A woman's charred body is found outside the home of the Chinese Deputy Consul General, Li Chen. The deceased, Helen Quan, was a follower of Falun Gong; a controversial spiritual movement that has been outlawed in China. Chen insists Helen set herself on fire as a political statement. But her autopsy shows she was strangled ''before'' being set on fire. Helen intended to sue Chen over her mother's imprisonment for practicing Falun Gong since, at the time, he was Mayor of her home town in China. Chen denies there was a lawsuit, but the detectives find out that he'd already been served with an affidavit.

[=McCoy=] convenes a Grand Jury despite Branch's hesitation about the political ramifications. Chen's driver, Akai Yuen, testifies but gives a different account of Chen's alibi than he gave the police. So Chen is charged with murder. His lawyer, Harold Pinchman, is an old adversary of Branch. When Branch won't agree to extradite Chen to China, Pinchman produces evidence showing that Chen was entertaining business contacts at the time of the murder.

[=McCoy=] then realizes from Yuen's account that Yuen is lying to protect himself - not Chen. A witness in the building confirms Yuen returned to Chen's home for several hours rather than waiting for Chen. Yuen confesses he got bored and went back to the apartment to watch TV, but Helen showed up. If Chen were sued, he'd be recalled to China, and Yuen would have to go with him. Yuen wants to stay in the USA so he killed Helen to keep her quiet. Branch says he no longer regrets having turned down a diplomatic post in China.

!!!This episode contains examples of:
* AllForNothing: Yuen says he wanted to stay in America because he had more personal freedom there than in China - but ultimately ends up being imprisoned after his lawyer negotiates a manslaughter plea.
* NeverSuicide: Predictably, Helen's death wasn't one.
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: Based on then-recent controversy over China's persecution of Falun Gong.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: Chen, who supports the persecution of Falun Gong's followers because he genuinely believes they are a dangerous suicide cult.
* YouNoTakeCandle: Yuen speaks this way.