Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 14, Episode 21 - Traumatic Wound - full transcript

In the criminal
justice system,

sexually based offenses
are considered

especially heinous.

In New York City,
the dedicated detectives

who investigate
these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as
the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

I don't know, Brit.

I kinda wanna see
what happens to Valmont.

Come on.
We're going into the city.



Wild Yaks live at a warehouse?
You can't say no.

I promised my dad
I'd study.

It's party time.

YOLO.

Wear this.

Jake's gonna melt.

[Wild Yaks's
Crazy But Not Afraid]

♪

♪ I'm crazy
but I'm not afraid ♪

All: Not afraid!

♪ I'm crazy
but I'm not afraid ♪

All: Not afraid!

♪ I'm crazy
but I'm not afraid ♪

All: Not afraid!



- You can really move, Gabby.
- [Giggles]

- OMG!
- Jake's cute, huh?

Totally.

- I'll go get us another round.
- Okay.

♪

- Oh, sorry.
- Yo. Little room?

♪ Hey, baby,
gonna tear it apart ♪

All: Tear it apart

♪ hey, baby,
gonna tear it apart ♪

All: Tear it apart

♪ Hey, baby,
gonna tear it apart ♪

[All cheering]

- YOLO!
- Yeah, boy!

Hey! Oh!

- Help her!
- Hey, man!

No! Stop!
Please help me!

No! Please stop!

Please stop!
Stop, please stop!

Please!
Please help me!

Mosh pit gone bad.

Gabby Shaw, torn up,
gang-assaulted.

She was unconscious
when patrol got here.

Caught a bunch of scum
cutting out.

Have CSU check their clothes
for stains, bag their hands.

This entire club
is a crime scene.

Are there any witnesses
that aren't wasted?

Brit, I need you
to take a breath.

[Panting]
Oh, my God. [Coughs]

- Tell me what you saw.
- Um...

Gabby just disappeared
into the crowd.

I was holding her hand,
and she got pulled away

and she--she let go.
Can I go to the hospital?

No, you know what? Her father
is on his way there now, okay?

You're gonna come with me to the
station and make a statement.

Gabby's not my girlfriend.

We drove in together
from New Canaan.

Were you with her
when the attack began?

Yeah, we were dancing
with our friend Brit,

and there were fireworks
that went off onstage,

everybody went crazy.

Next thing we knew,
Gabby was sucked into the crowd.

Couldn't get within
10 feet of that girl.

It was boogie dark in there.
It was like a pack of dogs.

Just two of you working
the whole club?

Promoters think security
kills the vibe.

The band hired us.

- You see who grabbed her?
- All of 'em.

They tore her clothes off.

And I tried to go in
and get her,

but I got clocked
with a bottle.

Those animals.
They attacked her.

Gabby Shaw. Torn ligaments in her
right foot, right ACL is ruptured.

Scratches, contusions,
bite marks all over her body.

EMT said she was unconscious
when they arrived on the scene?

She still is.
She's concussed.

And what about
the rape kit?

Multiple mouth
and vaginal lacerations,

trauma to her cervix.

They used their hands,
beer bottles.

Oh--what about DNA?

No semen.

But we pulled samples from
the bite marks and scratches.

I'll let you know
when she comes to.

Where's Gabby Shaw?
Where's my daughter?

- I need to see her.
- Uh, sir,

she's in recovery.
I can take you there.

This is barbaric.
You've arrested these men?

We have suspects in custody,
but just a few questions.

I should have never let her
go into the city.

Did you know the friends
that she came in with?

They asked her
at the last minute.

Brit and that boy Jake--
he's a disgrace.

He could've stopped them.

Well, it's hard
to hold off a mob.

I told her
to stay home and study,

but she's the new girl, she
wants to be everybody's friend.

So she's new
at her high school.

Last year, we moved here
from--from Yorkshire.

My--my company moved me--us.
They said--[Chuckles]

They said Connecticut
and New Canaan would be safe.

We go to Woodmere High.
Me, Jake, Gabby.

