Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 21, Episode 13 - Redemption in Her Corner - full transcript
Kat steps over the line when she suspects a trainer at her boxing gym is taking advantage of his students.
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.
You grew a beard?
I'm in Iowa,
trying to blend in.
Good luck.
Why are you there?
Election fraud.
We're living
in a dystopian nightmare.
Enough about me.
- How are you?
- Hm.
I heard about Tucker.
You know, it's been rough.
A lot of loss lately.
Time is just...
flying by.
Every day.
I'm back after the primary.
Dinner?
On me?
I'd like that.
Oh, oh, oh, before I go,
happy birthday.
You're early.
I wanted to be the first.
Regards to the squad.
And Noah.
Barba sends his regards.
How's he doing?
He's in Iowa,
tilting at windmills.
Where's Kat?
Oh, I let her out early
so she could warm up
for a boxing match.
We're all going, remember?
Oh, I totally forgot.
Um...
- I-I have an appointment.
- An appointment?
- Let it go, Fin.
- Meet us after.
You know what, I can't.
Noah has a rehearsal,
but wish Kat good luck for me.
She just needs time.
She'll be okay.
Come on, pick it up,
pick it up.
That's right,
hook off the jab.
Dance.
All right, swift feet,
Esperanza.
Esperanza, you better save
some of that for the ring.
I'm taking you down.
Your cop intimidation tactics
are useless.
I'm gonna bury you.
Romeo around?
Yeah, in his office.
You backing out?
Hey, you just be ready
to catch these hands.
All right, all right.
Back to your feet.
Hard pivot.
Romeo, it's Kat.
You got a minute?
Just a sec.
- Hey, Cami.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Hi.
Sorry, the door was locked.
Oh, it was?
Maybe Cami did that.
Pobrecita pulled
her left shoulder.
I had to pop it back in
for her.
Hey.
Focus.
You win tonight,
Golden Gloves are within reach.
Right?
Forgot to tell you
that Val's gonna be
in your corner tonight.
Val?
I was banking on you.
So is Esperanza.
She's 19.
You're a big girl.
You're gonna be fine.
So that's it for my pre-fight
pep talk?
All right, kid, listen,
and I shouldn't even
be telling you this.
Right?
Esperanza's got a weak
left hook.
Okay, so what are we gonna do?
Hit her with a couple
body jabs, right?
Pah!
Pah!
Then we follow it up
with your overhand right.
Pah!
Make it hard for her
to counter.
Boom, boom, boom.
She's done, finito.
Hey, but you didn't get
none of that from me.
Hey, Cami.
How's your shoulder?
Hmm?
Romeo said he had to pop it
back in.
Oh.
It's fine.
So who locked the door,
you or...
Hey, SVU, take a knee.
I'm not some
after-school special, okay?
Quit trying to stir up trouble.
Hey.
Lot of people here.
Kat any good?
She could whip your ass,
Counselor.
Do we know anything
about this opponent?
Hell yeah.
It's my daughter.
Esperanza Morales, huh?
Most knockouts in the gym.
Yeah, total killer.
Kat's a stepping stone.
Our money's on that girl
from Gowanus.
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to this elite
qualifying match.
Fighting
out of the blue corner,
the phenomenon from Lebanon,
the brute from Beirut,
Katriona "I Own Ya" Tamin!
And in the red corner,
with an undefeated record
of six wins and no losses,
the Dyckman Street devil,
Esperanza "No Hope" Morales!
Whoo!
Let's fight.
Box.
Light on your feet,
light on your feet.
You got this, Espe!
Come on, girl!
Yeah, let's go!
Kat looks good.
Everybody looks good
till they get popped
in the mouth.
Come on, Kat.
Let's go!
Come on!
Keep moving.
Keep moving.
All right, gotta be faster
than that, baby!
Come on!
That's it!
Finish her!
That's it!
One.
Two.
Get up, get up!
Three.
Four.
Five.
