Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 17, Episode 22 - Intersecting Lives - full transcript
A corrections officer is arrested for sexually assaulting female inmates, leading his supportive union to go after Barba and SVU.
_
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.
Nothing yet?
They're supposed to post
the link any minute, so...
Post what?
Bar results. Today's the day.
Okay, shh. It's up.
All right. Come on.
Come on.
- There it is.
- What?
My ID number. It's...
it's on the pass list.
You passed?
I passed. Oh, my God!
Oh!
Congratulations.
Somebody win the lottery?
Sort of. Carisi passed the bar.
Carisi, congratulations.
Thank you.
Does that mean you're leaving too?
What? No.
What do you mean, "too"?
Dodds is going to Joint Terrorism.
This is his last week.
Last week? He just got here.
Yeah. He's on his own journey.
Uh-huh.
Well, Carisi did it.
We should celebrate.
Yeah, how about I take you all to lunch?
Today I can't.
Come on, Fin. Don't be like that.
No, I got to go meet up with my son.
He says he has some news.
Hope he didn't quit his job.
Hey.
You told 'em?
I did.
Task Force? Really?
SVU, we go after bad
guys and lock 'em up.
Terrorism, you can get yourself killed.
You're leaving?
I thought you were taking
the kids to school.
I was, but they want me in early again.
Got a lot of Centre
Street transfers today.
Can't someone cover?
We need the OT.
You're the one who
wanted to take the kids
to Disney World, right?
Money makes the world
go around, little man.
Hey, Charisse, my
favorite former inmate.
Come on.
I thought we were done with this.
Is that an open container
of alcohol in your hand?
That's a violation.
Please, just leave me alone.
Okay?
How about I pat you down?
Please...
we don't need to do that.
Get in the car.
Now.
Oh, Charisse.
This menu's crazy.
So, Dad, thanks for meeting me.
Thanks for having me, man.
I hope you're not trying to fix
me up or anything again, man.
No, okay, that was a bad idea,
but no.
I actually have some news.
So what, you're leaving
that halfway house?
No, I like my job.
I like social work,
and I'm gonna need the
paycheck, because...
Alejandro and I are starting a family.
What, you're adopting?
Well,
we found a surrogate.
She's three months pregnant.
It's a boy.
So I'm going to be a grandfather?
You okay with that?
I mean, yeah.
Everybody in my squad's having babies,
showing me pictures.
Now I get to show some pictures myself.
And this little guy...
Hey!
This little guy calls me Fin.
None of that "grandpa" stuff, okay?
Okay.
That's what's up. Congratulations.
Excuse me a sec.
Hello?
Slow down, Charisse.
Where... where are
you? Are you all right?
That CO from Rikers, Gary.
He just...
he just raped me.
Okay. Where are you?
Stay there. I'll come get you.
What's going on?
One of my clients says her
former CO just raped her.
I got to go.
No, hold on, hold on.
We got to be careful.
A corrections officer?
Let me call Liv.
_
Until today, Gary just...
would made me go down on him,
but I said I didn't
want to do that anymore.
I was back with my boyfriend.
He got mad.
He hit me.
And then he raped me.
How many times did this happen?
I don't keep count.
At least once a week since I got out.
I'm on his route.
I thought it was bad
enough when I was inside.
Did he assault you in Rikers?
He never hurt me,
but when he'd take me back from a visit,
he'd make a stop in the chapel.
No cameras there.
He knows what he's doing.
He'd say,
"You do me a favor,
I do you one".
Meaning?
Meaning I get to see my kids.
Don't get strip-searched,
thrown into solitary.
Don't get my teeth knocked in.
Did you report this?
In Rikers?
The COs and the gangs run that place.
Every female inmate in there knows that.
Every time he'd do me, he'd say,
"Cry all you want,
"but you're just a broke,
"black crack whore.
Who's gonna believe you?"
I do, Charisse.
Uh-huh.
Um...
I never should have called Ken.
Um...
I was just messed up.
Don't worry.
I know this doesn't go anywhere.
Gary Munson. What do we know about him?
CO at Rikers for 17 years.
Never charged, never disciplined.
Puts in for a lot of
OT. A wife, two kids.
His father-in-law is a deputy
inspector at Queens South.
Now, the second time Gary
fails the police exam,
strings get pulled, he makes D.O.C.
He's got three complaints in his jacket.
Nothing stuck.
Nothing ever sticks at Rikers.
That CO union has more power
than any place I've ever seen.
Putting that aside,
these cases are never easy.
Your complainant has 12 arrests?
Misdemeanors: drugs, prostitution.
My son says she's turning it around.
This guy covers his tracks.
There's no DNA, no witnesses,
vulnerable victims.
Look, we really caught a break
- when Charisse called Ken.
- Did we?
It's still the word of
a corrections officer
versus a black single
mother with a drug problem
and a prison record.
All right, if he's
raping her on the street,
how many is he raping on the inside?
Is there any value in
having DOI look at him?
Don't... Rikers is where
investigations go to die.
Violence, rape, assaults,
hundreds of allegations,
almost no prosecutions.
Are you saying just walk away?
If a CO is having sex with an inmate,
forced or not, that's rape.
It is, but Rikers...
It's like "The Lord of the Flies" there.
If anyone finds out
we're investigating him,
Munson gets tipped off,
and his vics pay.
So we're not investigating him.
We need the guards' help.
We're investigating a trafficking ring
with ties to gang members
who were involved with female inmates.
All right, yeah. Put up a good front.
Pick another dozen
women who have rotated
through Charisse's unit
- with similar records.
- Okay.
Charisse says she was
raped in the chapel.
We should pull the surveillance
video from the hallway outside.
And plus another six cameras.
Hand them a laundry list.
With luck, they won't realize
that Munson's the target.
I'll start the paperwork.
You want to spend your
last week at Rikers?
I'm not coasting out. I'll
put in my time to the end.
What, are you trying to make me miss you
now that you're already gone?
I'm just doing my job.
_
Sex-trafficking victims?
Seriously, that's what
you guys call these women?
I know, we're looking
at low-level hookers.
But a couple of them were underage.
SVU gets called in,
hence, "trafficking."
And the crap keeps
rolling down the hill.
I hear you.
Visitor logs for the
so-called "victims."
Least you don't have to
follow up with the boyfriends.
Audio recordings of phone
calls is no problem.
500 hours of "baby" this, "baby" that.
But you need video too?
We want to know who
these girls interact with
after they see their visitors.
But there's no audio.
I'm not sure how much help it'll be.
If it's on the list, it's on the list.
We just have to check that box.
I'll run it by my warden.
Between the Feds and
DOI investigating...
Look, it's bad enough we
got these animals in here.
We're being killed by friendly fire.
Is there any chance we could
talk to some of these inmates?
COs will know where to find them.
Mo'Nique?
She ain't here.
She is in the infirmary.
They're all working something.
Each one's worse than the next.
I'm sure it can get rough in here.
I've been screamed at, spit on, had
you-don't-even-want-to-know-what
thrown at me.
Guys pull their thing out,
wave it at the female COs.
Anyone making a
complaint, they're lying.
That's not why we're here.
Some of the inmates may
have ties to the CPB gang.
We think they may be facilitating
the pimping of girls on the outside.
Sure.
They'd sell their own
sisters for a score.
Keisha, possession.
Mo'Nique, assault.
Janice, prostitution.
Della, public urination.
A bunch of real ladies.
Lot of rough road.
We're just trying to keep
'em from killing each other.
Now, if you're telling me that they have
baby daddies or exes or brothers in CPB,
I wouldn't be surprised.
You're on visitation detail.
Any inmates, current or
former, that let something slip
about the gangs running
girls in the South Bronx?
Well, anything real, I go
straight to the warden.
I don't look the other way.
Any of these ladies ever asked you to?
What, are you kidding me?
They're working me 24/7.
With the big eyes and the crying
and the begging.
'Cause everybody in here,
they're all innocent, right?
