The body of veteran Greg Tanner is found. Lupo and Bernard learn that he had PTSD but the VA only covered treatment of his symptoms on a temporary manner. Law professor Kevin Franklin is a person of interest whose alibi does not hold water. Just as soon as they have probable cause, they learn that Franklin has turned himself in for shooting Tanner, alleging he was defending himself against a lunatic who was stalking him.
Tropes present in this episode
- The Bad Guy Wins: The jury reaches a verdict, but just before it is read into record, a federal marshal comes in with an order from the Southern district that orders Judge Cates to declare the trial over. There is no recourse for the DAs office to pursue.
- Blackmail: Since Franklin wrote the memo on how to treat suspects in Abu Ghraib, and Tanner emerged with PTSD from doing guard duty over there, Tanner tried blackmailing Franklin.
- Just Following Orders: Franklin's defense: that as a lawyer for the DOJ, he was just following orders when he wrote the memo on legal standards for interrogation.
- Personal Horror: Tanner did guard duty at Abu Ghraib and what he witnessed there left him traumatized.
- Series Continuity Error: Cutter spoke to Jack about watching the twin towers collapse from Adam Schiff's office. Nora Lewin was DA at the time.
- The Topic of Cancer: Lt. Van Buren announces to her squad that she has been diagnosed with cancer and must start treatment immediately, so that nobody starts spreading rumors when she has to be absent for her treatment.
- Torture Technician: Franklin did not perform the torture, but wrote a manual in the form of a formerly classified memo titled "Legal Standards Governing the Detention and Interrogation of Unlawful Enemy Combatants".
