Lewis and Kellerman report to the Highland Terrace projects to investigate the body
of Antoine Giles, a drug dealer who seems to have been thrown off the building. As
the two detectives try to preserve the crime scene, the tenants make it difficult for
them by hurling bottles and other junk. The flying debris is stopped only when Ishmael
Al-Hadj, head of the private Muslim security firm in charge of policing Highland Terrace, shows
up and asks the tenants to stop. Lewis and Kellerman meet with Giardello, who tells them
that the Muslims have been policing the Terrace for several months on a HUD (Housing and
Urban Development) federal grant.
Russert and Munch drive to Boston Homes for a double shooting; on the way Munch happily
announces that Stan Bolander will be back in a matter of weeks. Officer Gharty, the first
man at the scene, guides the detectives down to the basement and to the bodies of Justin
Hermos and Cyrus Dunham, two teenagers who appear to have capped each other over some
drugs.
Lewis and Kellerman go over to the Giles apartment, but are met with a cold shoulder by
the victim's mother and a Muslim guard. They head back to the squadroom, where they meet
Hamp Mears of the Western drug unit. Mears tells them that two nights ago he saw Antoine
Giles being chased by the Muslims, who caught him. The head Muslim, the same man who
showed up at the crime scene, grabbed some drugs out of Giles' pocket and let him go; he
then tossed the drugs down a sewer hole. Lewis, Kellerman and Mears immediately go
back to the Terrace and meet with Al-Hadj, who refuses to go but is forced to when he
assaults Kellerman. Al-Hadj is brought into the Box but offers nothing except for a
healthy dose of narrow-mindedness.
Munch completes the paperwork on the double shooting and tells Russert to move on, but
she notices an inconsistency between the initial report and the call to homicide; according
to records, the initial report is radioed at 10:32, with the responding officer, Gharty,
right around the block from Boston Homes. Homicide was called out more than 30 minutes later; Russert
wants to find out what took Gharty so long. A visit to Gharty reveals that he had waited
for the shooting to stop before going inside, which is, in effect, bad police work. Munch's
efforts to protect Gharty from Russert's questions and his constant blabbering about
Bolander prompts an annoyed Megan to tell Munch to call the Big Man.
The shift ends and Munch heads over to the Waterfront to wait for the Big Man, who
agreed to stop by; however, Bayliss gets a call from Stan, who changes his mind at the
last minute; Munch is considerably disappointed. Meanwhile, Barnfather visits Giardello
and tells him that Lewis and Kellerman are off the Giles case because the department could
not afford alienating the Muslims. Gee counters with a brillant move: a leak to the press about
the Muslims' potential involvement in the murder. Lewis and Kellerman are reinstated and
Al-Hadj and his associate make their way down to the stationhouse with the intent of
cooperating fully with officers. Al-Hadj is put in the Box again and this time gives up
a name, but when the police try to capture the suspect, he is nowhere to be found; it is
apparent that Al-Hadj had warned the suspect in advance.
Russert's investigation into Officer Gharty's late response becomes a full-blown
trial hearing, with both Munch and Russert testifying, among others. When the trial is
over, Gharty explains everything to Russert: he had responded late and had not called
for backup because he didn't feel up to the task of trying to stop two gun-toting teenagers
from killing each other. Gharty's charges are dropped, but Russert somehow does not feel
bad about it.
Lewis pays a visit to Al-Hadj, who tells him that the Muslim security firm's HUD contract
was not extended due to their alleged involvement in the Giles murder. Lewis confronts
Al-Hadj and asks him why he had tipped off the suspect; he replies that one more black
man in the prisons will not matter. Al-Hadj then asks Lewis if he would like to take a
Muslim profession of faith, which he refuses. |
Starring
Richard Belzer Det. John Munch
Andre Braugher Det. Frank Pembleton
Reed Diamond Det. Mike Kellerman
Isabella Hofmann Det. Megan Russert
Clark Johnson Det. Meldrick Lewis
Yaphet Kotto Lt. Al Giardello
Melissa Leo Sgt. Kay Howard
Kyle Secor Det. Tim Bayliss
Guest Starring
Victor L. Williams Ishmael Al-Hadj
Peter Gerety Ofcr. Stuart Gharty
Max Perlich J.H. Brodie
Laurie Kennedy Felicity Weaver
J. Michael Hunter Lt. Nat Galvin
Joey Scherr Det. Hamp Mears
With
Linda Cavell Mrs. Hermos
Pat Dade Monica Murphy
Kevin Jiggets Raheem El-Amin
Clayton LeBouef Col. George Barnfather
Jaki-Terry Mrs. Hermos
Music heard in Scene of the Crime
Jef Lee Johnson Jungle
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