A troubled former cop meets an unfortunate end, which causes the detectives to reflect back on his cries for help. Sipowicz feels especially guilty about the situation until information from John Irvin leads him to the source of the tragedy.

Sipowicz is overly eager to testify in the Cullinan murder trial, but Costas worries that Sipowicz is no match for defense attorney James Sinclair. Much to Sipowicz's chagrin, Costas thinks Sorenson will make a stronger witness and Andy increasingly loses his mind over having to deal with Sinclair's psychological button-pushing. Meanwhile, Russell and Kirkendall lead the investigation of a home invasion murder in which the widow becomes the prime suspect and everyone throws the shooting of Amadou Diallo right in their faces.