CSI:New York

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Grand Master

Written by Zachary Reiter
Directed by Kevin Bray

Detectives Mac Taylor and Aiden Burn investigate the murder of up and coming hip-hop artist DJ Banner, who was stabbed to death outside a nightclub shortly before being crowned winner of a DJ contest. A threatening message on Banner’s cell phone is traced to hip-hop mogul, Kevin Vick, who signed Banner to his label three days before the competition.

Vick denies killing Banner but 3-day old bruises around Banner’s ankles and hesitation marks in his signature suggest Vick hung Banner over a balcony until he signed a contract. Mac finds a strip of paper from a copy of the contract on the fire escape outside of nightclub owner Jayden Prince’s office, and Aiden discovers a bloody shirt in Prince’s toilet tank. A tool mark on Banner’s rib bone is traced to a steel construction file and a sub dermal photograph of Prince’s hands reveals thin bruise lines from the construction file. Prince confesses chasing Banner down the fire escape and stabbing him with the construction file, after learning Banner wasn’t going to resign with him. However, Mac informs Prince that Banner was forced to sign with Vick, and only waited to tell Prince because he didn’t want to destroy their friendship and promising career together.

Detectives Bonasera and Messer investigate the drowning death of elite fashion editor, Deborah Gayle, who was found in her penthouse pool. Toxicology reports reveal victim ingested blowfish poisoning, and red nail polish behind her teeth containing the blowfish poison is traced to naked “female table” sushi restaurant/model/employee, Mitchiko Muzawi, one of Deborah Gayle’s former models. Deborah Gayle fired Muzawi for being overweight, and Muzawi, tired of Gayle’s demeaning behavior, mixed blowfish poison in her toenail polish, knowing Gayle had exotic fetishes and would eat sushi off of her toes.

CSI - CSI Cast and Crew Interviews - CSI NY DVD's