A burglar is killed In a trap by a scrappy old man, played by guest star Jack Gilford, who insists he is innocent of wrongdoing and demands his day in court. Angered by feisty Joe Ackerman's refusal to let Kate McShane plea bargain for him, prosecutor Harry Morrison vindictively seeks a sanity hearing and serves notice on Kate that he will spare no legal weapon at Joe's trial for manslaughter.

Kate uncovers an academic scandal when the pressure to “publish or perish” results in the slaying of Conrad, a scientist who stole another man's research. Charged with murder, the slain man's brilliant aide, Doug, refuses to plead guilty, and Kate has to defend him knowing the prosecutor has as evidence a security camera's taped playback of the fatal fight.