right into that,' the TV show's executive producer said



'Law & Order SVU' is tackling racial profiling head on in an upcoming episode that winds together the controversial Trayvon Martin case and the Paula Deen scandal.

In the episode, Cybill Shepard plays Jolene Castille, a famous southern chef. But instead of making a racial slur, like Deen, she guns down an unarmed, hoodie-wearing black teen she thought was following her on the Upper West Side, mirroring the Trayvon Martin slaying.



According to TV Guide, Castille claims she killed the teen in an act of self-defense because she knew police were chasing a rapist of the same description.

On set: Cybill Shepard, left, plays a character modeled on Paula Deen and George Zimmerman in an upcoming SUV starring Mariska Hargita

The episode, which also stars Jeffery Tambor and Leslie Odom, Jr., will air in October.



On Wednesday, pictures emerged from the SVU set, sparking rumours the show was taking on the George Zimmerman trial.

And Executive Producer Warren Leight confirmed it to Entertainment Weekly .



'(Jeffrey) Tambor is a defense attorney representing a very high-profile celebrity woman chef who thought she was being pursued by a rapist and turned around it was a teenager. And she shot him,' he said.



Odom will play a minister of the slain child.

Inspiration: The tragic case of Florida teen Trayvon Martin, who was fatally shot by a self-appointed neighborhood watch rep George Zimmerman, inspired the episode

Deen: Emmy nominee Cybill Shepard, left, plays Jolene Castille, a famous southern chef inspired by Paula Deen



Leight told the magazine the episode will also deal with New York's stop-and-frisk policy.



He said the show would ask the tough questions.



'Is racial profiling justifiable? Can self-defense involve racial profiling? We're diving right into that,' he said. 'Can that happen in New York? Absolutely. '



The NBC sex-crimes drama is known for ripping plot lines straight from the headlines.



Last season, an episode depicted a violent love affair between two pop stars in a story that uncannily resembled Rihanna and Chris Brown's abusive relationship.



Filming: Ice-T, left, and Richard Belzer, right, film scenes of the episode on Wednesday

Protests: The filming prompted a small protest in support of Trayvon Martin, right



Leight said this season will feature more real crimes than usual because 'it's almost like we've been bombarded with headlines.'



He added that the Zimmerman trial, reflected in the script, was so polarising it even divided the SVU team.

