Fans of The Pitt are wondering why Dr. McKay wears an ankle monitor and what will happen to her in the Season 1 finale. Throughout the hit show on Max, Cassie McKay has had to deal with a court-ordered ankle monitor that has hampered her ability to conduct her work as a second-year emergency medicine resident. She’s had a rough past, particularly with substance abuse, but viewers of the show might miss out on why the doctor has an ankle monitor in the first place given all of the drama that happens in every episode.
What caused Dr. McKay to wear an ankle monitor?
It is suggested that Dr. McKay is forced to wear an ankle monitor because of an altercation she had with Chloe, the new girlfriend of her ex-husband Chad.
In the episode “4:00 PM,” the 42-year-old doctor explains that Chloe had something to do with her probation and that Chloe filed a restraining order against her. Given McKay’s history with substance abuse, which caused her to lose custody of her son Harrison before she got sober, the court would have been given a reason to slap her with the ankle monitor. The point of the device is to track the movements of individuals to ensure that they are following their probation (or parole) correctly.
What could happen to Dr. McKay for tampering with her ankle bracelet?
While Dr. McKay had a good reason for taking an IO drill and destroying the ankle monitor with it, she will likely face legal consequences for tampering.
In most US jurisdictions, these consequences would include a violation of court and would be classified as an additional criminal offense, leading to fines, extended probation, and possible jail time. One of the more immediate consequences, as The PItt shows at the end of Episode 14, is that law enforcement can get involved and arrest the violator.
That said, a lawyer representing Dr. McKay or the hospital itself should be able to argue extenuating circumstances given the emergency situation due to the active shooter incident at the music festival PittFest. On the flipside, the district attorney could argue that the incessant beeping from the ankle monitor was merely an inconvenience and that the doctor could have called her probation officer. But trying to penalize a doctor who was saving lives during an active shooter incident would not look great for optics.
From a plot standpoint, Dr. McKay getting arrested is karmic. She is potentially facing additional prison time while ironically being the person behind David getting committed despite him not being the shooter.
