History Recap / LawAndOrderS14E14CityHall

* TheBusCameBack: This episode sees the return of Danielle Melnick, who was targeted by a hitman in Season 13's "Open Season."
* ContinuityNod: Danielle Melnick is now walking with a cane due to the gunshot injury she received in "Open Season", although it's supposed to be temporary.

* MurderByMistake: Peter Rubin was aiming at Tabachnik but mistakenly shot a councilman instead.

* ForWantOfANail: A simple mistake by Tabachnik spiraled into the ruin of the Rubins' business, a shooting and a murder trial.

* NeverMyFault: Apart from Tabachnik's misreading the water meter and the problems with their business that result, everything else that the Rubins do are their fault. They violated Federal law by illegally exporting video game consoles that could've been re-purposed by a hostile power, which prompted the FISA warrant and Federal investigation. The son goes after Tabachnik and fires a weapon inside City Hall, endangering bystanders and killing a councilman. Instead of hiring a lawyer to sue the city or band together with the other aggrieved business owners and go to the media and raise hell, they blame the US Government and the City claiming that they're "out to get them".

* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Tabachnik himself, and the Assistant Attorney that [=McCoy=] questions over the search of Rubin's home. Briscoe poses as one during a sting operation, to his great enjoyment.
* ThatWasObjectionable: An interesting case. Danielle Melnick files a motion to suppress evidence resulting from an alleged illegal search of the defendant's home...except that said search took place ''before'' the police actually executed their search warrant, and they found no weapon of any kind, nor were they even looking for one. To the best of Melnick's knowledge, the motion to suppress is perfectly valid, but as [=McCoy=] points out, it's impossible for the court to suppress evidence the prosecution doesn't have. (It eventually turns out that the FBI was behind the initial search; they executed a search warrant that was obtained in a secret court, which was why the police and prosecution weren't aware earlier.)

* TheBusCameBack: This episode sees the return of Danielle Melnick, who was targeted by a hitman in Season 13's "Open Season."

Rubin's lawyer files a motion to suppress evidence of a gun found in Rubin's home, but the police never found a gun. The search was actually conducted by the FBI, which issued a warrant secretly because it relates to a possible terrorism offense. The Rubins sold video gaming machines (which can be adapted for harmful purposes such as encryption and missile guidance) to Algeria in violation of export laws. Eventually, the [=FBI=] hands over the gun. Melnick, who has now taken over as defence, tells [=McCoy=] that submitting the gun as evidence is unethical; searches approved by secret courts are a step on the road to a police state. Branch thinks the [=FBI=]'s actions were justified in order to protect against terrorism, and tells [=McCoy=] not to worry about it.

* ForWantOfANail: A simple mistake by Tabachnik spiralled into the ruin of the Rubins' business, a shooting and a murder trial.

Rubin's lawyer files a motion to suppress evidence of a gun found in Rubin's home; but the police never found a gun. [=McCoy=] and Southerlyn work out that the search was actually conducted by the FBI. It turns out the warrant was issued secretly because it relates to a possible terrorism offense. The Rubins sold video gaming machines (which can be adapted for harmful purposes such as encryption and missile guidance) to Algeria in violation of export laws. Eventually, the [=FBI=] hands over the gun. Melnick, who has now taken over as defence, tells [=McCoy=] that submitting the gun as evidence is unethical; searches approved by secret courts are a step on the road to a police state. Branch thinks the [=FBI=]'s actions were justified in order to protect against terrorism, and tells [=McCoy=] not to worry about it.

Rubin's lawyer files a motion to suppress evidence of a gun found in Rubin's home; but the police never found a gun. [=McCoy=] and Southerlyn work out that the search was actually conducted by the FBI. It turns out the warrant was issued secretly because it relates to a possible terrorism offense - the Rubins sold video gaming machines (which can be adapted for harmful purposes such as encryption and missile guidance) to Algeria in violation of export laws. Eventually, the [=FBI=] hands over the gun. Melnick, who has now taken over as defence, tells [=McCoy=] that submitting the gun as evidence is unethical; searches approved by secret courts are a step on the road to a police state. Branch thinks the [=FBI=]'s actions were justified in order to protect against terrorism, and tells [=McCoy=] not to worry about it.

* MurderByMistake

In court [=McCoy=] subpoenas an FBI agent who found the gun; Melnick gets the agent to admit that the warrant was executed by a secret court and the FBI broke into Rubin's house. She highlights the unfair treatment of Rubin and his family, encouraging the jury to acquit on the basis that Rubin is a victim of abuse of government. [=McCoy=] points out that the search was entirely legal and, when people don't agree with the law, the right course of action is to protest through peaceful methods; violence isn't the answer. He wins the case.

Rubin's lawyer files a motion to suppress evidence of a gun found in Rubin's home; but the police never found a gun. [=McCoy=] and Southerlyn work out that the search was actually conducted by the FBI. It turns out the warrant was issued secretly because it relates to a possible terrorism offense - the Rubins sold video gaming machines (which can be adapted for harmful purposes such as missile launches) to Algeria in violation of export laws. Eventually, the [=FBI=] hands over the gun. Melnick, who has now taken over as defence, tells [=McCoy=] that submitting the gun as evidence is unethical; searches approved by secret courts are a step on the road to a police state. Branch thinks the [=FBI=]'s actions were justified in order to protect against terrorism, and tells [=McCoy=] not to worry about it.

In court [=McCoy=] subpoenas an FBI agent who found the gun; Melnick gets the agent to admit that the warrant was executed by a secret court and the FBI broke into Rubin's house. She highlights the unfair treatment of Rubin and his family, encouraging the jury to acquit on the basis that Rubin is a victim of abuse of government. [=McCoy=] points out that the search was entirely legal and, when people don't agree with the law, the right course of action is to protest through peaceful methods; violence isn't the answeer. He wins the case.

In court [=McCoy=] subpoenas an FBI agent who found the gun; Melnick gets the agent to admit that the warrant was executed by a secret court and the FBI broke into Rubin's house. She highlights the unfair treatment of Rubin and his family, encouraging the jury to acquit on the gr. [=McCoy=] points out that the search was entirely legal and, when people don't agree with the law, the right course of action is to protest through peaceful methods; violence isn't the answeer. He wins the case.

* TheAllegedExpert: Rubins' family lawyer is actually employed to handle business matters, but wants to make out that he's just as capable at defence in a criminal case. This is evidently not true, and he's soon replaced with Melnick.