Shaw is a great character and Mechad Books is a great actor. The duality of being a Black man and a cop must feel like a trap. He could relate to everything single thing that guy had went through and he understood the rage. Obviously what that guy did was wrong and he deserved to be punished, he should have taken the deal. And of course Shaw had the integrity to get on the stand and tell the truth. What's sad is Shaw is surrounded by people who don't get it and don't really want to like Riley.