Of course they are.
Thanks.
Mike Dodds.
Chief Dodds is your dad, right?
Yeah.
My father-in-law knows him.
Sure.
Thanks.
The female CO was the lookout.
Yep, and just like Charisse said,
he takes her to the chapel
after visiting hours.
After five minutes, he emerges
with a big grin on his
face, adjusting his junk.
Seconds later, she comes out.
We know what happened.
So, this corresponds with
the dates Charisse gave us?
Yeah, every Saturday,
her mother shows up
with her daughters, and
every Saturday afternoon,
Munson gets his favors.
Ten times, same M.O., over three months.
And it's not just Charisse.
By chance, we found three
other probable victims.
Well, that's not a surprise.
They're all black women, 20s to 30s.
He's... he's got a type.
I'm tracking down their records.
We've got months of these
tapes to go through.
We'll find some more vics.
Well, you can, but Rikers
is out of our jurisdiction.
Charisse was assaulted in Manhattan,
so I'll call Barba and let him know
that we have evidence backing her story.
And we let Charisse know?
It's gonna be tough.
Ken just got a call.
Charisse was arrested tonight.
Charisse.
What did you do?
Just can't get enough
of me, can you, girl?
I will see you tomorrow.
Charisse McCabe? Yeah.
I saw her after roll call this morning.
They should put a revolving
door in for that girl.
Yeah, we heard she just
got picked up last night.
Oh, you heard that?
Yeah, the gang unit looped us in.
She was arrested with her boyfriend.
He was a crew chief for the CPB.
Oh, could be.
I don't know what the charges were,
but I heard that her and her boyfriend
were this trick-rolling team.
Oh, that checks out.
Then we have an outstanding case.
John wakes up in a hotel,
no Rolex, no laptop.
Craigslist hookup, you know?
All he can remember is that
she was pretty and black.
Is that right?
Well, it fits Charisse
and her M.O., so...
We think that now she's back inside,
it might give us some leverage on her.
Yeah, I wouldn't count on it.
Every time that one opens her mouth,
a lie comes out.
No, we got the john waiting.
We put her in a lineup,
get this thing closed out.
She gets ID'd.
She might lead us to other names.
They give you OT for that?
Collars for dollars.
Good for you.
But it's a dead end.
He did this. Gary.
He said that he could do
whatever he wanted to me.
That the only time I
should open my mouth
is with him in the chapel.
So he assaulted you again?
What do you think?
I told you, this is never gonna go away.
We can keep you out of Rikers.
No, it doesn't matter.
He knows where I live,
where my mama lives with my two girls.
I wasn't resisting arrest
or being disorderly
or whatever they say.
Did they identify themselves,
tell you why they stopped you?
They just said,
"NYPD, empty your pockets now."
He had one joint.
They start yelling, roughing him up.
I pull my cell, start to record.
Three cops come out of nowhere,
grab my phone,
and put me in cuffs.
Did they tell you why
you were under arrest?
No.
They threw me in the car
and tossed my cell phone out the window.
Okay.
Okay, we're gonna look for that phone.
That video might help us.
Right.
He has complete control of me.
My life is over.
He owns my ass.
Charisse, we're gonna protect you.
He's not gonna get away with this.
So a possible illegal search.
Probable.
We're checking security
cams near the arrest.
What about the arresting officers?
It's a big surprise.
They're not returning our calls,
so we're pulling the 61
and the arrest report.
Hey. Lucky break.
Security cam footage from the bodega
on the corner caught the whole thing.
See? They move right in.
Nothing indicates probable cause.
- Am I right?
- It doesn't look good.
Now, when Charisse starts
filming, they go up to her.
They call that resisting arrest,
and they didn't even give
her a chance to resist.
They're not worried that
they're directly in view
of a security camera?
What worries me is this
can't be coincidence.
She and her boyfriend were targeted
as soon as she started cooperating.
Munson's trying to intimidate her.
Yeah, maybe. Maybe.
Find out if there's any
connection between these
- five officers and Munson.
- Or his father-in-law.
So the surveillance video
backs up Charisse's story.
- Man, these guys are bold.
- And they're MIA.
I put a call in to their
captain: radio silence.
Clearly there's no cause to arrest her.
I'd feel better if her
boyfriend wasn't holding.
What do we know about him?
Jay Raymond. He's got a record.
All for misdemeanor
possession, no ties to CPB.
He pleaded not guilty last night.
Which means he's in Rikers,
and he's not safe there,
and neither is Charisse.
Can you get the charges dropped, Barba?
That's a bad move.
I don't want anybody thinking
that we're looking out for her.
- Did she make bail?
- Five grand, no bond.
Which might as well have been 500 grand.
I can get the judge to reduce that.
Her defense attorney
will go along with it.
Hold on. What about these three?
Right, they're in Rikers too.
If Munson thinks that
we're investigating him,
they're gonna be in trouble.
- What are they in for?
- LaTanya Franks.
CeCe Thornhill, Zahara Letts.
They're all in for class A misdemeanors.
Do not talk to them at Rikers.
I'll let their defense attorneys
know that I'll be asking
the judge to reduce their bail as well.
_
People request a reduction in bail?
Actually, we request R.O.R.
You are aware this is
Ms. McCabe's 13th arrest?
Unlucky 13?
There was no probable cause.
My client was a clear
victim of police brutality.
Your Honor, approach.
Please do.
Charisse McCabe is a material witness
in an ongoing sex-trafficking
case against CPB.
All right, Mr. Barba.
Thank you, Your Honor.
LaTanya Franks, you are released
on your own recognizance, pending trial.
I thought the charges
was gonna be dropped.
Mm-mm, I need you to be here
on the date of your trial.
Will you be able to do that?
Yes. I will.
I understand, Your Honor. Thank you.
Thank Mr. Barba.
Can I ask what the case is?
I'm not at liberty to discuss.
I understand. We'll cooperate.
What does that mean?
Don't leave town.
Don't get arrested again.
Talk to the detectives.
That's what this was about?
I'm not testifying against Munson.
You just told me he raped you.
Cost of doing business in Rikers.
That doesn't have to include rape.
Really, Elsa?
When's the last time your
white ass got locked up?
Munson should be behind bars.
We can't do that if you don't testify.
Go against a CO, I'm
a dead woman walking.
We can protect you.
Not in Rikers.
In Rikers, out of Rikers,
he does whatever he
wants wherever he wants.
So help us stop him.
I don't want to get hurt.
Listen to me.
If we put him away,
you won't be.
You think he's the only one?
I have friends on the inside.
His friends will go after them.
It never ends.
Pulling all these girls out of Rikers
was a morning well spent.
We couldn't just leave
them in there, Barba.
I can't keep them out forever.
But we still have Charisse.
No, we don't.
Ken thinks she's AWOL.
_
Hey.
Give me a hug, give me
a hug, give me a hug.
Hey, now, I love you, Chris.
You're gonna be good for Grandma.
Charisse.
Okay. Go to Grandma.
Go, go ahead. Go.
What are you all doing here?
You leave town now, you're
running out on your bail.
I've just got to get out of here.
Then you're gonna lose
your kids forever.
They'd be better off.
Hold on, Charisse. Can we
talk to you for a second?
Oh, like I have a choice.
It's over.
Running away doesn't make it over.
There are still charges against you.
They're lies.
Yeah, you leave, you make 'em stick.
What do you want from me?
Your daughters look
like they're good girls.
They are.
I know that it seems like
I'm just someone else
coming into your life to take control.
No, I don't care about you.
I don't care about me.
I don't care about any of this.
But you do care about your daughters.
You keep saying that your life is over,
that Munson owns you.
I don't want that to be
true for you, Charisse.
Do you want those two little girls
growing up to think there's no chance?
Or do you want them growing up
and seeing their mother fight?
Gary.
Hey, skank.
Who the hell do you think
you are, calling me?
Hey, don't be like that.
I thought maybe we could
do each other a favor, huh?
You want to go for a ride?