*LAW AND ORDER*
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
*LAW AND ORDER SVU*
Season 21 Episode 13
Episode Title:
"Redemption in Her Corner"
Kat threw down.
Our girl can fight.
Yeah.
She can drink too, huh?
That's why I drove her home.
Here she is.
Rocky Tamin.
What's up?
- Ooh, nice shiner.
- Uh-huh.
You and Carisi were hitting it
pretty hard last night.
You get home okay?
You had it, rookie,
till you went to the overhand.
Yeah, yeah.
The captain in?
Yeah.
Come on in.
I heard you impressed
the squad.
Till I didn't.
- Ouch.
- Yeah.
Everything all right?
I'm not sure.
When you first got here,
did you start seeing
predators everywhere?
I did.
I know it takes a while
to get your bearings.
What's this about?
Before my fight, I went in
to see the head trainer, Romeo.
His door was locked,
and then Cami,
another fighter, 16,
came rushing out,
and Romeo was tying his sweats.
Okay.
Anything else?
He claimed he popped
her shoulder back in,
but Cami had no idea
about that.
It kept me up all night.
Well, if your gut
is telling you
that something's off,
you gotta trust that.
I already told Kat
nothing happened.
Well, this'll be quick.
So how long have you been
at Romeo's gym?
Two years.
It's my home away from home.
The trainers there are intense.
You can't fake anything.
Trainers like Romeo.
He saved my life.
Made me a fighter.
Before him, I was a screw-up.
Now I'm clean, happy,
get good grades.
I wouldn't be nothing
without him.
Cami, I hear all that,
but I'm worried about you.
Don't be.
Romeo was just popping
my shoulder back in.
I gotta go.
Book club.
Okay.
Well, Cami,
if anything comes up,
please call.
- Abuela.
- Cami.
Speaking Spanish...
Grandma.
Romeo's a good man.
Before him, Cami didn't have
a father in her life.
Now she does.
Tiene un buen corazón.
"Good heart."
How so?
Every time they work
or train late,
he drives her home.
What time does she get home?
He wants her
to be a champion,
so he trains her like one.
She's so tired,
she goes straight to bed.
How's her shoulder?
She injured it.
Did she see a doctor?
No.
She's fine.
She does 100 pushups
every morning.
Okay.
Mrs. Vega, just in case,
would you mind talking to Cami
about Romeo
and about her shoulder?
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
So Romeo's good for this,
right?
Slow down, Kat.
The grandmother
just described grooming,
and the shoulder
was just an excuse.
Maybe,
but there are two scenarios.
One, he's a predator,
and two, he's a trainer
that cares about his girls.
So now you're telling me
not to trust my gut.
No, now we dig deeper.
Who else can we talk to
from the gym?
Romeo's a trainer.
Yeah, he touches me,
but not in a creepy way.
What about Cami?
She ever say anything to you
about him?
They're close.
Romeo plays favorites.
Okay, look,
I know you guys are SVU,
but Romeo is not like that.
He's not a perv.
Well, Kat says
that you're the eyes
and the ears of the gym,
so you ever notice anything...
Yeah, I'll hit you up.
I wanna protect my girls
just as much as you do.
Great.
Your eye looks better.
Yeah, it was a lucky punch.
Not really.
Romeo said when you come around
with that big right,
you drop your guard.
- He told you that?
- Mm-hmm.
He said I could pivot,
hit you with the right.
"No mercy" was his exact words.
But we're still good, right?
Yeah, of course.
I don't empty the dryer,
those viejas will have their
hands all over my clothes,
and I can't have that.
- What was that about?
- I knew it!
He told me to throw
that overhand right,
and he told her
that it was coming.
So he set you up.
It was a message.
To shut up
about whatever happened
between him and Cami.
Follow up.
- Carisi.
- I was in the neighborhood.
My mom made you soup.
Ribollita.
- Oh, um, thank you. I'm-I'm...
- Oh.
- I'm fine.
