At the time of airing of this episode, New York law held it perfectly legal for a man to have non-consensual sex with his wife. The first New York conviction of a husband for raping his wife came three years after this episode aired.
At the time, almost all US laws regarding rape defined the crime of rape as involuntary sexual intercourse by a man, with a woman "other than his wife". This definition specifically ruled out marital rape.
This episode aired one day after guest star William Bogert's 42nd birthday (born January 25, 1936).