Gabby wanted to stay home.
I convinced her to go out.

We have this stupid senior dare.
"YOLO," it means--

Yeah, "You Only Live Once."
I heard it.

It's usually an excuse
to do something--

- Dumb.
- Yeah.

We were dancing,
and this freak with curly hair,

he tried to put
the moves on Gabby.

Remember
anything else about him?

- He had a nose ring.
- Was he part of the mob?

He must've been
the one that started it.

Just 'cause you got
a jacket on me,

you think
I raped that skank?

We also have witnesses
that saw you all over the girl.

What was she doing dancing
with her shirt off?

Her bodacious ta-tas
jiggling for everyone to see?

Nah, she wanted it.

Can you describe
anybody else?

One guy had
an arm tattoo and...

another guy had a fohawk.

He grabbed Gabby's breasts.

You gotta spin
a different tale.

There were like
a hundred people there.

Big crowd,
you got caught up,

maybe did something
you didn't mean to?

Look, something just...
snapped, okay?

- Go on.
- I got swept up.

The music,
that girl topless...

I touched her,
but nothing else, I swear.

You gotta help me.

I didn't go near that girl.

You know something, hotshot?
All that ink...

makes you hard to miss,
and juries love details.

You know something,
sweetheart?

I thought we were having
a nice conversation.

Straight to a jury?
I go straight to a lawyer.

A New Canaan
high school student

still unconscious
from a mob assault.

Bloomberg's splenetic.

I've been fielding calls
all night from 1PP.

- They want charges now.
- That's why I'm here.

Eyewitnesses
and cell phone video confirm

that Gabby
was just swept away.

I mean, things escalated,

turned violent within
a matter of seconds.

It's mob mentality.

They're way more
aggressive together

than they would be alone.

These six arrested
at the scene?

Unis picked them up
when they were fleeing.

Gabby's friends IDed them
as pulling her into the crowd.

Yeah, but they all insist
that it was the crowd surge

that pushed them
into the victim.

They're not the ones
that actually attacked her.

Can you charge these mooks
with anything?

I'd like a little
stronger evidence.

Well, the video's useless.

Unless you guys
see something I don't.

Arms, legs, groping.
No faces.

And what about DNA?

Her body is covered
with samples.

- Bite marks, scratches.
- Exactly.

She's a veritable DNA cocktail.
Months to separate out.

And even then it only proves
proximity, not intent.

Okay, so we just let
half a dozen boys

get away with a brutal
sexual assault.

Every one of these suspects
is gonna blame the other guy.

The jury's not gonna know
how to parse it.

[Cell phone chimes]
Oh, here's our first piece

of good news--
Gabby's awake.

We'll show her
a photo array.

Include every single person that
was in that club last night.

Get me something,

'cause right now
all we have is a mob scene.

There were
so many of them.

Laughing, hurting me.

Grabbing my breasts.

Putting their fingers
inside me.

I'm so sorry, Gabby.

We just need to know,
though,

if you recognize
any of these faces.

Him, maybe.
I remember a nose ring.

You remember
what he did to you?

He was grinding on me,

and then I felt somebody
pull my top down.

Okay, was it him?

I don't know.
It was from behind.

Okay. Let's keep going.

Maybe him.

Earlier at the bar...

It was dark.
It's hard to tell.

I know this is hard,
Gabby.

You know, maybe it was
the way he smelled

or something
about his voice.

Anything that you can remember
can be helpful.

Okay, let's keep going.

Him.

I saw him at the front
of the stage.

He was working security.

Him?

He told us that
he tried to help you.

Help me? No.

I saw him coming,
and I thought, "Thank God,"

but then he stopped.

His eyes went cold,

and he jumped
right on top of me.

The security guard Frank

said he didn't get
within 10 feet of Gabby.

And I guess
it's hard to control a mob

when you're part of it.

All right, you got it?
Over in the back.

Hey, Frank Patterson?
We need to talk.

- Get back!
- Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Frank! Don't do this!

