History Recap / LawAndOrderS10E17BlackWhiteAndBlue

* SaltAndPepper: Smith (Black) and Flannery (white) fit this trope.

Smith and Flannery claim they pulled Tobin over for driving while stoned. He sarcastically told them to go to Harlem and arrest a "real criminal", so they decided to teach him a lesson by leaving him there. [=McCoy=] offers a plea deal for manslaughter, but Schiff won't allow it. The defence successfully requests to refer the case upstate to Albany, arguing that Smith and Flannery won't receive a fair trial in New York City. Schiff doesn't want this to happen and insists [=McCoy=] make a deal with them. Their lawyer isn't interested, and now wants to take his chances with a jury in Albany. But the defendants are concerned that a jury in Albany will vote against them because Smith is Black. They accept a deal for manslaughter. Schiff isn't happy but accepts that at least the case is out of the news.

Smith and Flannery claim they pulled Tobin over for driving while stoned. He sarcastically told them to go to Harlem and arrest a "real criminal", so they decided to teach him a lesson by leaving him there. [=McCoy=] offers a plea deal for manslaughter, but Schiff won't allow it. The defence successfully requests to refer the case upstate to Albany, arguing that Smith and Flannery won't receive a fair trial in New York City. Schiff doesn't want this to happen and insists [=McCoy=] make a deal with them. Their lawyer isn't interested, and now wants to take his chances with a jury in Albany. But the defendants are concerned that a jury in white, privileged Albany will find them guilty because Smith is Black. They accept a deal for manslaughter. Schiff isn't happy but accepts that at least the case is out of the news.

* SaltAndPepper: Smith (black) and Flannery (white) fit this trope.

Michael Tobin, a middle-class white teenager, is killed in a working class black area of Harlem where there had been a race-related riot on the night of his death. It is discovered that he hit his head and died after being beaten up by two local young men, who had seen him getting out of a police car and assumed he was an informant. But the detectives and [=DA=]'s office can find no evidence of Tobin working with the police. They discover that he'd been picked up by Officers Smith and Flannery, who must have deliberately left him in the neighbourhood knowing he'd be targeted. [=McCoy=] intends to have Smith and Flannery indicted for endangerment; but the mayor's office says this isn't enough. If Smith and Flannery are not charged for the death, it will send a message that the police are above the law. Schiff orders [=McCoy=] to charge Smith and Flannery with murder on the grounds of reckless indifference.

The case quickly becomes politically contentious, with the [=DA=]'s office accused of scapegoating the police. During a pre-trial hearing, Smith and Flannery claim they pulled Tobin over for driving under the influence of marijuana. He sarcastically told them to go to Harlem and arrest a "real criminal", so they decided to teach him a lesson by leaving him there. [=McCoy=] offers a plea deal for manslaughter, but Schiff won't allow it. The defence successfully gets an appellate division to refer the case upstate to Albany, arguing that in New York City, there's no way Smith and Flannery will ever get a fair trial. Schiff doesn't want this to happen and insists [=McCoy=] make a deal with them. Their lawyer isn't interested, and now wants to take his chances with a jury in Albany. But the defendants are concerned that, because Smith is black, a jury in white, privileged Albany might find them guilty. They accept a deal for manslaughter. Schiff isn't happy but accepts that at least the case is out of the news because it didn't go to trial.

* AngryBlackMan: Several minor characters in the episode fit this stereotype.

Directed by Creator/ConstantineMarkris

* HalfwayPlotSwitch: The first half of the plot focuses on the investigation into Tobin's death. The second half

The case quickly becomes politically contentious, with the [=DA=]'s office accused of scapegoating the police. During a pre-trial hearing, Smith and Flannery claim they pulled Tobin over for driving under the influence of marijuana. He sarcastically told them to go to Harlem and arrest a "real criminal", so they decided to teach him a lesson by leaving him there. [=McCoy=] offers a plea deal for manslaughter, but Schiff won't allow it. The defence successfully gets an appellate division to refer the case upstate to Albany, arguing that in New York City, there's no way Smith and Flanagan will ever get a fair trial. Schiff doesn't want this to happen and insists [=McCoy=] make a deal with them. Their lawyer isn't interested, and now wants to take his chances with a jury in Albany. But the defendants are concerned that, because Smith is black, a jury in white, privileged Albany might find them guilty. They accept a deal for manslaughter. Schiff isn't happy but accepts that at least the case is out of the news because it didn't go to trial.

Michael Tobin, a middle-class white teenager, is killed in a working class black area of Harlem where there had been a race-related riot on the night of his death. It is discovered that he hit his head and died after being beaten up by two local young men, who had seen him getting out of a police car and assumed he was an informant. But the detectives and [=DA=]'s office can find no evidence of Tobin working with the police. They discover that he'd been picked up by Officers Smith and Flannery, who must have deliberately left him in the neighbourhood knowing he'd be targeted.[=McCoy=] intends to have Smith and Flannery indicted for endangerment; but the mayor's office says this isn't enough. If Smith and Flannery are not charged for the death, it will send a message that the police are above the law. Schiff orders [=McCoy=] to charge Smith and Flannery with murder on the grounds of reckless indifference.

Michael Tobin, a middle-class white teenager, is killed in a working class black area of Harlem. The detectives learn that on the night of the murder, there was a riot in the area when the local black community protested against the unjust arrest of a homeless man by white police. This line of inquiry leads to Marcus Cook and Jerome Weathers, two young black men from the neighbourhood. Weathers confesses that he and Cook beat up Tobin, who hit his head and died accidentally. They had seen Tobin getting out of a police car and assumed he was working with the police. However, neither the detectives nor the [=DA=]'s office can find any evidence of Tobin being a police informant. They discover that he'd been picked up by Officers Smith and Flannery, who must have deliberately left him in the neighbourhood knowing he'd be targeted.

[=McCoy=] intends to have Smith and Flannery indicted for endangerment; but the mayor's office says this isn't enough. If Smith and Flannery are not charged for the death, it will send a message that the police are above the law. Schiff orders [=McCoy=] to charge Smith and Flannery with murder on the grounds of reckless indifference, while Cook and Weathers accept a plea deal for manslaughter. The case quickly becomes politically contentious with the [=DA=]'s office accused of scapegoating the police. During a pre-trial hearing, Smith and Flannery claim they pulled Tobin over for driving under the influence of marijuana. He sarcastically told them to go to Harlem and arrest a "real criminal", so they decided to teach him a lesson by leaving him there. [=McCoy=] offers a plea deal for manslaughter, the same as Cook and Weathers. Schiff is angry and orders him to rescind the deal.

The defence successfully gets an appellate division to refer the case upstate to Albany, arguing that in New York City, there's no way Smith and Flanagan will ever get a fair trial. Schiff doesn't want this to happen and insists [=McCoy=] make a deal with them. Their lawyer isn't interested, and now wants to take his chances with a jury in Albany. But the defendants are concerned that, because Smith is black, a jury in white, privileged Albany might find them guilty. They accept a deal for manslaughter. Schiff isn't happy but accepts that at least the case is out of the news because it didn't go to trial.