Smithers awakens one morning with a severe hangover. He recalls the events leading up to Mr. Burns's shooting outside Town Hall and concludes that while he was drunk, he pulled the trigger. Wracked with guilt, Smithers confesses to a priest. The confession booth turns out to be a police trap, and Smithers is taken into custody.

Shortly thereafter, Smithers remembers that he was home watching TV when the shooting occured, and therefore is innocent. The police release him. Meanwhile, Lisa approaches Chief Wiggum with a list of possible suspects. The police search Homer's car and discover a gun covered with his fingerprints. Homer becomes a chief suspect. When Burns regain consciousness, he utters Homer's name, prompting his arrest.

The paddy wagon transporting Homer overturns and Homer escapes. He sneaks into the hospital and, in a demented rage, advances on Burns. Just then, Lisa races in to annouce that she has solved the mystery. However, now coherent, reveals the truth: after a struggle over candy in the Town Hall parking lot, his gun fell into Maggie's hands and discharged.