- Hey!
- Watch it!

No! No!

- How about you settle down?
- No, no, no, no!

Don't you see what's happening?
You wanna be next?

We gotta go! Now!

You're not going anywhere.

- I'm sorry.
- Sorry for what?

Hurting the girl,
lying to us, running away...

Frank, sit down.

Look, there's a lot
of heat on this.

We know you're ex-military.

Yes, sir.
75th Ranger Regiment.

Honorable discharge,
no record.

You're one of the good guys.

If you cooperate,
it could help all of us.

Now, you said
you couldn't get near Gabby?

The crowd--

I tried.

'Cause that's not
what she told us.

She said that you were
on top of her.

- She said that.
- Yeah.

- I gotta stand.
- Hey, take it easy.

[Bangs table]
This isn't me.

Wh--what?
What's not you?

Please, I-I gotta
get outta here.

No, you know what?
You wanna leave?

You tell us what happened
with Gabby.

Just the truth, Frank.

[Exhales]

I must've checked out
for a second.

Really?
That's what you're going with?

If she says that I was on top
of her, I guess that I was.

Because when I--when I
close my eyes I can--I can...

see myself
on top of her.

Take your time, Gabby.

I don't need to.

It's number three.

Those eyes...

- [Knocks three times]
- Thank you, Miss Shaw.

Okay,
would you mind waiting

in the interview room
for a minute?

However long it takes.

I want those men to pay
for what they did.

So the security guard
is in on it? That's just great.

A solid victim ID,
a confession...

About the confession,
it wasn't clear-cut.

She IDed him out of a photo
array and right here, Nick.

He waived his right to
counsel, he signed a confession,

he's been IDed.

Thank you, good-bye.
One down, rest to go.

Where are we on the other
suspects in custody?

Two gropers would fold
on a lesser charge.

The original three--nose ring,
fohawk, tattoo--holding tight.

Probably because
they started it.

I mean, listen, Gabby remembers
being at the club,

but she's a little fuzzy

on whether they were
part of the attack.

Line 'em up,
see if it triggers

anything else in her memory,
and maybe we'll

scare the rest of them
into confessing.

It's number five.

[Knocks five times]

It's number four.

Number two.

Number four.

So what happens now?

Your daughter did great.

We're gonna charge
these men with assault.

Yeah, but what
about the others?

Look, I know that
this is frustrating,

but we're working to make
the case as strong as we can.

We want to get a jury to convict
everyone who did this.

Jury? No. No, I don't want my
daughter testifying in public.

Well, one thing at a time,
Mr. Shaw.

I think right now, Gabby needs
to focus on getting better.

Let's get you
back to the hospital.

Daddy, I left my bag
in the other room.

[Exhales]

Does it ever get better?

Every time I close my eyes,
I'm back in that mob.

Those guys all over me.

The music, the lights flashing,
I can't get away.

Gabby, you've already
made it through hell.

There are people
who can help you.

And you--
you're gonna be okay.

[Sniffles]

I want to go home.

Be with my friends.

Have things back
the way they were.

Hey, I'm not
getting in there.

There a problem?

I said I'm not
getting in there.

Shut your mouth.

Get in there
and shut your mouth.

- Hey, is that necessary?
- Get in there and shut your--

- Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa!
- You son of a bitch!

- Hey, yo, yo, yo, yo, yo!
- Settle down!

- Take it easy, man!
- He went off on me!

- You saw him!
- Hey, you all right, Frank?

Uh...

Uh, there's no moon.

Visibility's down.

Something terrible
is gonna happen. Okay?

Okay. All right.
I get it.

Hey, I need him
back in my custody.

Nick--

He assaulted
a fellow officer.

I have to ask him
a few more questions.

- Unlock him.
- All right.

He's your problem now,
buddy.

You brought
Frank Patterson back?

Yeah.

He lost it at the van.
I recognized the signs--

Of a thug who doesn't
want to do the time, or--

Of a soldier with PTSD?

- What? Oh, c--
- Back up, both of you.

