CSI:New York

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Risk

Written by John Dove and Anthony E. Zuiker
Directed by Rob Bailey

Two stories underground, Mac and Hawkes come across the body of a young man on the subway tracks. A quick study of the crime scene shows no drag marks or evidence that the body was dumped, but a closer inspection reveals that the body is covered in a fine metallic dust. It looks to be steel dust, probably from the subway. But the amount on the victim is inconsistent with the amount on the tracks. How did the victim get so much of the dust on him? It turns out the victim was “subway surfing”, a Manhattan thrill ride where one stands on a subway train moving at up to 30 miles an hour. Although it initially seemed like this surfer suffered the ultimate wipe out, autopsy reveals he died of blunt force trauma to the head-- several hours before he ever went surfing! Splinters of wood found in the victim’s forehead as well as evidence found in the train reveals that the surfer was not on top of the train when he was hit, but rather in the train. This wasn’t a surfing accident. It was murder. But who would have wanted this kid dead? With help from the victim’s most unusual stomach contents – Siamese fighting fish – Mac and the team track back through the surfer’s last night. All the evidence is stacking up to suggest that the victim’s pranks may have gotten him killed, but unusual trace on the splinters removed from his forehead, as well as a great white shark’s tooth removed from his hand points back underground to the subway, and to a quiet killer whose day to day frustrations finally erupted into murder.

Stella and Danny enter the reception area of The Firm, a limited partnership “day trading” house designed to make high-end clients quick money trading stock. A security camera pans across the reception area. Market is closed. And a successful day trader is hanging from the 40th floor of his office. Did a bad day at the market push this seasoned professional over the edge? Autopsy shows that the victim was smothered and then hanged. This suicide just became a highflying murder. In an industry where millions of dollars can be won and lost in an instant, there’s no lack of suspects: from an eccentric billionaire to a power lifting investor who feels the victim cost him millions of dollars. Green fibers found in the victim’s throat along careful examination of security camera footage uncovers this murder wasn’t about money as much as it was about pride; our victim didn’t pay enough respect to the people who worked for him and paid the ultimate price with his life.