'Death Grip' To Deal With Racial Issues

See Also: 'Hard Time' Episode Guide

When CSI: Miami launched, the series was criticised for not having many Latino cast members, even though it was set in a city with a large Hispanic population. Now moving into its second season, CSI: Miami will not only upgrade Latina detective Yelina Salas to the status of regular character but the series also reportedly plans to tackle the issue of racial divisions in "Death Grip".

Currently slated to air as the third instalment of season two, sources told CSI Files "Death Grip" will centre around the apparent kidnapping of a 14-year-old white girl, Lisa Walker (story). A tennis prodigy from a wealthy white family, the media latch on to Lisa's disappearance, running round-the-clock coverage as the CSIs try to apprehend her kidnapper. Things hit fever pitch when a girl's mangled hand is found in a canal, but it isn't Lisa's. She's soon found alive and well, albeit in a hotel room with her much older tennis coach.

The hand belongs to Consuela Valdes, a 15-year-old Latina girl who has been missing for three weeks. Where's the media attention, the mass search effort? Nonexistent. Despite the pleas of her parents, the police simply dismissed Consuela as a runaway. Horatio Caine now makes it his business to bring her killer to justice.

Eric Delko is also unsettled, almost bitter. He can't understand why almost no one cared about Consuela's disappearance, yet when tennis princess Lisa Walker was apparently kidnapped, the police devoted every effort to tracking her down — and the media lapped it up. Calleigh comforts Eric, telling him that anger won't solve anything. But Eric isn't angry at society — he's angry at himself, for not doing enough as a member of the Hispanic community.

It's up to the CSI: Miami team to bring Consuela's kidnapper to justice, not just for her, but for all the Latina girls who disappeared without a trace and nobody gave a damn.

Please note that the above plot details have not been confirmed by CBS, Alliance Atlantis or Bruckheimer Films, and until such time you should treat this information as you would any other rumour. The above information comes from an early draft of the script and details may change before the episode goes to air.

"Death Grip" will likely air in October, 2003.

Discuss this news item at Talk CSI!
 Add CSI Files RSS feed to your news reader or My Yahoo!
Also a Desperate Housewives fan? Then visit GetDesperate.com!