Now what?

Frank, he has a fear
of closed spaces.

The dark with no moon.

Look, he did three tours
in Iraq and Afghanistan--

You know what?
I appreciate that, okay?

But that has nothing
to do with his crime.

- If he committed a crime.
- Oh, come on, Nick.

You were in there.
He confessed.

No, you gave him
Gabby's account.

He parroted it back.

"I don't remember,
but if that's what she said--"

No, no, no,
I did not coerce him.

You know that.

Gabby IDed him, he admitted
that he was at fault.

And he's punishing himself.
Doesn't mean he's guilty.

Hold on.
I want this thing rock-solid.

Do you wanna go over it
with him again?

He was there.

I don't know what he did
or what he saw.

But my gut--we don't have
his whole story.

Oh, your gut. Good lord.

Rollins, problem?

No, Sergeant.

I remember
when I was in Fallujah.

Everything felt like it came
with a side order of sand.

You were there?

Interrogations
after 9/11.

So... you know.

Well, not half
of what you do.

You were a ranger.

You must've been in some

pretty intense situations.

Well, that's what
we're trained for.

For the battle, yeah.

Not for coming home.

Is there anything...

anything you can't shake?

I don't talk about it.

Where'd you go?

Tikrit.

Night raid.

I had a bad feeling.

We just got done
clearing the first house

when we got radioed that
a soldier was down in an alley.

I was on sniper detail,
so my buddy Al went.

An IED got him.

It was just Jenna and me.

She was assigned to our unit
for the mission.

I nailed her sniper.

But she bled out
in my arms...

because I was too late.

Like it was too late
to help Gabby.

I should've
gotten there sooner.

But that band's flare
was like...

♪

that first IED.

♪

People sprinting.

Lugging cans,
scrambling for an inch of cover.

Now, what happened
when you saw Gabby?

I remember now.

I jumped on top of her.

Because I thought
she was Jenna.

You were trying
to protect her?

Yeah.
But I was too late.

I let that guy get away.

You let
what guy get away?

The guy who started it.

Pale face. Hip-hop t-shirt.

I saw him pull her top down.

And I didn't even stop it.

It's okay, Frank.

Hey... it's okay now.

Pale face, hip-hop shirt.

That's the kid Frank remembers
seeing start the mob.

Now,
how'd the kid do that?

Pulled Gabby's tube top down,
pushed her into the crowd.

Frank described him exactly.

He is alone,
and from the time stamp,

he left the club
before anyone called 911.

And Fin's at the club
with his pic.

And this is Frank's
latest version,

so he retracted that he was
part of the assault.

No, he didn't
attack Gabby.

He was trying to save her.

His...

His PTSD was triggered
by the pyrotechnics,

his vision tunneled down.

He thought Gabby
was a wounded soldier.

Once we talked it through,
his memory came back.

That's not how Gabby
remembers it.

Gabby IDed Frank.

We're not releasing him.

And if we charge him
with anything

he has to take a psych eval.

You find anything
at the club?

Guy at the door remembers
the hip-hop t-shirt but no name.

He says the ID said
18 from New Canaan.

Another kid from New Canaan.
Seem like coincidence?

How many public high schools
are there in New Canaan--two?

- One.
- Well, he should be

easy to find.

Why don't you two
take a ride,

and maybe you could
make up along the way?

This guy Frank--

it was coming over him
like a wave.

- I've seen it before.
- Okay.

- Can I ask you something?
- Yeah.

You tell him
that you were in Iraq?

It came up.

Before or after
he manifested PTSD?

All right,
come on, Rollins.

All I'm saying, is it possible
that he's playing you?

It can happen.

Yeah, I know what
you're saying, and no.

Why don't you drive?

I heard
what happened to Gabby.

Awful.
I left before it started.

Well, actually, no.
We checked surveillance video.

You left
just after it started.

Did I?
I didn't see anything.

No?
It's funny.

A witness saw you
pull her top down

and push her into the mob.

- What?
- Louis, come on.