No, you know, actually, I...
I thought we'd walk.
You got a problem with that?
Whatever you want.
Okay, then move that ass.
- Where are we going?
- To the river.
What do you care, anyway?
Arrested one day, back
on the street the next.
That golden ass of yours
is like a get-out-of-jail-free card.
It wasn't like that.
The judge R.O.R'd me the
second he heard the charges.
Oh, so you didn't rat out your boyfriend
just so you could get out?
I know things.
I know he's still locked up.
Oh, that's why I called you.
I thought... I thought,
you know, maybe...
I could do you a favor,
you could help him out?
Thought of that all by yourself?
What are you gonna do for me, huh?
He could be on to her.
Maybe this was a mistake.
Look, it's our best shot.
He may just be getting off on the hunt.
Fin, you have her in sight?
That's cool.
The safe word is "home." She knows it.
Why don't we go back to the car, huh?
What's the matter? You don't trust me?
After you.
Get in there.
Let's go. Go.
We don't need to be here.
Why don't you tell me what
you want to talk about?
Cat got your tongue?
They went in through
the downstairs entrance.
I got no video.
All right, we do, but
it's just a brick wall.
- We still have audio.
- You know, Charisse?
I tried to look out
for you on the inside.
I tried to be your friend.
I'm a married man.
He knows she's wired.
Fin, we're en route. Be ready.
You know, you can't be calling me
and asking me to help
with your boyfriend
or your legal problems,
because... well...
you got to learn to stick
up for yourself, Charisse,
and stand on your own two feet.
- Gary?
- No, now, now, now.
Don't... don't be begging me. Don't.
Don't try that.
Don't give me those pillow lips.
Please.
Please, let me go home.
Fin, go now!
Copy.
NYPD. Freeze!
Hands up! Now!
It's okay. I'm on the job.
Not on my job. Turn around.
Do you mind telling me what's going on?
Shut up.
What the hell is this?
I'm a CO. I'm allowed to carry.
You threaten her with that, Munson?
Yes, he had a gun on
me. He tried to rape me.
You're under arrest for attempted rape.
Of this whore? Arrest her.
Trying to bribe an officer.
I only went along to
see how far she'd go.
I told you to shut up.
Hey, Charisse.
So you got a lieutenant
to show up for you?
Hey. Stop talking.
Get him out of here now, Sergeant.
Ah, you know how to work it, girl.
I'll give you that.
You're okay.
You're okay.
Wow, you got a lady
boss bitching you up.
You like a woman on top?
You get one phone call.
Is it gonna be your wife
or your father-in-law?
_
First of all, I'd like to make it clear
my client doesn't have to be here.
As his union rep, it's
against my advice.
You don't want to be here?
That's fine, we can put
him in the holding cell
- right now in the Tombs.
- No, you won't.
There are courtesies on both sides.
So, courteously...
what was your business
with Charisse McCabe?
Look, Charisse came on to me.
She was worried about her boyfriend,
and she wanted to trade sex for a favor,
and I said "No."
And you had to pull her
into an abandoned building
to communicate that?
She was wearing a wire, right?
Why don't you listen to that?
You'll know I did the right thing.
The only thing that
proves is that you knew
that she was wired.
Charisse told us that
while you were saying
all the right things,
you were trying to rape her
at gunpoint.
She's just looking for a
lawsuit against the city.
We see it time and again at Rikers.
My client was trying to give this woman
the benefit of the doubt.
No, I'm looking at attempted rape here.
So what are we talking about, huh?
You want him out of D.O.C.?
He might be willing to resign
if he keeps his pension
and full benefits.
Seriously?
Mr. Munson,
you are facing two counts in Manhattan
of rape and attempted rape.
Not to mention multiple assault charges
for female inmates at Rikers Island.
Rikers?
That's outside your jurisdiction.
If you want to save your
family and your union
the public humiliation of these
charges, this is your chance.
You plead guilty to one
count of attempted rape,
and we won't go after you
for these Rikers assaults.
So this is just a shakedown?
One count?
Gary,
he just admitted he doesn't have a case.
If he did,
he would have not offered that.
You know what they call my brother COs?
New York's boldest.
Other DAs have learned
to think long and hard
before seeking unprovable indictments
against my rank and file.
_
Gary Munson, on one count of rape
in the first degree and
one count of attempted rape
in the second degree, how do you plead?
Not guilty on both, Your Honor.
People on bail?
Remand.
I know that being a CO is one
of the toughest jobs there is,
and most of them carry out their
duties with dignity and respect.
That's why it's essential
to send the message
that New York City will not tolerate
any abuses of power.
Mr. Barba, this is not the time
to score political points.
That being said, Gary Munson is not
one of the good guys.
He is a serial predator
who abuses his position
to assault female inmates.
He has access to DOC databases,
including home addresses.
Mr. Munson is a dedicated civil servant,
17 years CO, no record,
who himself is being victimized
by career criminals
with an Axe to grind.
We request that all charges be dropped.
This is neither the time
nor the place, Mr. Pastrino.
These are serious allegations.
However, given the record
of the defendant and his
ties to the community,
I am denying the people's
request for remand.
Bail is set at $200,000, cash or bond.
I don't think we have
that kind of money.
We look out for our own, Lisa.
You set him up. This is entrapment.
That's not what's happening
here, Mrs. Munson.
My husband is a good man, a good father.
Calling him a rapist?
How dare you?
How dare all of you?
Okay, Charisse... not the
world's most credible witness.
Audio and video are subject
to different interpretations.
Did you get anything from his car?
No, it was hygienic.
He had it detailed the night before.
Yeah, probably why he didn't
want her to get in yesterday.
What about his cell
phone, GPS, his E-ZPass?
Can we put him near her halfway house?
He's smarter than he
looks: he turns off his GPS
to and from work, and
he pays cash at tolls.
So nothing puts him in
Charisse's neighborhood?
No, we may have something.
Now, the red lines are
Gary's possible route
to work from his home.
Now, he should use either the Triborough
or the Whitestone Bridge to
get from the Bronx to Queens.
- But he doesn't?
- No.
We've got him on bridge
cams once a week,
on Fridays, using the Macombs Dam Bridge
to cross into Manhattan.
Okay, nothing on the street cams?
No, like I said, he's smart.
No, he avoids known traffic cams.
Key word: "known."
I called my new friends
at Joint Terrorism
and caught a break.
Charisse's halfway
house is two blocks away
from a Harlem Mosque.
Terrorism, Harlem, mosque.
NYPD doesn't like those
three words together.
License plate readers.
They've had 'em near
hot spots since 2007.
That's right.
Now, we found that every Friday morning
for five Fridays running,
Gary Munson has driven within two blocks
of the Mosque and within 100 yards
of where Charisse said she was raped.
That's not a route. That's a pretzel.
There's not a reason on earth
to detour through
Manhattan from the Bronx
- to get to Rikers.
- Good.
It's circumstantial, but it's a start.
Keep digging.
Okay, here's where you
might be able to help us.
Now, Munson used a condom
with Charisse last week,
but there weren't any in his car, so...
maybe he uses the same brand at home.
That might be enough
to get me a warrant.
I'll see if I can find
a judge who's willing
to go against the CO union.
_
You're not gonna find anything.
Thank you for your
cooperation, Mr. Munson.
Yeah, your daddy gonna be proud of you?
Invading the home of a fellow officer,
railroading one of your own?
We're looking for anything
with the victim's DNA on it.
The suspect's clothing, personal items.
On it, Sergeant.
Again, is there a place,
maybe a neighbor's house,
that you can take your children to?
Now you're worried about us?
Ah...
The search is gonna be
extremely disruptive.
Your kids shouldn't be here.
Please, Mrs. Munson.
Annie, Tommy, let's go
play in the backyard.
Do we have to?
You can use the hose. Make mud pies.
Race you.
We wouldn't be here is we
didn't have good reason.
He didn't do this, and
I'm calling my father.
