Chicago P.D. Recap: What's Your First Impression of the Chicago Justice Team?

We finally met the Chicago Justicegang on Wednesday's episode of Chicago P.D., when Burgess' (Marina Squerciati) shooting of a suspect sparks an investigation by the State Attorney's office.

Though it initially looks like Burgess may have made the wrong call, the investigation eventually reveals that the teen she shot did in fact open fire on Burgess and Roman's (Brian Geraghty) patrol car, seeking revenge on behalf of his uncle, who was violently arrested by a racist Chicago cop several years prior and committed suicide in prison.

The Chicago Justice folks play a key role in the teen's conviction, but how did they fit in with the characters we already know and love? Here are our initial thoughts on the new additions to the Chicago franchise.

Chicago P.D.'s Marina Squerciati on tackling the "third rail" of police shootings

Peter Stone (Philip Winchester)

Peter is known to some of the Chicago P.D. crew, primarily because he's the Assistant State Attorney who sent Voight (Jason Beghe) to prison years prior. Initially, Peter seems like a bit of a jerk, but we quickly learn that he's simply a pretty buttoned-up, righteous guy who does things by the book. (No wonder he clashes with Voight, whom he clearly can't stand.) A straight shooter, he wastes no time in asking Burgess, "How long have you been screwing your partner?" after security camera footage surfaces that shows her caressing Roman's neck seconds before they're shot at. In the courtroom, Peter is all business, presenting the evidence concisely without showboating. It's also a nice, humanizing touch that he goes to visit an injured Roman in the hospital.

Mark Jefferies (Carl Weathers)

State Attorney Mark Jeffries, a.k.a. Peter Stone's boss, has his eye on reelection in November. (Guess we know what part of Chicago Justice's Season 1 arc will be!) He's a cautious prosecutor, challenging his employees to bring only airtight cases to trial. He also has his finger on the pulse of Chicago's citizenry, and points out to Peter the racial implications of the verdict against Burgess' attacker. With decades of experience under his belt, he's less idealistic than Peter and more inclined to play it safe and cut deals, while Peter likes to go for the homerun when it comes to a case.

Dawn Harper (Nazneen Contractor)

As Peter's right-hand woman Dawn Harper, Nazneen Contractor is billed as one of the leads of Chicago Justice, but we didn't get to see her do much in the backdoor pilot aside from sitting next to Peter and looking pretty.

Daren Okada (Ryan-James Hatanaka) and Lori Nagle (Joelle Carter)

The investigating team of Daren and Lori grill witnesses, gathering evidence that Peter can bring with him to trial. Like Dawn, we didn't get to see too much of them in this episode, but they seem capable enough. If sparks are going to fly between any Chicago Justice duo, it's likely to be these two.

Shambala Green (Lorraine Toussaint)

Toussaint reprises her Law & Order role of defense attorney Shambala Green, who made her debut on Dick Wolf's flagship series way back in 1990. Shambala has a testy but cordial relationship with Peter Stone and knows the ins and outs of Chicago politics. She isn't afraid to defend a guilty client, and will do anything to get her clients off, including pulling dirty tricks in the courtroom - where, unlike Peter, she relishes the performance aspect of a trial. On a personal level, she likes nice things and tells Peter she's apprehensive about her husband's impending retirement because she doesn't want to live in a single-income household.

What did you think of the Chicago Justice characters?

Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC. Chicago Justice is expected to premiere in the fall.

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