- Listen.
It's my mother's.
All right?
Take the soup.
While you're here,
fresh eyes?
All right,
thanks a lot.
That's the...
That's the guy
who runs Kat's gym, right?
Romeo Solís.
When I got back into boxing
a year ago,
everyone told me
he was the best.
But?
He may be sexually involved
with an underage boxer.
Great.
So what's his story?
No record.
Box full of awards
and honorary degrees.
Who's the complainant?
Well, she hasn't disclosed
yet.
So what do you have?
I interrupted her and Romeo
behind a locked door.
They weren't working out.
He also set Kat up.
He tipped off her opponent
to Kat's fight plan.
So that's why you got tagged.
Look, I might've lost anyway,
but he was pretty pissed
when I called him out.
Had her do his dirty work.
Mrs. Vega.
Cami.
What can I do for you?
Cami, tell her
what you told me.
You know,
why don't we go someplace
a little more private?
Esperanza grilled me.
That's the only reason
I'm here.
So you get the truth
from me
- and not some jealous lies...
- The truth?
It's actually
none of your business,
but Romeo and I are
in love.
Okay, so it's more
of a relationship.
No, you don't understand.
He's been sleeping with her
for two years.
I get it,
and Cami, you're 16?
I'm old enough to know
what I want.
No you're not.
Show her your texts.
All right. I would like to see
those, and I would like to hear more.
- Detective Rollins?
- Yeah.
Come this way.
We'll clear this up.
That's no love.
That's just rape.
- So now we arrest him?
- Well, no.
Now we get Romeo's side
of the story.
- You good with that?
- Yeah, go.
Also, I'm gonna need a warrant
for their cell phones,
his office...
I got you covered.
- Guys, stop it.
- I don't know who you think
- you are... Disrespecting me when
- Walk away, yo, just walk away.
- My name's on the door.
- Hey, what's going on?
Everybody step away.
- Whoa!
- Hey, that's enough!
All right, everybody,
back up.
Back up.
Get up!
You think you slick?
Let's go!
Hey, step back!
Espe.
Hey, are you there?
Look at me.
Are you with me?
- Let go of me!
- SVU portable to Central.
I need a bus
at Romeo's Boxing Club.
We got a head injury.
Get your hands off me!
- My head!
- Romeo, don't move.
- Just let me at him!
- Espe, come on.
Let me at him!
Maldita perra
sucker punched me, man.
No way some chick
knocks me out.
Why were you two going at it?
It don't matter.
Load of bull anyway.
She say anything about Cami?
Ain't nothing to say.
Cami said you two
are in love.
It's a Mickey Mouse crush, man.
My girls mistake mentorship
for relationship.
It's not a mistake when you
sleep with them and sext 'em.
Yo, she's lying.
And your girl, Kat,
she set me up.
And why would she do that?
My ambulance.
Stop talking.
Esperanza
was protecting Cami.
Okay.
Let her tell it.
Esperanza, you can follow me.
She knows why I did it.
You guys weren't doing
anything.
She confronted him about Cami
and she lost it.
Did she say that Romeo
made an admission?
We didn't get that far,
but I can find out.
Listen, I know
that you're worried about her.
Let us talk to her.
So let's rewind.
You talked to Cami.
Yeah.
Like your captain said,
if Romeo was molesting her,
- I had to know.
- Right.
She's my girl.
Like a sister.
Good.
Good, and what did she say?
First she denied,
but I pushed,
and she spilled it all.
She showed me Romeo's texts.
He's sick.
And she thinks it's love.
She doesn't know it's rape.
She was only 14
the first time they...
We're aware.
I did not know about her
and Romeo.
I mean, he looked out for me
when no one else did.
So Romeo never crossed a line
with you?
No.
He's always treated me
like a daughter.
Mr. Morales.
Hi.
My daughter, Esperanza,
is she okay?
Yeah, she's doing better
than Romeo.
Yeah, but what happened?