He's a deputy inspector, and
when he hears about this,
you are all gonna be on traffic detail.
I understand that you're angry,
but what I'm about to say is
gonna make you more angry.
You should get yourself tested for STDs
and for HIV.
Your husband is a...
reckless man.
You can go to hell.
Just get tested.
Could you put the things
back where you found them?
What, are you tearing up my home?
- Harassing me?
- We're just doing our job.
Yeah, are you? Listen to me.
I didn't rape anybody.
I'm either on the road
or on my shift at Rikers.
Just ask my supervisors or my union.
Check my time cards.
Everybody will vouch for me.
Yeah, I bet they will.
You know what, if you need me,
I'm gonna be with my family.
He's right.
You throw a rock at Rikers,
you hit a CO with mixed integrity.
They're punching each
other's time cards,
covering for each other.
Well, punching time cards
for somebody else is one thing.
It's another to facilitate rapes.
That's you, right, Orita?
You're standing outside the chapel,
while Munson takes that girl inside.
What happened inside that chapel?
I don't know what he does in there.
There's no evidence of wrongdoing.
She's manning her post.
Well, what do we think he's
doing with the inmates?
Ministering to their spiritual needs?
You've asked about the video.
You've asked about the time cards.
- Now you're fishing.
- Are we?
So, Orita,
if we go over these time cards
for the past three years,
every single one,
are you saying that we
won't find any violations?
Look, no offense to my union rep,
but I believe this would be a good time
for me to call my lawyer.
Seems like it.
Your cell phone's not
gonna work in here,
so why don't I walk
you out to a hot spot?
My lawyer's on his way.
Listen, that's your right,
but you should know
that once he gets here,
I can't help you.
What do you want, lady?
What I don't want to do is go after you
for time card violations.
Everybody cheats on OT.
- It's allowed.
- Yeah?
Until it gives us leverage.
So I say again, what do you want?
You know that Munson is a rapist.
- Do I?
- Yeah, you do.
'Cause you're his lookout.
See, I know how it works in there.
You do him favors,
he gets his guys to look after you,
no double shifts on holidays,
overtime when you need it.
If you know so much, why do you need me?
Orita, you better start listening to me,
'cause I'm trying to help you out.
Maybe we don't get you
on facilitation of rape,
but those time cards,
theft of service, fraud.
Who's gonna look after your kids
when you're in jail
with all your friends?
So...
I leave early on Sundays.
Uh-huh.
I have a sick mother,
and so does Munson.
Munson has a sick mother too?
No, he leaves...
early every Sunday.
6:00 p.m.
Time card out at midnight.
I'm gonna need more than that.
One of his frequent flyers,
Della Carter,
she's in for something every few months.
She's, like, 40.
She got a baby sister on the outside.
Munson saw her visiting.
Munson wanted her.
Munson got her.
_
Cops?
- Yeah, son.
- Your mama home?
Leanne Carter?
Yeah?
Your sister, Della, at Rikers?
Oh, God, is she dead?
No.
But we need to ask you some questions
about a CO of hers, Gary Munson?
Go inside.
I'm not leaving you.
Xbox, all you want.
Go.
What do you want to know?
He been around lately?
Yeah.
That son of a bitch been around.
Gary Munson came to my
apartment every Sunday night.
He knew my son was
asleep in the next room.
He'd lock the door and force
me to have sex with him.
- Did you ever report it?
- No.
My big sister, Della...
She's doing a nine-month bid
- in Rikers.
- Mm-hmm.
Munson met me when I was visiting.
He said if I did him a favor,
he'd make sure Della
stayed out of trouble.
What did you and Della
take that to mean?
If I went along with what Munson wanted,
Della wouldn't get
stripped searched, binged.
Binged?
Thrown in solitary.
People die in there.
Gary Munson forced me to
perform oral sex on him
once a week in Rikers.
Then once a week when I got out.
The last two times he raped me...
and attempted to rape me.
But you didn't report
any of this to the police
until last week?
No.
He said I was just a...
black crack whore,
and he was a CO...
and nobody would believe me.
He said if I did tell anyone,
that he'd have me arrested,
thrown back in Rikers,
and he'd let the gangs do
whatever they wanted to me.
These attacks, where did they occur?
Mostly in his car.
Sometimes at my boyfriend's apartment,
if Gary knew that he was locked up.
How many female inmates
did Gary Munson escort
into the chapel while
you waited outside?
Six, seven.
Sometimes more.
He had his frequent flyers.
Hmm.
But he'd change it up
anytime someone new came in.
Did he ever tell you what was
going on inside that chapel?
No.
He didn't have to.
But he did make sure
me and himself got OT,
whether we worked the hours or not.
How thoughtful.
Any night in particular?
Sunday nights.
We'd leave at 6:00,
get credit till midnight.
Like clockwork.
Mrs. Munson,
would you say your
husband is a hard worker?
Yes, he is.
Gary only thinks of me and his kids.
I know he couldn't have done this.
He loves me,
and we have a healthy sex life.
The grand jury has heard allegations
that he committed rapes on his way home
on Sunday nights.
That's impossible.
He always calls when
he's about to leave work,
and he's home 20 minutes later.
On a Sunday, what time would that be?
He'd call at 10:00,
home at 10:20.
Was he? That's very interesting.
Here are his time cards
for the past seven
Sundays that he's worked.
He's punched out at midnight.
That... that happens.
They get extra time credit
when they work a double.
A double?
Here's footage...
of one of the CO checkout
points at Rikers,
two weeks ago, Sunday night.
Can you make out that time stamp?
It says 6:05.
Do you recognize that man?
Is it your husband?
Our son may have been sick that day.
Has he been sick a lot?
Before you answer, I'm
gonna show you footage
from the previous six
Sundays that he's worked.
- Thank you for coming.
- What's going on?
My gut is when the grand
jury gets back from lunch,
they'll return a bill of indictment
on multiple counts of rape and sodomy
of both Charisse and Leanne.
Each of their stories
reinforced the other.
Plus the female CO's testimony.
Okay, what about Lisa, the wife?
She honestly believed
that she could alibi him.
Munson didn't even bother to tell her
what she was walking into.
Do you need us to pick up Munson?
He's out on bail,
and he surrendered his SIG and passport.
He'll be informed of the indictment
through his lawyer.
When the indictment does come down,
I'll need you to walk me out of here.
These charges are an
outrage and an insult
to every conscientious
corrections officer
who puts his or her life
on the line every day.
Rather than dealing with
the rampant dysfunction
and gang violence in Rikers,
ADA Barba and City Hall
are leading a witch hunt
based on the implicitly
compromised testimony
of this city's lowest forms of life.
You want a war, Barba? You got it.
We're going to shut this city down!
Hold on, guys. Guys.
There's really no need for this.
Everyone's just trying
to do their jobs, okay?
So how about you step
back and let us through?
You don't know about
the day-to-day reality
on Rikers Island.
It's all about the inmates.
My COs get beat up, jumped.
But you lay a hand on an inmate,
and they write you up.
Good luck to you when you
need a prisoner to testify.
You're looking at a
big problem, Mr. Barba.
You're counting on these guys
to put their life on the line for you.
That ain't gonna happen anymore.
Okay, Mr. Rodriguez.
You've said your piece.
Now, guys, please, let us through.
- Step back.
- And what happens if we don't?
Hey, just take it easy, all right?
Barba, you don't know me
or who I am, but we know
a lot about you, things
people would want to know.
- Is that a threat?
- Threat?
No, a threat would be
right here, right now, I
shove you down these steps
and get your skull cracked open,
bleeding to death.
Right here, in front
of all these people?
Maybe they wouldn't be able to save me,
but they sure as hell would catch you.
So, amiguito, I'll tell you what.
You want to kill a DA,
right here, surrounded by
all these cops and cameras?
Spend the rest of your life in prison?
Here, here's my home address.
You come by any time you want.
Hey. Everything all right?
Not really... someone just
threatened to kill me.
- What?
- Who was it?
