Law enforcement, lawyers ... positions of higher authority. Ask them to publicly admit they've made a mistake and you'd think a request was made to carry out a death sentence for themselves. At the very least it's a blow to their ego that pride can't allow. That's the heart of L&O's 'Bronx Cheer', but it arrives at this through a formula murder whodunit very much routine on the surface. You be left to judge if the sentiment that picks up steam in the latter half makes up for it.
A woman is discovered murdered and Det. Briscoe (Orbach) & Green (Martin) find she sold drugs. This leads to Francis "Taz" Partell (Peter Greene), but their case isn't strong enough to get him convicted or even to proceed to trial. When they find out he was the guilty party in a shooting death in the Bronx and an innocent man went to prison for the crime, McCoy (Waterston) & Carmichael (Harmon) must correct the mistake. To do so they have to make a deal favorable to the real killer and battle Bronx DA Robertson (Keith David). Who won't overturn the conviction and make his department, county look bad.
I always like seeing Peter Greene pop up and once again he's another bad guy heavy, but he does it well. Though it's really Keith David who plays the silent villain in the second half with his stubborn nature. One of those episodes that has a disclaimer to appease the TV networks legal department and cut down on the risk of a lawsuit. 'Bronx Cheer' isn't a standout episode, but what it has to say comes across pretty well. We're human, we make mistakes and have to be able to admit that.