The story starts with a shooting of a white kid and a young black girl at a playground and no one in the neighborhood talking. After some arm-twisting by McCoy, members of the community come forward to start to offer pieces of the puzzle...which then gets significantly more complicated. The elements of the story (racism, gentrification) are well played and not heavy-handed. The legal complexities (self-defense, murder, etc.) are teased out in an excellent trial with even a defense lawyer offering a "defense" to an objection.
Overall, it's probably one of the best episodes of Law and Order. It's why we watch.
Overall, it's probably one of the best episodes of Law and Order. It's why we watch.