Just a face in the crowd.
Tell the squad to watch their backs.
This is just the beginning.
_
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.
Nothing yet?
They're supposed to post
the link any minute, so...
Post what?
Bar results. Today's the day.
Okay, shh. It's up.
All right. Come on.
Come on.
- There it is.
- What?
My ID number. It's...
it's on the pass list.
You passed?
I passed. Oh, my God!
Oh!
Congratulations.
Somebody win the lottery?
Sort of. Carisi passed the bar.
Carisi, congratulations.
Thank you.
Does that mean you're leaving too?
What? No.
What do you mean, "too"?
Dodds is going to Joint Terrorism.
This is his last week.
Last week? He just got here.
Yeah. He's on his own journey.
Uh-huh.
Well, Carisi did it.
We should celebrate.
Yeah, how about I take you all to lunch?
Today I can't.
Come on, Fin. Don't be like that.
No, I got to go meet up with my son.
He says he has some news.
Hope he didn't quit his job.
Hey.
You told 'em?
I did.
Task Force? Really?
SVU, we go after bad
guys and lock 'em up.
Terrorism, you can get yourself killed.
You're leaving?
I thought you were taking
the kids to school.
I was, but they want me in early again.
Got a lot of Centre
Street transfers today.
Can't someone cover?
We need the OT.
You're the one who
wanted to take the kids
to Disney World, right?
Money makes the world
go around, little man.
Hey, Charisse, my
favorite former inmate.
Come on.
I thought we were done with this.
Is that an open container
of alcohol in your hand?
That's a violation.
Please, just leave me alone.
Okay?
How about I pat you down?
Please...
we don't need to do that.
Get in the car.
Now.
Oh, Charisse.
This menu's crazy.
So, Dad, thanks for meeting me.
Thanks for having me, man.
I hope you're not trying to fix
me up or anything again, man.
No, okay, that was a bad idea,
but no.
I actually have some news.
So what, you're leaving
that halfway house?
No, I like my job.
I like social work,
and I'm gonna need the
paycheck, because...
Alejandro and I are starting a family.
What, you're adopting?
Well,
we found a surrogate.
She's three months pregnant.
It's a boy.
So I'm going to be a grandfather?
You okay with that?
I mean, yeah.
Everybody in my squad's having babies,
showing me pictures.
Now I get to show some pictures myself.
And this little guy...
Hey!
This little guy calls me Fin.
None of that "grandpa" stuff, okay?
Okay.
That's what's up. Congratulations.
Excuse me a sec.
Hello?
Slow down, Charisse.
Where... where are
you? Are you all right?
That CO from Rikers, Gary.
He just...
he just raped me.
Okay. Where are you?
Stay there. I'll come get you.
What's going on?
One of my clients says her
former CO just raped her.
I got to go.
No, hold on, hold on.
We got to be careful.
A corrections officer?
Let me call Liv.
_
Until today, Gary just...
would made me go down on him,
but I said I didn't
want to do that anymore.
I was back with my boyfriend.
He got mad.
He hit me.
And then he raped me.
How many times did this happen?
I don't keep count.
At least once a week since I got out.
I'm on his route.
I thought it was bad
enough when I was inside.
Did he assault you in Rikers?
He never hurt me,
but when he'd take me back from a visit,
he'd make a stop in the chapel.
No cameras there.
He knows what he's doing.
He'd say,
"You do me a favor,
I do you one".
Meaning?
Meaning I get to see my kids.
Don't get strip-searched,
thrown into solitary.
Don't get my teeth knocked in.
Did you report this?
In Rikers?
The COs and the gangs run that place.
Every female inmate in there knows that.
Every time he'd do me, he'd say,
"Cry all you want,
"but you're just a broke,
"black crack whore.
Who's gonna believe you?"
I do, Charisse.
Uh-huh.
Um...
I never should have called Ken.
Um...
I was just messed up.
Don't worry.
I know this doesn't go anywhere.
Gary Munson. What do we know about him?
CO at Rikers for 17 years.
Never charged, never disciplined.
Puts in for a lot of
OT. A wife, two kids.
His father-in-law is a deputy
inspector at Queens South.
Now, the second time Gary
fails the police exam,
strings get pulled, he makes D.O.C.
He's got three complaints in his jacket.
Nothing stuck.
Nothing ever sticks at Rikers.
That CO union has more power
than any place I've ever seen.
Putting that aside,
these cases are never easy.
Your complainant has 12 arrests?
Misdemeanors: drugs, prostitution.
My son says she's turning it around.
This guy covers his tracks.
There's no DNA, no witnesses,
vulnerable victims.
Look, we really caught a break
- when Charisse called Ken.
- Did we?
It's still the word of
a corrections officer
versus a black single
mother with a drug problem
and a prison record.
All right, if he's
raping her on the street,
how many is he raping on the inside?
Is there any value in
having DOI look at him?
Don't... Rikers is where
investigations go to die.
Violence, rape, assaults,
hundreds of allegations,
almost no prosecutions.
Are you saying just walk away?
If a CO is having sex with an inmate,
forced or not, that's rape.
It is, but Rikers...
It's like "The Lord of the Flies" there.
If anyone finds out
we're investigating him,
Munson gets tipped off,
and his vics pay.
So we're not investigating him.
We need the guards' help.
We're investigating a trafficking ring
with ties to gang members
who were involved with female inmates.
All right, yeah. Put up a good front.
Pick another dozen
women who have rotated
through Charisse's unit
- with similar records.
- Okay.
Charisse says she was
raped in the chapel.
We should pull the surveillance
video from the hallway outside.
And plus another six cameras.
Hand them a laundry list.
With luck, they won't realize
that Munson's the target.
I'll start the paperwork.
You want to spend your
last week at Rikers?
I'm not coasting out. I'll
put in my time to the end.
What, are you trying to make me miss you
now that you're already gone?
I'm just doing my job.
_
Sex-trafficking victims?
Seriously, that's what
you guys call these women?
I know, we're looking
at low-level hookers.
But a couple of them were underage.
SVU gets called in,
hence, "trafficking."
And the crap keeps
rolling down the hill.
I hear you.
Visitor logs for the
so-called "victims."
Least you don't have to
follow up with the boyfriends.
Audio recordings of phone
calls is no problem.
500 hours of "baby" this, "baby" that.
But you need video too?
We want to know who
these girls interact with
after they see their visitors.
But there's no audio.
I'm not sure how much help it'll be.
If it's on the list, it's on the list.
We just have to check that box.
I'll run it by my warden.
Between the Feds and
DOI investigating...
Look, it's bad enough we
got these animals in here.
We're being killed by friendly fire.
Is there any chance we could
talk to some of these inmates?
COs will know where to find them.
Mo'Nique?
She ain't here.
She is in the infirmary.
They're all working something.
Each one's worse than the next.
I'm sure it can get rough in here.
I've been screamed at, spit on, had
you-don't-even-want-to-know-what
thrown at me.
Guys pull their thing out,
wave it at the female COs.
Anyone making a
complaint, they're lying.
That's not why we're here.
Some of the inmates may
have ties to the CPB gang.
We think they may be facilitating
the pimping of girls on the outside.
Sure.
They'd sell their own
sisters for a score.
Keisha, possession.
Mo'Nique, assault.
Janice, prostitution.
Della, public urination.
A bunch of real ladies.
Lot of rough road.
We're just trying to keep
'em from killing each other.
Now, if you're telling me that they have
baby daddies or exes or brothers in CPB,
I wouldn't be surprised.
You're on visitation detail.
Any inmates, current or
former, that let something slip
about the gangs running
girls in the South Bronx?
Well, anything real, I go
straight to the warden.
I don't look the other way.
Any of these ladies ever asked you to?
What, are you kidding me?
They're working me 24/7.
With the big eyes and the crying
and the begging.
'Cause everybody in here,
they're all innocent, right?
Of course they are.
Thanks.
Mike Dodds.
Chief Dodds is your dad, right?
