Baltimore Det. Jimmy McNulty finds himself in hot water with his superior Major William Rawls after a drug dealer, D'Angelo Barksdale who is charged with three murders, is acquitted. McNulty knows the judge in question and although it's not his case, he's called into chambers to explain what happened. Obviously key witnesses recanted their police statements on the stand but McNulty doesn't underplay Barksdale's role in at least 7 other murders. When the judge's raises his concerns at the senior levels of the police department, they have a new investigation on their hands. Lt. Cedric Daniels is put in charge with Kima Greggs as the lead detective. As for Barksdale, he finds himself demoted to a low-level dealer after his arrest and he obviously has to prove himself yet again.