Plot summary

New York City police detective Joe Leland is called to the home of a murder victim who has been beaten to death, head crushed, and has had his genitals removed. Puzzled and disgusted, the police on call are left bemused, and Leland holds things together with his direct, no-nonsense approach.Few leads are found, other than the fact that a housemate of the victim remains conspicuous by his absence. All the while notions about the victim's sexuality and personal interests warp the ideals of the officers assigned to the task. Leland tries to remain focused on the case while dealing with the breakdown of his marriage to wife Karen).Eventually, the victim's housemate is identified as Felix Tesla, and he is soon tracked down by Leland and another detective. Leland makes a psychologically disturbed Tesla crack and coaxes a confession out of him. This results in extensive publicity, a promotion for Leland, and the electric chair for Tesla, which distresses Leland because it is clear to him that Tesla is insane. Sinatra and RemickLater, across town, a man kills himself by jumping from the rooftop of a racetrack. The case goes unnoticed until the much-younger wife of the dead man, Norma MacIver, comes to Leland's office and asks him to look into it, believing something far more complex is involved.Leland and partner Dave Schoenstein follow leads. A psychiatrist, Dr. Roberts, clearly knows more about the dead man, Colin MacIver, than he is willing to reveal. The therapist also is familiar with Karen Leland, whose infidelity is putting a great strain on the detective's home life and distracting him from his work.Leland soon learns that certain powerful interests in the city do not want him to ask questions about their scheme to inflate the value of real estate. Leland discovers MacIver is at the center of the scheme. The incorruptible detective presses on, at risk to his career and life, as he discovers a lurid relationship between the man's suicide and the previous murder. MacIver had met the victim after going to a gay club to "get [homosexuality] out of my system." MacIver then proceeded to murder him following the victim's remarks about being able to recognize MacIver as a homosexual.MacIver made a taped confession to Dr. Roberts in which he also explains that he used the doctor's name as a front in his real estate scheme. Roberts insists that Leland keep MacIver's confession secret to preserve the detective's professional reputation as well as the powerful interests who do not want their crimes exposed. The film ends after Leland has revealed the truth and is happy to let the chips fall where they may, having unburdened himself of his guilt over Tesla's wrongful execution.