Yeah.
My father-in-law knows him.
Sure.
Thanks.
The female CO was the lookout.
Yep, and just like Charisse said,
he takes her to the chapel
after visiting hours.
After five minutes, he emerges
with a big grin on his
face, adjusting his junk.
Seconds later, she comes out.
We know what happened.
So, this corresponds with
the dates Charisse gave us?
Yeah, every Saturday,
her mother shows up
with her daughters, and
every Saturday afternoon,
Munson gets his favors.
Ten times, same M.O., over three months.
And it's not just Charisse.
By chance, we found three
other probable victims.
Well, that's not a surprise.
They're all black women, 20s to 30s.
He's... he's got a type.
I'm tracking down their records.
We've got months of these
tapes to go through.
We'll find some more vics.
Well, you can, but Rikers
is out of our jurisdiction.
Charisse was assaulted in Manhattan,
so I'll call Barba and let him know
that we have evidence backing her story.
And we let Charisse know?
It's gonna be tough.
Ken just got a call.
Charisse was arrested tonight.
Charisse.
What did you do?
Just can't get enough
of me, can you, girl?
I will see you tomorrow.
Charisse McCabe? Yeah.
I saw her after roll call this morning.
They should put a revolving
door in for that girl.
Yeah, we heard she just
got picked up last night.
Oh, you heard that?
Yeah, the gang unit looped us in.
She was arrested with her boyfriend.
He was a crew chief for the CPB.
Oh, could be.
I don't know what the charges were,
but I heard that her and her boyfriend
were this trick-rolling team.
Oh, that checks out.
Then we have an outstanding case.
John wakes up in a hotel,
no Rolex, no laptop.
Craigslist hookup, you know?
All he can remember is that
she was pretty and black.
Is that right?
Well, it fits Charisse
and her M.O., so...
We think that now she's back inside,
it might give us some leverage on her.
Yeah, I wouldn't count on it.
Every time that one opens her mouth,
a lie comes out.
No, we got the john waiting.
We put her in a lineup,
get this thing closed out.
She gets ID'd.
She might lead us to other names.
They give you OT for that?
Collars for dollars.
Good for you.
But it's a dead end.
He did this. Gary.
He said that he could do
whatever he wanted to me.
That the only time I
should open my mouth
is with him in the chapel.
So he assaulted you again?
What do you think?
I told you, this is never gonna go away.
We can keep you out of Rikers.
No, it doesn't matter.
He knows where I live,
where my mama lives with my two girls.
I wasn't resisting arrest
or being disorderly
or whatever they say.
Did they identify themselves,
tell you why they stopped you?
They just said,
"NYPD, empty your pockets now."
He had one joint.
They start yelling, roughing him up.
I pull my cell, start to record.
Three cops come out of nowhere,
grab my phone,
and put me in cuffs.
Did they tell you why
you were under arrest?
No.
They threw me in the car
and tossed my cell phone out the window.
Okay.
Okay, we're gonna look for that phone.
That video might help us.
Right.
He has complete control of me.
My life is over.
He owns my ass.
Charisse, we're gonna protect you.
He's not gonna get away with this.
So a possible illegal search.
Probable.
We're checking security
cams near the arrest.
What about the arresting officers?
It's a big surprise.
They're not returning our calls,
so we're pulling the 61
and the arrest report.
Hey. Lucky break.
Security cam footage from the bodega
on the corner caught the whole thing.
See? They move right in.
Nothing indicates probable cause.
- Am I right?
- It doesn't look good.
Now, when Charisse starts
filming, they go up to her.
They call that resisting arrest,
and they didn't even give
her a chance to resist.
They're not worried that
they're directly in view
of a security camera?
What worries me is this
can't be coincidence.
She and her boyfriend were targeted
as soon as she started cooperating.
Munson's trying to intimidate her.
Yeah, maybe. Maybe.
Find out if there's any
connection between these
- five officers and Munson.
- Or his father-in-law.
So the surveillance video
backs up Charisse's story.
- Man, these guys are bold.
- And they're MIA.
I put a call in to their
captain: radio silence.
Clearly there's no cause to arrest her.
I'd feel better if her
boyfriend wasn't holding.
What do we know about him?
Jay Raymond. He's got a record.
All for misdemeanor
possession, no ties to CPB.
He pleaded not guilty last night.
Which means he's in Rikers,
and he's not safe there,
and neither is Charisse.
Can you get the charges dropped, Barba?
That's a bad move.
I don't want anybody thinking
that we're looking out for her.
- Did she make bail?
- Five grand, no bond.
Which might as well have been 500 grand.
I can get the judge to reduce that.
Her defense attorney
will go along with it.
Hold on. What about these three?
Right, they're in Rikers too.
If Munson thinks that
we're investigating him,
they're gonna be in trouble.
- What are they in for?
- LaTanya Franks.
CeCe Thornhill, Zahara Letts.
They're all in for class A misdemeanors.
Do not talk to them at Rikers.
I'll let their defense attorneys
know that I'll be asking
the judge to reduce their bail as well.
_
People request a reduction in bail?
Actually, we request R.O.R.
You are aware this is
Ms. McCabe's 13th arrest?
Unlucky 13?
There was no probable cause.
My client was a clear
victim of police brutality.
Your Honor, approach.
Please do.
Charisse McCabe is a material witness
in an ongoing sex-trafficking
case against CPB.
All right, Mr. Barba.
Thank you, Your Honor.
LaTanya Franks, you are released
on your own recognizance, pending trial.
I thought the charges
was gonna be dropped.
Mm-mm, I need you to be here
on the date of your trial.
Will you be able to do that?
Yes. I will.
I understand, Your Honor. Thank you.
Thank Mr. Barba.
Can I ask what the case is?
I'm not at liberty to discuss.
I understand. We'll cooperate.
What does that mean?
Don't leave town.
Don't get arrested again.
Talk to the detectives.
That's what this was about?
I'm not testifying against Munson.
You just told me he raped you.
Cost of doing business in Rikers.
That doesn't have to include rape.
Really, Elsa?
When's the last time your
white ass got locked up?
Munson should be behind bars.
We can't do that if you don't testify.
Go against a CO, I'm
a dead woman walking.
We can protect you.
Not in Rikers.
In Rikers, out of Rikers,
he does whatever he
wants wherever he wants.
So help us stop him.
I don't want to get hurt.
Listen to me.
If we put him away,
you won't be.
You think he's the only one?
I have friends on the inside.
His friends will go after them.
It never ends.
Pulling all these girls out of Rikers
was a morning well spent.
We couldn't just leave
them in there, Barba.
I can't keep them out forever.
But we still have Charisse.
No, we don't.
Ken thinks she's AWOL.
_
Hey.
Give me a hug, give me
a hug, give me a hug.
Hey, now, I love you, Chris.
You're gonna be good for Grandma.
Charisse.
Okay. Go to Grandma.
Go, go ahead. Go.
What are you all doing here?
You leave town now, you're
running out on your bail.
I've just got to get out of here.
Then you're gonna lose
your kids forever.
They'd be better off.
Hold on, Charisse. Can we
talk to you for a second?
Oh, like I have a choice.
It's over.
Running away doesn't make it over.
There are still charges against you.
They're lies.
Yeah, you leave, you make 'em stick.
What do you want from me?
Your daughters look
like they're good girls.
They are.
I know that it seems like
I'm just someone else
coming into your life to take control.
No, I don't care about you.
I don't care about me.
I don't care about any of this.
But you do care about your daughters.
You keep saying that your life is over,
that Munson owns you.
I don't want that to be
true for you, Charisse.
Do you want those two little girls
growing up to think there's no chance?
Or do you want them growing up
and seeing their mother fight?
Gary.
Hey, skank.
Who the hell do you think
you are, calling me?
Hey, don't be like that.
I thought maybe we could
do each other a favor, huh?
You want to go for a ride?
No, you know, actually, I...
I thought we'd walk.
You got a problem with that?
Whatever you want.
