Partner alerts Rudd at 6:45 am. Watching the news, he spots the department’s tank in the Renfros’ driveway—the same one used when police drove it through bookie Sonny Werth’s front window, a case that settled in favor of Werth for a million dollars. At the hospital, he warns Doug’s son, Thomas, about what will happen: After surgery, Doug will be arrested for attempted murder of a police officer, and his assets will be frozen. Rudd urges him to file a civil lawsuit immediately.

That afternoon, Lance confesses to selling Ecstasy on the Dark Web using the Renfros’ Wi-Fi. By 5:00 pm, police know the truth, but nothing is revealed publicly. The next day’s paper repeats the false narrative about the Renfros. Later, Rudd’s police source, Nate Spurio, confirms Lance’s arrest and names Lieutenant Chip Sumerall as the raid leader.

Unable to reach the hospitalized Doug, Rudd meets Thomas and his sisters at a coffee shop. After explaining who he is, he warns them no officer will be charged with their mother’s murder and that their father will be blamed for starting the gun battle. A civil lawsuit is their only immediate option. The grieving siblings are too overwhelmed to decide.

Rudd attends Kitty’s funeral uninvited, watching from the balcony. The mourners are all white and middle-class, and they struggle to believe this happened to one of their own. Doug is absent because police deem him a “threat to society” (119). Rudd leaves early, but a couple hours later, he receives a call from Doug.

Rudd meets one of his contacts who works at the federal court clerk’s office, Okie Schwin, and pays $3,000 in cash to make sure the Renfro lawsuit is assigned to Judge Arnie Samson.

Rudd files a $50 million lawsuit against the city, police department, chief, and all eight SWAT officers. Judge Samson blocks the freezing of Doug’s assets, and later, at a bail hearing, Rudd secures Doug’s release. Eight days after being shot and losing his wife, Doug goes home to family and friends. Rudd does not join in the homecoming.

Rudd collects Starcher for his monthly visitation; Judith cuts it short, citing safety concerns regarding Rudd’s recent case. Over pizza, Rudd advises his seven-year-old never to start a fight but never to back down either. Starcher mentions Judith told him Rudd dislikes his name, which annoys Rudd. Then, they catch a soccer game at the university, but Rudd finds his mind drifting to the Renfro case and feels he is failing as a father.

Rudd leaks details of the arrest and subsequent proceedings to his contact at the paper. Despite pleas from the defense, Judge Samson denies their gag order motion. Meanwhile, Rudd explains to Doug that civil damages are capped at $1 million; they sued for $50 million to make a statement and because jurors are never told about the cap. Additionally, two other laws complicate things for Doug: one bars homeowners from firing on police even in a mistaken raid while another grants criminal immunity to SWAT officers. Doug’s best hope at trial is a hung jury.

When Judith has an emergency, Rudd takes Starcher for the weekend, and they go to Tadeo’s cage fight. Tadeo loses a split decision and snaps. After he sucker-punches his opponent and beats the referee unconscious, a riot erupts. Partner and Rudd escape with Starcher.

After visiting the hospital, Partner learns that the referee is in surgery, and Tadio is in jail. Judith calls, unaware, and Rudd assures her all is well. Then, he sees a front-page photo of Partner carrying Starcher from the riot. Judith calls back furious and threatens to terminate his visitation rights.

The attack goes viral on YouTube. King, the referee, remains in a coma while Crush recovers from a fractured jaw. In jail, Tadeo claims he snapped because the referee cheated him. Rudd reminds him that the judges scored the fight. If King dies, charges could escalate. Tadeo cries, overwhelmed by the consequences.

Tadeo is charged with aggravated assault at his first appearance, but the judge defers bail for a week pending King’s condition. Tadeo spots his crying family in the gallery as he is led away.

