Briscoe and Curtis take part in a drug sting to catch a dealer named Ruben Morales. Briscoe and his former partner, Lt. John Flynn, pose as drug buyers. Briscoe goes to "get the money", and as soon as his back is turned, Flynn shoots and kills Morales. Briscoe believes Flynn's story that Morales reached for a gun; but Curtis did not see it. Flynn is cleared by the Internal Affairs Bureau, despite Curtis refusing to back him up. Curtis discovers that Morales had recently turned informant against his boss, the cartel dealer Hector Garcia. Five years ago, Flynn led an investigation against Garcia - but the charges were dropped when the evidence disappeared from the property room.
When Flynn tries to intimidate Briscoe and Curtis into keeping quiet, Briscoe accepts that something's wrong. He learns that Flynn was supposed to be catching another dealer, while his partner Kenny Edwards went after Morales. Instead Flynn bribed Edwards to switch targets with him and not ask any questions. Flynn is charged with murder. He works out a slap-on-the-wrist deal with the mayor, governor, and judge: life probation in exchange for naming other corrupt cops.
At the hearing, Flynn says he was forced to kill Morales under threat from an "unnamed individual" (Garcia.) He lies that Briscoe stole the evidence against Garcia five years ago. Ross finds out that the real culprit was Dave Spence, who's since died. She gets an off-the-record admission from his lawyer that Spence confessed to the theft. At the time the evidence was stolen, Briscoe was with his then-girlfriend Betty Abrams - a fellow detective, who's married. Abrams testifies at the hearing, but the judge discredits her as a liar because she's repeatedly cheated on her husband.
Briscoe insists on wearing a wire and speaking to Flynn, who admits to lying under oath. Flynn's arrested and told that his perjury breaks the terms of his life probation agreement - so he's going to jail for a long time. Flynn pretends to go to the bathroom and then shoots himself. The DAs still can't get Garcia for anything, and now Abrams' husband wants to confront Briscoe.
Tropes present in this episode
- Dirty Cop: Flynn helped a drug dealer get off, bribed an other cop (Edwards) to help him, and lied on the witness stand accusing Briscoe of being an accomplice.
- Hello, Attorney!: Jamie Ross finds a lingerie catalog while she and a few other detectives search a cop's locker. She is familiar with the catalog and points out a code that mean multiple orders have been placed. When asked how she knows, she points to a certain page that presumably features a lingerie-clad model and says nonchalantly, "I'm wearing this right now."
- Hidden Wire: Briscoe wears and gets Flynn to admit to perjury. This voids his deal, meaning imprisonment.
- Plea Bargain: The defense proposes a slap-on-the-wrist deal for Flynn in exchange for testimony that would allow for the extradition of cartel dealer Hector Garcia. McCoy is not that interested.
- Slut-Shaming: Briscoe confronts the judge for forcing a witness (a woman who had an affair with Briscoe) to admit to being unfaithful in her marriage. Judge Hellman hits Briscoe's Rage Breaking Point with his response: "Are you upset because your corroborating witness is a liar and a slut?"
- Stepping Out for a Quick Cup of Coffee: An straight example when Ross gets a lawyer to provide information covered under client-attorney privilege:Ross: Did Spence admit stealing evidence against Hector Garcia from the property room at the 116?
Gary Gaviola: I'm gonna get up and open the door for you. If I don't fall and break my arm on the way over there, then you can assume my deceased client confessed to the crime in question. - Straw Misogynist: Flynn makes numerous sexist and perverted remarks to Ross.
