Directed by Martha Mitchell
Written by Rene Balcer
A restaurant employee, Matthew Wheeler, is shot dead as he makes a take-out delivery. He had been deliberately targeted by a caller who requested delivery to a false address. The culprits are identified as a pair of teens named Dale "Tagger" Kershaw and Joey Timon. Since only one person fired the gun, each suspect points the finger at the other. Timon's confession to a priest is caught on tape but cannot be used against him because it is inadmissible on religious grounds. However, a judge rules that the tape can be used in Tagger's defense. Timon agrees to a plea deal in exchange for his testimony against Tagger, and both are convicted of murder. Ross and McCoy reflect on how little sense the case makes: the church protecting two killers, who were both sentenced for the same murder.
In a subplot, Curtis's wife goes to the doctor for numbness in her foot, and further tests reveal she has progressive multiple sclerosis.
This episode contains examples of:
- Christianity is Catholic
- Confess in Confidence: McCoy got a recording of Timon talking to his uncle about the crime; however, the recording couldn't be used because the uncle is a priest.
- Crisis of Faith: Averted with McCoy, who says that although as a Catholic he understands the sanctity of confession, he's not going to let this interfere with his duty to the law.
- Disappeared Dad: Timon wants to be near the city so that his mother and uncle can visit him. No mention of his father.
- For the Evulz: Tagger and Timon's motivation was just to kill for the sake of it "to see what it felt like".
- Mood Whiplash: In the middle of routine questioning during the case, Briscoe comes back to the car to find Curtis reeling from the news that his wife has multiple sclerosis.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Matthew's parents play a significant role in the episode.
- Ripped from the Headlines: The case of Thomas Koskovich and Jayson Vreeland.
- Smug Snake: Timon's attorney.
