Written By: Robert E. Swanson
Directed By: Anthony (Pullen) Shaw
Sheriff Metzer defies political pressure and arrests an ambassador's son for various charges. Later, the son is found dead and Metzger finds himself charged with murder.
Tropes:
- Aesop Amnesia: Despite being in a similar predicament as Sheriff Metzger (accused of murder, getting his reputation smeared by an absurd claim) not long ago, Mayor Sam Booth is so easy to believe the accusations against the Sheriff and practically throws him under the bus.
- "Ass" in Ambassador: Ambassador Chandler Hellman likes to use his influence to get what he wants, including getting his son out of trouble. He's even willing to hit his son just so they can frame the Sheriff for Police Brutality.
- Blackmail: Played somewhat sympathetically with the Costner family. Janet was the passenger in Brad's car during the accident in New York and was injured herself. Her leg was permanently damaged as she tried to reach a phone to call an ambulance to help the family in the car Brad hit while he simply fled the scene. This caused her parents to feel justified in blackmailing Brad over what he'd done. Morgan, Brad's fiancée, claims Brad came to Cabot Cove to bring about a little Blackmail Backfire, but he got arrested by Metzger and then murdered before he got a chance.
- Bribe Backfire: Sheriff Metzger stops a driver for speeding and running a stop sign. The driver doesn't have a license and attempts to bribe Metzger with $100. At this point, Metzger arrests him.
- Clear My Name: Sheriff Metzger is accused of murder and, with the help of Jessica, works to get his name cleared of all charges.
- Continuity Nod: Jessica seeks the assistance of her journalist friend Haskell Drake to find out more about the Ambassador and his family.
- Contrived Coincidence: Brad Hellman's blackmailer and a cop who was friends with the family he killed in a reckless driving accident both just happened to move to the same town in Maine.
- Everyone Has Standards: Jessica admits to the Costners that she doesn't condone their blackmailing of Brad Hellman, but she sympathizes with their reasons why they did it (Janet's leg was permanently damaged as she dragged herself to a phone to call an ambulance for herself and the family of four Brad killed in that accident after he fled).
- I Never Said It Was Poison: Jessica realizes that Mrs. Hellman said too much when she claimed Sheriff Metzger had shot Brad three times. Only two bullets were lodged in the body according to the coroner's report, so why would she have said three shots were fired unless she was the one who fired them?
- Like Father, Like Son: With a father like Ambassador Hellman (and an apparent lack of maternal figure in his life), it's no wonder Brad Hellman grew up to be a Smug Snake.
- No Good Deed Goes Unpunished: Janet Costner permanently damaged her leg getting to a phone to call an ambulance for the victims after Brad caused that accident which killed a family of four. This is why her family felt justified in blackmailing Brad for so many years.
- Smug Snake: Practically the entire Hellman household. Even their attorney, Jason Farrell. The only one who seems to have an ounce of humility is Brad's fiancee, Morgan.
- Spoiled Brat: Brad Hellman is a classic case, constantly flouting the law and even trying to bribe his way out of trouble, confident his daddy will bail him out. Ultimately it's what gets him killed.
- Turn in Your Badge: The Atlanta cop suspends Metzger from duty and orders him to turn in his service revolver when he is accused of murder, and Mayor Booth goes along with it. Metzger, who had been thinking about giving up his badge anyway, throws it at them and declares that he quits.
- Wicked Stepmother: Zigzagged with Brad's stepmother, who seems on civil terms with him but killed him due to seeing him as a liability to her husband's career and her own affluence and security.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: A suspect is punched in the face by his father while he is in jail, and then accuses Sheriff Metzger of police brutality.