Okay, then move that ass.
- Where are we going?
- To the river.
What do you care, anyway?
Arrested one day, back
on the street the next.
That golden ass of yours
is like a get-out-of-jail-free card.
It wasn't like that.
The judge R.O.R'd me the
second he heard the charges.
Oh, so you didn't rat out your boyfriend
just so you could get out?
I know things.
I know he's still locked up.
Oh, that's why I called you.
I thought... I thought,
you know, maybe...
I could do you a favor,
you could help him out?
Thought of that all by yourself?
What are you gonna do for me, huh?
He could be on to her.
Maybe this was a mistake.
Look, it's our best shot.
He may just be getting off on the hunt.
Fin, you have her in sight?
That's cool.
The safe word is "home." She knows it.
Why don't we go back to the car, huh?
What's the matter? You don't trust me?
After you.
Get in there.
Let's go. Go.
We don't need to be here.
Why don't you tell me what
you want to talk about?
Cat got your tongue?
They went in through
the downstairs entrance.
I got no video.
All right, we do, but
it's just a brick wall.
- We still have audio.
- You know, Charisse?
I tried to look out
for you on the inside.
I tried to be your friend.
I'm a married man.
He knows she's wired.
Fin, we're en route. Be ready.
You know, you can't be calling me
and asking me to help
with your boyfriend
or your legal problems,
because... well...
you got to learn to stick
up for yourself, Charisse,
and stand on your own two feet.
- Gary?
- No, now, now, now.
Don't... don't be begging me. Don't.
Don't try that.
Don't give me those pillow lips.
Please.
Please, let me go home.
Fin, go now!
Copy.
NYPD. Freeze!
Hands up! Now!
It's okay. I'm on the job.
Not on my job. Turn around.
Do you mind telling me what's going on?
Shut up.
What the hell is this?
I'm a CO. I'm allowed to carry.
You threaten her with that, Munson?
Yes, he had a gun on
me. He tried to rape me.
You're under arrest for attempted rape.
Of this whore? Arrest her.
Trying to bribe an officer.
I only went along to
see how far she'd go.
I told you to shut up.
Hey, Charisse.
So you got a lieutenant
to show up for you?
Hey. Stop talking.
Get him out of here now, Sergeant.
Ah, you know how to work it, girl.
I'll give you that.
You're okay.
You're okay.
Wow, you got a lady
boss bitching you up.
You like a woman on top?
You get one phone call.
Is it gonna be your wife
or your father-in-law?
_
First of all, I'd like to make it clear
my client doesn't have to be here.
As his union rep, it's
against my advice.
You don't want to be here?
That's fine, we can put
him in the holding cell
- right now in the Tombs.
- No, you won't.
There are courtesies on both sides.
So, courteously...
what was your business
with Charisse McCabe?
Look, Charisse came on to me.
She was worried about her boyfriend,
and she wanted to trade sex for a favor,
and I said "No."
And you had to pull her
into an abandoned building
to communicate that?
She was wearing a wire, right?
Why don't you listen to that?
You'll know I did the right thing.
The only thing that
proves is that you knew
that she was wired.
Charisse told us that
while you were saying
all the right things,
you were trying to rape her
at gunpoint.
She's just looking for a
lawsuit against the city.
We see it time and again at Rikers.
My client was trying to give this woman
the benefit of the doubt.
No, I'm looking at attempted rape here.
So what are we talking about, huh?
You want him out of D.O.C.?
He might be willing to resign
if he keeps his pension
and full benefits.
Seriously?
Mr. Munson,
you are facing two counts in Manhattan
of rape and attempted rape.
Not to mention multiple assault charges
for female inmates at Rikers Island.
Rikers?
That's outside your jurisdiction.
If you want to save your
family and your union
the public humiliation of these
charges, this is your chance.
You plead guilty to one
count of attempted rape,
and we won't go after you
for these Rikers assaults.
So this is just a shakedown?
One count?
Gary,
he just admitted he doesn't have a case.
If he did,
he would have not offered that.
You know what they call my brother COs?
New York's boldest.
Other DAs have learned
to think long and hard
before seeking unprovable indictments
against my rank and file.
_
Gary Munson, on one count of rape
in the first degree and
one count of attempted rape
in the second degree, how do you plead?
Not guilty on both, Your Honor.
People on bail?
Remand.
I know that being a CO is one
of the toughest jobs there is,
and most of them carry out their
duties with dignity and respect.
That's why it's essential
to send the message
that New York City will not tolerate
any abuses of power.
Mr. Barba, this is not the time
to score political points.
That being said, Gary Munson is not
one of the good guys.
He is a serial predator
who abuses his position
to assault female inmates.
He has access to DOC databases,
including home addresses.
Mr. Munson is a dedicated civil servant,
17 years CO, no record,
who himself is being victimized
by career criminals
with an Axe to grind.
We request that all charges be dropped.
This is neither the time
nor the place, Mr. Pastrino.
These are serious allegations.
However, given the record
of the defendant and his
ties to the community,
I am denying the people's
request for remand.
Bail is set at $200,000, cash or bond.
I don't think we have
that kind of money.
We look out for our own, Lisa.
You set him up. This is entrapment.
That's not what's happening
here, Mrs. Munson.
My husband is a good man, a good father.
Calling him a rapist?
How dare you?
How dare all of you?
Okay, Charisse... not the
world's most credible witness.
Audio and video are subject
to different interpretations.
Did you get anything from his car?
No, it was hygienic.
He had it detailed the night before.
Yeah, probably why he didn't
want her to get in yesterday.
What about his cell
phone, GPS, his E-ZPass?
Can we put him near her halfway house?
He's smarter than he
looks: he turns off his GPS
to and from work, and
he pays cash at tolls.
So nothing puts him in
Charisse's neighborhood?
No, we may have something.
Now, the red lines are
Gary's possible route
to work from his home.
Now, he should use either the Triborough
or the Whitestone Bridge to
get from the Bronx to Queens.
- But he doesn't?
- No.
We've got him on bridge
cams once a week,
on Fridays, using the Macombs Dam Bridge
to cross into Manhattan.
Okay, nothing on the street cams?
No, like I said, he's smart.
No, he avoids known traffic cams.
Key word: "known."
I called my new friends
at Joint Terrorism
and caught a break.
Charisse's halfway
house is two blocks away
from a Harlem Mosque.
Terrorism, Harlem, mosque.
NYPD doesn't like those
three words together.
License plate readers.
They've had 'em near
hot spots since 2007.
That's right.
Now, we found that every Friday morning
for five Fridays running,
Gary Munson has driven within two blocks
of the Mosque and within 100 yards
of where Charisse said she was raped.
That's not a route. That's a pretzel.
There's not a reason on earth
to detour through
Manhattan from the Bronx
- to get to Rikers.
- Good.
It's circumstantial, but it's a start.
Keep digging.
Okay, here's where you
might be able to help us.
Now, Munson used a condom
with Charisse last week,
but there weren't any in his car, so...
maybe he uses the same brand at home.
That might be enough
to get me a warrant.
I'll see if I can find
a judge who's willing
to go against the CO union.
_
You're not gonna find anything.
Thank you for your
cooperation, Mr. Munson.
Yeah, your daddy gonna be proud of you?
Invading the home of a fellow officer,
railroading one of your own?
We're looking for anything
with the victim's DNA on it.
The suspect's clothing, personal items.
On it, Sergeant.
Again, is there a place,
maybe a neighbor's house,
that you can take your children to?
Now you're worried about us?
Ah...
The search is gonna be
extremely disruptive.
Your kids shouldn't be here.
Please, Mrs. Munson.
Annie, Tommy, let's go
play in the backyard.
Do we have to?
You can use the hose. Make mud pies.
Race you.
We wouldn't be here is we
didn't have good reason.
He didn't do this, and
I'm calling my father.
He's a deputy inspector, and
when he hears about this,
you are all gonna be on traffic detail.
