Directed by David Platt
Written by Terri Kopp, Aaron Zelman, & Eric Ellis Overmyer
The findings of investigation into an old case of Van Buren's reveal that an innocent man went to prison due to an error by a fingerprint analyst (Diana Scarwid). Worse, this is not the only "error" she has committed.
This episode contains examples of:
- Affirmative Action Girl: An in-universe example - Van Buren is aware that others assumed she was made lieutenant to increase diversity. She doesn't care and knows she earned it.
- Bittersweet Ending: Russo is convicted and no longer in a position to fabricate evidence, but an innocent man is dead, Van Buren questions whether she was partially responsible for this, and Russo blames Van Buren and other cops for her actions.
- Halfway Plot Switch: The first half of the episode is about the death of Foley, and the second half is about the fact that Campbell and Martin were convicted of a murder they didn't commit.
- He Who Fights Monsters: Lisa Russo fudged fingerprint analysis in a number of cases to secure the arrest and conviction of people she thought were guilty and dangerous. However, some of those people turned out to be innocent.
- Killing in Self-Defense: Luke Campbell says that he killed Foley in self-defense, and there is reason to think this is true.
- Miscarriage of Justice: The basis for the accusation against Russo is that by fabricating fingerprint analysis she caused this. This resulted in an innocent person, Larry Martin, being sent to prison, where an other prisoner killed him.
- Never My Fault: Russo refuses to accept responsibility for manipulating her analyses, even blaming Van Buren and cops like her for wanting results.