They got into an argument,
and Esperanza landed a punch.
Oh.
Well, you know,
she's a good kid.
He probably started it.
Where is she?
My captain's speaking
with her now.
Well, I wanna be in the room.
She's my daughter.
She's not a minor,
Mr. Morales.
Please.
I mean, you know how fast
these things turn.
Could you at least
give her a message
that her dad said to zip it?
You know?
Wait for a lawyer?
Yeah.
Take a seat.
So you went to the gym
to confront Romeo.
Yeah, he was coaching Sasha,
and I told him we need to talk.
I asked him, how could he
be having sex with Cami?
And how did he react?
He said I was crazy,
and that I should mind
my own business.
Sorry.
Esperanza's father's here.
Oh, Kat, we're still talking.
Santos?
He does not need to be here.
He wants you to get a lawyer.
Officer, you have a sec?
Excuse me.
Give me a minute.
Do I need a lawyer?
It's in case Romeo
presses charges.
Charges?
On me?
He's the rapist!
Let's just calm down
for a second, okay?
- Kat.
- I know, I know.
I screwed up.
Yeah, you did.
It's just, her dad's upset,
and I wanna help Espe.
I'm scared for Cami.
And I get that,
but it's hard to be objective
when you're too close
to a victim.
You bond with victims
all the time.
I do, and I've had to learn
to see things with perspective.
My old captain used to warn me.
He said, "If you're too close
to a case,
you're not helping the victim."
Okay.
Speaking of helping
the victims,
when do we arraign Romeo?
He's at the hospital.
They're running some tests.
When he went down,
he hit his head.
He's faking injury
in order to buy time.
I'll pass that on to Carisi.
You're arraigning me in bed.
Why don't you just
pull the plug already?
Don't tempt me, Mr. Solís.
Just lay there.
Let me do the talking.
- Can you scoot back please?
- Thank you.
Everybody cozy?
Good.
On a count of rape two, a plea
of not guilty has been entered.
Have you had time to talk
to your client, Mr. Kluger?
I have, Your Honor.
- People on bail?
- $20,000, Your Honor.
We also request an order
of protection for the defendant
to stay away from the victim
and his gym.
His livelihood involves close
interaction with young girls,
one of whom
he's accused of raping.
Your Honor, Mr. Solís is in
no shape to get back to work,
let alone leave this bed.
His only wish is to regain
his health and clear his name.
That may be so, Mr. Kluger,
but I'm still granting
the T.O.P.
Defendant will surrender
his passport,
and bail is set at $20,000.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- Mm-hmm.
- How was that?
- It was crowded.
- Did he get bail?
- He's not going anywhere, Kat.
- Until this goes to trial.
- Cami still in love?
She is.
She doesn't want to testify.
Well, keep working her.
If I have to, I'll call her
as a hostile witness.
- What's going on?
- I don't know.
Stand back.
Please don't crowd.
Patient's coding.
Call the O.R.
He was fine.
Your friend Esperanza,
does she have a lawyer yet?
You didn't hear this from me,
but she better get one.
So Mr. Solís died
of a brain bleed
minutes after
his bedside arraignment?
Well, I don't think
that there was a cause
and effect.
Subdural hematoma,
common among boxers,
from a head trauma.
Inflicted by one of the teens
he trained with?
Yeah, Esperanza Morales, 19,
his protégé.
She's a champion boxer
and one of the success stories
at his gym.
Had he abused her too?
Well, she hasn't said that.
She was confronting him
about the one victim we know
about so far, Cami Vega.
Well, that's moot.
Your rape case just became
a murder case.
I interviewed Esperanza.
This wasn't premeditated.
It wasn't even intentional.
Intent or not, a man is dead.
You're gonna have to pivot
your investigation.
Murder?
But she's a kid.
She has no priors.
He was a predator.
She...
I feel for her,
but she's a trained boxer.
Unless you can prove
she or someone else
was in imminent danger...
Ms. Morales is facing man two.