You went to a Wild Yaks show
in a hip-hop t-shirt.

There's kind of
a disconnect there.

You weren't there
to see the band.

Now, were you there
following Gabby?

- No.
- Now, look. We get it.

Maybe you like her.

She's a pretty girl,
you lost your head,

things got outta hand.

Well, not because of me.

Because of who?

That came out wrong.

Look, I was at the club,
and I left.

I didn't even talk to Gabby.

She barely knows who I am.

I'm not really
friends with Louis.

He works after school
at the pizza parlor.

He doesn't have time
to hang out.

Well, did you talk to him
at the club?

No, I didn't notice him.

Did he ever ask you out
or follow you?

No. If anything,
he's kind of shy.

- Was he one of the ones?
- We're not sure.

But another suspect
claims that he's the one

who pulled
your tube top down.

I've always been
really nice to Louis.

Why would he do that to me?

Well, we're hoping
that you'll ask him.

On a phone call
that we'd record.

Look, Louis,
I'm not gonna call the cops,

but I know that
you pulled my top down.

Why would you do that?
Did you want me to get raped?

You have to
tell me the truth.

No, Gabby, listen, it wasn't
supposed to go down like that.

I don't understand.
I never did anything to you.

It was--it was
supposed to be a prank.

We were just
gonna get a picture.

- "We"? Who?
- I can't say.

I'm not gonna snitch.
I'm really sorry you got hurt.

I shouldn't even
be talking to you.

We call that
an admission.

I didn't hurt her.

No, you pulled down her top.
You pushed her into the crowd.

That makes you
the ringleader

of a vicious sexual assault.

I left the second I tubed her.
I didn't see anything.

What'd you mean when you told
Gabby you weren't gonna snitch?

I wasn't talking
about the club.

I was talking about before.
The prank.

Right, the prank.
That was your idea?

You said "we" on the call.
What'd you mean by that?

Someone else was in on it?

[Bangs table]
Hey! Hey!

What happened to Gabby
in that club

is nothing compared to what's
gonna happen to you in prison.

The plan
wasn't to rape her.

He wanted me
to top shark her.

Get a photo or video,
post it online.

Embarrass her.

"He" who?

Alec Peters.
Gabby's ex.

He paid me 500 bucks.

But it was just a joke.

- They were laughing about it.
- "They"? Alec and who else?

Jake and Brit.

Her friends?

The ones who brought her
to the club?

Yeah.

Brit said she's make sure Gabby
wore something without a bra.

And when the band was banging,

I had to pull her top down
and force-flash her.

And one of them
was supposed to video?

I guess.

I was going to
shark and run.

I never wanted this to--

What?

Most of the girls at that
school are kinda stuck up.

Gabby's the nice one.

Lou said my friends
did this to me?

Do you know
an Alec Peters?

Yeah,
we dated for a few months

when I first moved
to New Canaan,

but he got jealous.

He wanted to monitor my texts,
my emails.

And you broke up with him.

How did he take that?
Did he make threats?

He said I was making
the biggest mistake of my life.

That nobody does that
to Alec Peters.

Okay. So Jake and Brit.

- Are they Alec's friends?
- Yeah.

They've known each other
their whole lives.

So for a while,
they iced me out,

so I was happy a few weeks ago
when they started being nice.

That's why
I went out with them,

because I thought
we could be friends.

That tube top
that you were wearing.

Did you pick that out?

Oh, my God.

Oh, my God.
No.

Brit told me to wear it.

Not another
bologna sandwich.

No. Good news.

You're free to go.

What?

We followed up
on your ID.

It checked out.

So I'm done?

Well, not entirely.
We may need you as a witness.

I told you
I'm not up for that.

Whether you testify or not,

I think you might have PTSD.

You should get help.
Here...

Best guy at the local VA.
He's expecting your call.

Come on.

I would never hurt Gabby.

Louis is lying
about all of this.

Hmm.
So we're not gonna find

- any texts between you and Louis?
- No. Check my phone.

