Cyrus Lupo returns to New York after four years abroad to deal with his own terror. Lupo and Green investigate two suicides committed the same way. The detectives are suspicious of a parolee known as "Dr. Death".

Lupo and Green's first offical case together is a kidnapping that happened during a citywide blackout; a housekeeper is slain and a mother and daughter are kidnapped. The evidence that links all the kidnappers is the father and husband of the kidnap victims. When they search the kidnappers' hideout, they find preparations which implies that the kidnappers knew that the blackout was coming. Cutter must convince the man to testify after he has lied about a search warrant to save the man's daughter, or else the kidnappers will all go free. Issues of a warrantless search arise. Courtroom scenes revolve around questions of Enron-like manipulation of energy.

The explosion of a package including scientific research injures a pregnant security guard, leading to the investigation of the scientist's experiments.

Lupo and Green investigate the shooting death of young white teenager and a 9 year old black girl. The investigation hits a brick wall when both white and black communities refuse to talk - an unfortunate result of formerly black neighbourhoods being bought out by rich whites. The detectives discover that the teenage victim and two of his friends had a basketball taken from them by a black teenager which eventually led to an altercation with deadly consequences and subsequently to surprising culprits.

A triple homicide has ties to a politician, but he may be just the first step toward the truth and a killer who will take desperate measures to keep his freedom.

A hit-and-run investigation leads back to a title company, and Green and Lupo must go undercover to crack the case.

A riot at an immigration rally ends in murder, and the political climate causes McCoy to assign a special prosecutor increasing tensions at the office.

A case of mistaken identity leads Green and Lupo to suspect that a murdered doctor may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A high school party turns tragic when a teenager is found dead, and the detectives end up playing games with the two leading suspects to find out the real story. Unfortunately, unwanted attention from a juror for A.D.A. Rubirosa may disrupt the trial.

The murder of a psychiatrist focuses the suspect list to his clients and wife, and the defense of the murderer will challenge the D.A.'s office to somehow show the jury that a bad childhood is not a justification for crime.

When the police shut down a dog-fighting ring, the investigation becomes a murder case after a woman's finger is found inside one of the dogs; things get more complicated as the case deepens, and the interest of a pushy reporter is sparked.

A legal aid strike ends in the death of a lawyer, and the investigation leads to a golf greenskeeper who proclaims his innocence, again. Then the case takes an even stranger twist when Rubirosa is pitted against Cutter because of the strike that started it all.

A mentally challenged man is reunited with the mother who gave him away after his brother is killed.

An unconscious war widow and her lifeless infant are found in the rubble of a bombed army recruitment center; Jack McCoy is forced to make one of the most unpopular decisions of his career.

Bernard becomes the target of a dangerous website that is partly responsible for a homicide the detectives are investigating

Detectives search for an anonymous blogger who has posted plans to blow up a school. Lt. Van Buren struggles to keep her personal issues private.