Dennis pleads extreme emotional disturbance , arguing that his mother's long-term abuse and manipulation forced him into a criminal life.
The prosecution, led by and Abbie Carmichael , faces a "justice system" challenge when Dennis is revealed to have been sexually abused by his mother since he was a teenager.
The case takes a sharp turn when the police discover that Dennis is married to an older, wealthy woman named . While detectives initially believe Crosby and Dennis are lovers, they eventually uncover a darker truth: they are actually a mother and son team of career con artists. Their typical scheme involves marrying wealthy individuals and then killing them to inherit their fortunes. The Legal Case
The investigation begins when , a professional male escort or "walker," is shot and killed in an alley after a concert. A wealthy woman he was accompanying, Liann Crosby , is also wounded but survives. Detectives Lennie Briscoe and Rey Curtis initially suspect a romantic motive involving Dennis Pollock , a young man seen frequently with Crosby.