You do know that
even if you deleted messages,

we can still retrieve 'em.

Okay.
Louis delivers pizza.

And more,
if you catch my drift.

Go on.

I bought some prime indo
for 500.

You might find that.

See, he told us that's what
you paid him to top shark Gabby.

Well, that's crazy.

But she did dump you,
right?

Uh, we hooked up.

But dump is so old-school.
You get bored, you move on.

Yeah, but sometimes
it's the ones that get away

you wanna get back at.

Not me.
Alec Peters has his pick.

Okay, well,
can you think of any reason

why Louis would have it
in for Gabby and you?

I don't wanna
sound like a jerk,

but Louis lives
in Section 8 Housing.

Even if he does graduate,

he goes into the army
like his brother.

He's probably jealous.

So you sent this group text to
Alex, Brit, and Louis last week?

"We be ready for da show"?

Stripping Gabby
in front of 200 strangers.

That's a show to you?

No. I was talking
about the Wild Yaks show.

Then how come Gabby
wasn't CCed and Alec was?

He didn't go.

Yeah, well,
when he dropped out,

we thought it would be
nice to invite Gabby.

Sort of like a peace offering
after the breakup.

So you, Brit,
and her, and Louis?

You bought his ticket too?

He usually roll with you?

No. But I owed him.

And I'm gonna
plead the fifth on what for.

I didn't know Louis
was even there that night.

- He pulled Gabby's top off?
- Yeah, and it was the top

that you told her to wear.

He's a loser.
He got caught.

He's just putting
the blame on someone else.

Yeah, but Gabby
did break up with Alec.

I think it was
more mutual.

And Alec would never
do something like this.

He's a gentleman.

I mean, I took cotillion class
with him in the fourth grade.

Cotillion class?

Yeah, ballroom dance
and social--

Etiquette.
Yeah, no,

I didn't know
you guys had that up here.

But you and Alec.
You two never dated?

We're more like
brother and sister.

Aha.

- Like you and Jake.
- Yeah.

We're all old friends.

Gabby--
she was the new girl.

That's my mom.

I gotta go.

All right, so these guys--
this gang of six--

they had nothing to do
with setting it up.

They were just opportunists.

I know this is hard to follow,
Counselor.

No, I get it.
It's Benghazi.

You thought that Gabby'd
been assaulted by a mob.

It turns out the attack
was orchestrated.

- The problem is--
- How to prove it,

when Alec, Brit, and Jake
are all in lockstep.

These three.

The cotillion crew.

They didn't touch Gabby?

No, but they set
the whole thing in motion.

They took her to the club.

And this one picked out
the tube top that Gabby wore.

Even a New York grand jury
won't indict for that.

[Sighs]

Unless...

One, two, three.

We're looking
at a conspiracy.

What? To harass?
To top shark?

You've separated
these two groups out.

I charge these six
with aggravated sexual assault,

- they're looking at 20 years.
- I see where you're going.

So you're saying
that their assault

was foreseeable
by the New Canaan kids.

Okay, yeah,
but that seems like a stretch.

I mean, what, her friends
just wanted to embarrass her.

By exposing her breasts

to a bunch of drunk,
aggressive men at a club?

It's as foreseeable as a murder
at an armed robbery,

and we charge that
all the time.

Hey, can we get them
with Louis's statement?

No.
He's a coconspirator.

I need independent
corroboration.

Besides,
he's out of their league.

These kids' lawyers--they'd
discredit him before lunch.

Nick, did you ask Frank
about Brit and Jake?

No, they weren't suspects.

And Frank--the club attack
triggered a flashback.

His memory's fragmented.

You got him
to remember Louis.

Yeah.

Go back.
Take him through the night.

Don't lead him,

but see what else
he can reconstruct.

I just gotta check
a couple things.

Take your time,
Sergeant Patterson.

I don't think
I'm gonna be much help.

I'm kind of a mess,
in case you haven't noticed.

Did you call
that VA doctor?

I'm kinda tired.

Sure.

