OBVIOUS PLOT HOLE!


In season 6, episode 4's "Bang Bang, Your Debt" Erik Delko starts
hallucinating that his dead colleague Tim Speedle is still alive.
Now here is the obvious plot hole and of course being CSI:Miami
well we must suspend disbelief.

Somehow Dan Cooper was able to get ahold of Speedle's credit card
after his death by taking the card from his old locker. Now here
is what is so implausible, the character of Tim Speedle was in
seasons 1 & 2 and then died at the end of the second season
and was buried on camera. So then we must assume that his
credit card would have been canceled and the account closed
for good by his bank. After all what good is any credit card
to a dead man? Speedle was single and had no dependents so
all the more reason that his credit account would have been
closed shortly after his passing. So then since he died in
2004 and this episode is from season 2007 then why was the
account still active for three years after his death?
Realistically none of this makes any sense and yes we are
discussing a TV show where so much never made any real sense
though when you consider that

1. Dan Cooper got ahold of his dead colleague's credit card
after Tim Speedle's death.

2. The account remained active for three years after his
death and was not closed.

3. Cooper was able to make purchases using a card that belonged
to a dead coworker.

4. I don't even remember Dan Cooper's character being a
recurring character in seasons one and two of the show.

Your comments and feedback on my points are welcome.


Lorenzo Sunny Arizona

Call me a sailor or a swabby just don't call me a squid!

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I just recently saw that episode for the second time, tbirdman, and caught a couple of things that I missed when watching it the first time. After Delko sees Speedle at a crime scene, he and Calleigh find the credit card in the hummer. Delko remarks "I knew it" and Calleigh asks "what...?". I don't think Delko wanted to admit to anyone but Horatio that he "saw" Speedle. Later, we see Horatio at the bank and the lady checking on the card tells him there had been no activity on the card in three years... until recently. Then she says that there's activity on the card "right now". He sends Delko and Calleigh to find out what's going on and we see Cooper getting busted using the card. We know that in most cases, if a credit card isn't used in a certain amount of time, it gets closed.

But I couldn't help think, after knowing that Speedle's wallet was found in his locker, that his driver's license wasn't on him when he was killed? CSI's don't need their license when driving a company vehicle? I know...silly question! Is their badge all they need? I don't know. But if Speedle had no known family, I think Horatio would have made the effort to take care of his colleague's personal locker after his death. He wouldn't have left anything in a deceased co-workers locker for three years.

But like you stated...it's only a TV show. They can't do things the normal way or there wouldn't have been a story line involving Delko seeing his deceased friend. Then to bust Cooper using that old friend's card. They had to show Cooper's devious, underhanded nature. They had to get rid of him...only to bring him back later to harass Calleigh (and Delko?)...right? He was bitter and wanted to get back at his former co-worker(s) somehow. Not a nice guy!

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From your description, it sounds like it was a bank card that was being used, so that could be a debit card. As stated, a credit card without activity for that long would probably be closed, but not necessarily a bank account. We also know nothing of Speed's family, perhaps it's taking them a while to get things sorted. If he didn't leave a will, that means probate, and that can be drawn out, too. Just thoughts, obviously it's a plot device, but it's not impossible.

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Yes That is strange but I remember at Speed's service, his mom and dad were there and the Flag was handed to his mom.

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