Warrick Brown Murdered; Gary Dourdan Leaves "CSI"

Troubled actor Gary Dourdan left the hit CBS crime drama series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" Thursday night (October 9). His character, Warrick Brown, had had his own share of problems on the show and had been framed for murder in the last episode of Season 8. But in a two-part season premiere, Brown was exonerated of a murder, then was murdered himself, a murder which was solved in the second episode.

Gary Dourdan was actually arrested in Palm Springs, California in April, 2008, for possession of narcotics and dangerous drugs. The arresting officer found Dourdan asleep in his car parked on the wrong side of the street and, after a subsequent search of the disoriented Dourdan's vehicle, discovered "suspected cocaine, heroin, Ecstasy, miscellaneous prescription drugs and paraphernalia," according to the police. Gary Dourdan's character, Warrick Brown, fought an addiction to pills on the popular series.

Entertainment Weekly reported that Dourdan had discussed leaving the show with "CSI" producers. His contract was to expire in May and show insiders told the magazine that everyone was in agreement , and that Dourdan might reprise his role as Warrick Brown in future "CSI" episodes.

Thursday night's episodes laid to rest, so to speak, those potentialities (except perhaps with flashbacks).

But the episode itself was emotion-packed. One of their own had been killed. So close on the emotionally charged episode where Brown had been framed for murder and proven innocent by his tenacious CSI colleagues, the episode provided many somber moments and a terrific heart-wrenching memorial scene at the end where Gil Grissom (William Petersen) spoke a few parting words to his friend, who the audience found out earlier looked upon Grissom as a father figure.

The audience also found out that Warrick Brown had a son, something that will no doubt be used in future plots of "CSI."