When you're ready.

But in the meantime,
I thought maybe,

you know, come in here,

you could walk us through
the geography of the night.

- All right.
- Okay. So...

Frank, let's just start with,
um, you know, who was where.

Do you remember
any of these kids?

Him. He was here.

He was the one
who pulled her top down.

Anything else?

Um...

Think back.

The sounds, the lights,
all those bodies.

It must've been
hot in this room.

Sergeant Patterson?

[Sighs]

She whispered to Louis.

Steered him over to Gabby...

And then yelled something
as she raised her cup.

And do you see the girl

who lifted her cup
in the court today?

That's her.

Let the record reflect

that the witness has identified
the defendant Brit Yardley.

And after Louis
pulled Gabby's top down,

what did you see him do?

He pushed her
into the crowd.

And then that guy
gave him a thumbs up.

Let the record reflect
the witness has identified

defendant Jake Swenders.

Mr. Patterson, it took you some
time to recollect these events.

- Is that correct?
- Yes, sir.

And this is because

you experience
post-traumatic stress

from your three tours of duty
in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Objection, Your Honor.
Leading.

I'll allow it.

I don't know.

I guess that the...

The fireworks just
triggered something in me.

But over time
and talking it through,

I was able to piece back

my memory of the night.

Talked it through.

Did anyone coach or guide
your recollections?

No, sir.

Like I said, everything came
back to me

in pieces over time.

And everything that I saw
and that I heard that night,

I'm certain of.

And I just wish that I w--

I was able to be there
to stop it.

Thank you.

No further questions,
Your Honor.

Let's stop here for lunch.
Reconvene at 2:00.

[Bangs gavel]

You did really good
up there, Frank.

Yeah, well,
Barba's on our side.

This defense attorney,
how tough is he?

You're prepped, ready.

Just tell the truth
and don't worry about him.

Whoa, good.

Uh, Rafael,
I have something for you.

Just a little thank you gift.

- For what?
- Well, not just

for overreaching
on the conspiracy charge,

but for using someone who has
PTSD for your central witness.

"All The King's Men"?

Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty
back together again.

Just a few questions,
Sergeant.

First let me thank you
for your--

your brave service
to our country.

Now, so I'm clear,

initially,
you remembered nothing

except trying but failing

to help the victim?

Yes, sir.

But the victim
contradicted that?

- Yes, because she--
- Because she thought

you were
one of her assailants.

That was because
of the pyrotechnics.

I didn't know the band was
going to use them that night,

and I froze.

She misunderstood
the look in my eyes,

but that's all been
straightened out.

Uh, no offense, but you were,
uh, less than frozen.

You threw yourself
on the victim.

Yes,
like I explained before,

that's because I believed
that she was a fallen soldier.

But you told the police
you had assaulted the victim.

No.

Yes. I was confused.

But later I remembered,

and I did--you know,
I don't think that now.

Oh, later you became
less confused

after you became a witness
for the prosecution.

- Your Honor, objection.
- Overruled.

Is that a yes
or is that a no?

Yes.

I was confused, but I'm--

- I'm not confused now.
- Oh, good.

And we're glad.

But you have to
admit it's odd

that, despite extensive
cell phone video footage,

no one--and I mean no one--

captured
what you say you saw.

That's--

[Echoing music]

That's not true.

[Echoing music]

Uh...

There was someone,
uh, there videotaping.

I mean, I'm just--I'm just
remembering this now, but...

I'm pretty sure
he was in on it.

Oh, I see. Another person
you're just remembering.

- [Sighs]
- Well, can you tell me...

Your Honor, I just--
I need a minute with my witness.

Your Honor, I'm in the middle
of a cross-examination.

I mean, do they need a therapy
dog up there with this witness?

- Cross will continue.
- Now, as to...

this other person taping,

can you describe him?

Short, cropped hair
like a soldier.

Like a soldier
you served with in Iraq?

I explained that.

You thought that the victim
was a fallen comrade.

The same way that you--
well,

that you confused
the IED and the band flares.