I understand that you're angry,
but what I'm about to say is
gonna make you more angry.
You should get yourself tested for STDs
and for HIV.
Your husband is a...
reckless man.
You can go to hell.
Just get tested.
Could you put the things
back where you found them?
What, are you tearing up my home?
- Harassing me?
- We're just doing our job.
Yeah, are you? Listen to me.
I didn't rape anybody.
I'm either on the road
or on my shift at Rikers.
Just ask my supervisors or my union.
Check my time cards.
Everybody will vouch for me.
Yeah, I bet they will.
You know what, if you need me,
I'm gonna be with my family.
He's right.
You throw a rock at Rikers,
you hit a CO with mixed integrity.
They're punching each
other's time cards,
covering for each other.
Well, punching time cards
for somebody else is one thing.
It's another to facilitate rapes.
That's you, right, Orita?
You're standing outside the chapel,
while Munson takes that girl inside.
What happened inside that chapel?
I don't know what he does in there.
There's no evidence of wrongdoing.
She's manning her post.
Well, what do we think he's
doing with the inmates?
Ministering to their spiritual needs?
You've asked about the video.
You've asked about the time cards.
- Now you're fishing.
- Are we?
So, Orita,
if we go over these time cards
for the past three years,
every single one,
are you saying that we
won't find any violations?
Look, no offense to my union rep,
but I believe this would be a good time
for me to call my lawyer.
Seems like it.
Your cell phone's not
gonna work in here,
so why don't I walk
you out to a hot spot?
My lawyer's on his way.
Listen, that's your right,
but you should know
that once he gets here,
I can't help you.
What do you want, lady?
What I don't want to do is go after you
for time card violations.
Everybody cheats on OT.
- It's allowed.
- Yeah?
Until it gives us leverage.
So I say again, what do you want?
You know that Munson is a rapist.
- Do I?
- Yeah, you do.
'Cause you're his lookout.
See, I know how it works in there.
You do him favors,
he gets his guys to look after you,
no double shifts on holidays,
overtime when you need it.
If you know so much, why do you need me?
Orita, you better start listening to me,
'cause I'm trying to help you out.
Maybe we don't get you
on facilitation of rape,
but those time cards,
theft of service, fraud.
Who's gonna look after your kids
when you're in jail
with all your friends?
So...
I leave early on Sundays.
Uh-huh.
I have a sick mother,
and so does Munson.
Munson has a sick mother too?
No, he leaves...
early every Sunday.
6:00 p.m.
Time card out at midnight.
I'm gonna need more than that.
One of his frequent flyers,
Della Carter,
she's in for something every few months.
She's, like, 40.
She got a baby sister on the outside.
Munson saw her visiting.
Munson wanted her.
Munson got her.
_
Cops?
- Yeah, son.
- Your mama home?
Leanne Carter?
Yeah?
Your sister, Della, at Rikers?
Oh, God, is she dead?
No.
But we need to ask you some questions
about a CO of hers, Gary Munson?
Go inside.
I'm not leaving you.
Xbox, all you want.
Go.
What do you want to know?
He been around lately?
Yeah.
That son of a bitch been around.
Gary Munson came to my
apartment every Sunday night.
He knew my son was
asleep in the next room.
He'd lock the door and force
me to have sex with him.
- Did you ever report it?
- No.
My big sister, Della...
She's doing a nine-month bid
- in Rikers.
- Mm-hmm.
Munson met me when I was visiting.
He said if I did him a favor,
he'd make sure Della
stayed out of trouble.
What did you and Della
take that to mean?
If I went along with what Munson wanted,
Della wouldn't get
stripped searched, binged.
Binged?
Thrown in solitary.
People die in there.
Gary Munson forced me to
perform oral sex on him
once a week in Rikers.
Then once a week when I got out.
The last two times he raped me...
and attempted to rape me.
But you didn't report
any of this to the police
until last week?
No.
He said I was just a...
black crack whore,
and he was a CO...
and nobody would believe me.
He said if I did tell anyone,
that he'd have me arrested,
thrown back in Rikers,
and he'd let the gangs do
whatever they wanted to me.
These attacks, where did they occur?
Mostly in his car.
Sometimes at my boyfriend's apartment,
if Gary knew that he was locked up.
How many female inmates
did Gary Munson escort
into the chapel while
you waited outside?
Six, seven.
Sometimes more.
He had his frequent flyers.
Hmm.
But he'd change it up
anytime someone new came in.
Did he ever tell you what was
going on inside that chapel?
No.
He didn't have to.
But he did make sure
me and himself got OT,
whether we worked the hours or not.
How thoughtful.
Any night in particular?
Sunday nights.
We'd leave at 6:00,
get credit till midnight.
Like clockwork.
Mrs. Munson,
would you say your
husband is a hard worker?
Yes, he is.
Gary only thinks of me and his kids.
I know he couldn't have done this.
He loves me,
and we have a healthy sex life.
The grand jury has heard allegations
that he committed rapes on his way home
on Sunday nights.
That's impossible.
He always calls when
he's about to leave work,
and he's home 20 minutes later.
On a Sunday, what time would that be?
He'd call at 10:00,
home at 10:20.
Was he? That's very interesting.
Here are his time cards
for the past seven
Sundays that he's worked.
He's punched out at midnight.
That... that happens.
They get extra time credit
when they work a double.
A double?
Here's footage...
of one of the CO checkout
points at Rikers,
two weeks ago, Sunday night.
Can you make out that time stamp?
It says 6:05.
Do you recognize that man?
Is it your husband?
Our son may have been sick that day.
Has he been sick a lot?
Before you answer, I'm
gonna show you footage
from the previous six
Sundays that he's worked.
- Thank you for coming.
- What's going on?
My gut is when the grand
jury gets back from lunch,
they'll return a bill of indictment
on multiple counts of rape and sodomy
of both Charisse and Leanne.
Each of their stories
reinforced the other.
Plus the female CO's testimony.
Okay, what about Lisa, the wife?
She honestly believed
that she could alibi him.
Munson didn't even bother to tell her
what she was walking into.
Do you need us to pick up Munson?
He's out on bail,
and he surrendered his SIG and passport.
He'll be informed of the indictment
through his lawyer.
When the indictment does come down,
I'll need you to walk me out of here.
These charges are an
outrage and an insult
to every conscientious
corrections officer
who puts his or her life
on the line every day.
Rather than dealing with
the rampant dysfunction
and gang violence in Rikers,
ADA Barba and City Hall
are leading a witch hunt
based on the implicitly
compromised testimony
of this city's lowest forms of life.
You want a war, Barba? You got it.
We're going to shut this city down!
Hold on, guys. Guys.
There's really no need for this.
Everyone's just trying
to do their jobs, okay?
So how about you step
back and let us through?
You don't know about
the day-to-day reality
on Rikers Island.
It's all about the inmates.
My COs get beat up, jumped.
But you lay a hand on an inmate,
and they write you up.
Good luck to you when you
need a prisoner to testify.
You're looking at a
big problem, Mr. Barba.
You're counting on these guys
to put their life on the line for you.
That ain't gonna happen anymore.
Okay, Mr. Rodriguez.
You've said your piece.
Now, guys, please, let us through.
- Step back.
- And what happens if we don't?
Hey, just take it easy, all right?
Barba, you don't know me
or who I am, but we know
a lot about you, things
people would want to know.
- Is that a threat?
- Threat?
No, a threat would be
right here, right now, I
shove you down these steps
and get your skull cracked open,
bleeding to death.
Right here, in front
of all these people?
Maybe they wouldn't be able to save me,
but they sure as hell would catch you.
So, amiguito, I'll tell you what.
You want to kill a DA,
right here, surrounded by
all these cops and cameras?
Spend the rest of your life in prison?
Here, here's my home address.
You come by any time you want.
Hey. Everything all right?
Not really... someone just
threatened to kill me.
- What?
- Who was it?
Just a face in the crowd.
Tell the squad to watch their backs.
This is just the beginning.
_