Monday, Judith files to terminate Rudd’s visitation rights with Starcher; he files a response immediately. Wednesday, Starcher’s school calls because he punched a classmate teasing him about his newspaper photo. In the meeting with the principal and the teacher, Ms. Tarrant, Rudd defends it as self-defense. Everyone agrees on a punishment of one week without recess as long as Rudd contacts the other boys’ parents and apologizes. That night, he emails Ms. Tarrant asking her to dinner; she declines. Unable to sleep, he goes to a pool hall and loses $90 to a young hustler.

Partner calls at 4:00 am to tell Rudd that Sean King has died. Tadeo’s career is over and he faces at least a decade in prison; the video leaves no credible defense. Later, Rudd heads to jail to deliver the news.

Tadeo appears in court on a murder charge. Bail is denied. The plea offer is 20 years for second-degree murder. Tadeo remains in denial, convinced Rudd can get him off.

Less than three months after the raid, Judge Samson orders all eight SWAT officers deposed in his chambers. There, Rudd conducts a six-day marathon of questioning, locking every officer into sworn testimony, including Lieutenant Chip Sumerall, the SWAT team’s leader.

Judge Leef hears Judith’s motion to terminate Rudd’s visitation. Her witnesses are a child psychologist and Starcher’s teacher, Naomi Tarrant, who admits on cross examination that scuffles among young boys are common. Leef makes Rudd promise to keep Starcher away from professional fights, then denies the petition. Judith vows to appeal.

Ten months after the raid, Doug’s criminal trial begins before Judge Ponder. The State’s offer is for Doug to plead to a misdemeanor with no jail time in exchange for dropping the civil suit. However, Doug goes on the record refusing to plead guilty to anything. Chief prosecutor Mancini is steering clear of this political liability, so it falls on Chuck Finney, an honest lawyer to prosecute a case he does not want.

Rudd and Doug sit alone at trial—a deliberate David-versus-Goliath image. Finney argues the law makes Doug guilty regardless of circumstances because he shot a police offer. Rudd’s opening statement, however, starts with the killing of the family dog, moves through the armored assault on a quiet suburb, and lands on how the neighbor Lance used the Renfros’ Wi-Fi for drug trafficking. Ultimately, Doug did not know the intruders were police.

State policeman Ruskin admits on cross examination that police got the wrong house, which discredits his testimony. Then, Lieutenant Sumerall takes the stand, and Rudd makes him catalogue his combat gear in detail. In addition to proving that Sumerall could see what was happening with his night-vision goggles, Rudd exposes Sumerall for using excessive force in multiple past raids.

Rudd continues his questioning of Sumerall, who cannot recall details of the raid he commanded. When Officer Keestler takes the stand, Rudd asks whether he murdered Kitty Renfro, causing an uproar. After the prosecutor calls the police “peace officers” (166), Rudd asks Keestler to detail what he wore during the raid. His attire included black war paint. Furthermore, the officer plays violent video games, and Judge Ponder allows clips to be shown. Keestler admits the SWAT team plays them in a dedicated locker room. Before the prosecutor’s next witness is called to the stand, the judge calls a recess and beckons the lawyers to his chambers.

In chambers, Ponder tells Finney the wrong person is on trial. When Finney refuses to call all eight officers, Rudd announces he will call the rest as adverse witnesses. Because Ponder cannot dismiss the case himself, it must go to the jury.

Over the weekend, one SWAT officer is hospitalized, and another vanishes. Rudd cross-examines the remaining four, further damaging the image of the police department. Doug insists on testifying despite Rudd’s instinct to keep a client off the stand when the prosecution is floundering.

Doug testifies about his decorated military career and clean record. He recounts the raid and how no one ever identified themselves as police. He breaks down describing Kitty’s violent death. Some jurors cry.

The cross-examination of Doug is ineffective. When instructed to deliberate, the jury foreman asks the judge why Doug Renfro is on trial instead of the police who killed his wife. He announces the unanimous verdict: not guilty. Also, the jurors believe the officers should be charged with murder. Doug cries.