Is that correct?

- I'm not confused anymore.
- Good.

Rest of us--
gotta tell ya.

We're very confused.

Your Honor,

I move to strike Sergeant
Patterson's entire testimony.

He started with,
"I saw nothing,"

he zigged to, "I did it,"

then he did a quick detour
past "It was my clients."

And now, apparently,
we're ending up with,

"There was a mystery man."

I don't think the jury
can get their way out of this.

Your honor, please,
it's almost 5:00.

If we could just request
a recess until tomorrow.

I'll grant you a reprieve,
Counselor.

But be forewarned,

I'm strongly inclined
to grant the defense's motion.

[Bangs gavel]

You were doing just fine.

You didn't need to create
a whole new suspect.

- I'm sorry.
- Especially one

that none of us
has never heard of before.

- Counselor.
- Your witness.

Frank, what did happen?

The lawyer
said "videotaping,"

and it brought back
another piece.

I didn't create this guy.
He was there.

You sure?

- He looked army.
- He did.

I saw him earlier in the night,
and I remember thinking,

"What is a pogue
doing in a club like this?"

- If he was there.
- He was.

I saw him
videotaping everything.

Okay, let's say
that I believe you.

I wish that you had
thought of it sooner.

Well, we should have too.

They wanted
to embarrass this girl.

The whole point of top sharking
is to videotape.

Louis gave up
the other three conspirators.

Why not his accomplice?

The guy has short hair,
looked army?

Alec mentioned

Louis would end up in the army
like his brother.

Find him. Find him fast.

Or this whole case
is just a memory.

So you heard about Gabby.

Yes, sir.
Louis told me about it.

Poor girl.
Louis is a good kid.

He just wants to
fit in sometimes.

You love your brother,
don't you?

So if he asked you
to do a favor

like videotape that night,
you'd do it?

I didn't have anything to do
with what happened that night.

Listen, we have
an eyewitness description.

Military,
short-cropped hair.

We even have your picture.

Your brother loves you.

He lied on the stand
to protect you.

This is your chance,
Ralph, to protect him.

Louis said it was just
rich kids pulling a dumb prank.

Easy money.

What happened made me sick.

And you didn't help her?

I just kept taping.

I was a soldier
following orders.

Hey, don't even try.

The soldiers I worked with

knew the difference
between right and wrong.

You still got that tape?

It was uploaded to a
password-protected private site.

It's already had
a couple hundred viewings.

So half the school
knew about this,

and no one came forward?

[Wild Yaks's
Crazy But Not Afraid]

♪

Excuse me.

- YOLO!
- Yeah, boy!

Hey!

[Crowd cheers]
Please! Please help me!

[Video stops]
Well...

It's a little
late in the day, Counselor.

You sandbagged me.

We have you to thank.

If you hadn't
badgered our witness,

we never would've heard
about this mystery man.

Oh, and here.

Nice read.

Counselor,
do your clients understand

they are waiving
their rights to a jury trial,

a trial at which the burden
of proof would be on the people?

They do, Your Honor.

Very well.

Alec Peters, Jake Swenders,
Brit Yardley,

on the conspiracy to commit
aggravated sexual assault,

how do you plead?

Guilty.

- Guilty.
- Guilty.

Suspects will be remanded
to Rikers pending sentencing.

[Bangs gavel]

[Sobbing]

I thought
they were my friends.

I trusted them.

Well, if it makes
a difference,

a man who doesn't
even know you

went through
a lot of trouble to help you.

Hey, Nick.
Nick, hold up.

Hey, Frank came through.

You were right about him
from the get,

and I owe you an apology.

No.
No, you don't.

The only reason
I caught it--

Maria.

In hindsight,
when she came home from Iraq,

she was textbook PTSD,

and I didn't see it.

I took it personally.

[Sighs]

Think it cost me
my marriage.

Have you told her that?

Well, it's a little late.

I don't think
she wants to hear it.

Maybe the first step
is stop beating yourself up.

Yeah.