Hadid's in a good mood.
Always.
Man two.
How long could Esperanza get?
Up to 15 years.
See ya.
This wasn't supposed to be
my story.
You know, growing up,
I always told myself
that I'll rise above
the narrative they have
for people like us,
but here I am.
All because I assaulted
that mañoso.
Esperanza,
it's no longer assault.
There was a complication
with the injury.
Romeo died this morning.
I didn't mean to...
I know.
But for now, the DA wants
to charge manslaughter.
Did you tell them
it was an accident?
They are aware,
but it may not matter.
So I have to ask you again,
did Romeo ever do anything
to you?
No.
I already told you, never.
Okay.
Is there anyone
that we can call for you
before arraignment?
Your father mentioned
getting you a lawyer.
No. No.
I don't want anything from him.
Okay.
Esperanza,
is there anything
that you remember
that could justify this
as self-defense?
Um...
What about the other girls
who were there?
Maybe they heard
or saw something?
No.
They didn't see anything.
Give us a minute.
She's hiding something.
Clearly.
How many witnesses
were at the scene?
A dozen, at least.
So see if anyone knows
what happened.
If it's self-defense,
they'll drop the charges,
right?
One step at a time, Kat.
Esperanza Morales,
a 19-year-old boxing prodigy,
knocked out her trainer
and mentor Romeo Solís
during an argument last night.
He died at LaGuardia Hospital
this morning
as a result of his injury.
We were a family,
and now we're broken.
I don't know who to believe.
We know you and Esperanza
are close.
Anything you saw
could help her.
You were there.
Can you tell us
how it went down?
It's not gonna bring Romeo
back.
Yeah, but it could prevent
your girl from going away.
You wanna lose her too?
No.
Esperanza came into the gym
all hyped up.
She went to Romeo,
they started arguing...
Could you hear
what they were saying?
Pieces.
Something about
getting too close.
Romeo said Esperanza
was just jealous.
Jealous of who, Cami?
Maybe.
Look, all I know is that Romeo
never crossed a line with me.
Okay.
Esperanza doesn't stir
the pot like that.
She punched Romeo out.
She had a reason.
Girls are gossiping.
Parents are calling.
I don't know what to tell 'em.
What they're saying
about Romeo,
is it true?
The allegations are bad.
Did you hear
what Romeo and Esperanza
were arguing about
before he went down?
I can't take sides.
Is that what
you're gonna tell Esperanza
when she goes to prison
for 15 years?
I was wrapping a girl's hand.
Esperanza and Romeo
were getting into it.
I went over to break it up.
Bad energy.
Getting into it about what?
Romeo got in her ear,
said something
about damaged goods.
Then she slugged him.
Look, you gotta be straight
with me, Val.
Looking back, did you ever see
anything not right
between Romeo and Esperanza?
Trainers play head games
with their boxers all the time.
Whatever he did or didn't do,
it doesn't matter.
No one's ever gonna look at us
without thinking about that.
Men make the mess;
women get stuck cleaning it up.
"Damaged goods?"
"Jealous?"
I mean, it sounds like Romeo
was abusing Esperanza.
Maybe,
but we don't know that,
and she won't admit it.
I don't see
what difference it makes.
If she was protecting Cami,
I mean,
wouldn't a jury
be sympathetic to that?
Emotionally, yeah,
but technically,
you can't just kill someone
because you don't like the way
they're treating someone else.
But if we can prove
he's abusing her?
Well, that changes the case.
You know,
she gets a good lawyer,
she could do a variation
of the battered wife defense.
An abused teen snaps
when she's taunted
by a predator.
She's a boxer.
She'll never admit to it.
She's got her rep to protect.
Or she's scared,
or in denial.
If she and a lawyer
come to me with her admission,
I can convince Hadid
to make a deal.
Good luck.
Bail's set at 10 grand?
She won't be able
to make that.
How about I go over to Rikers
and talk to her?
She's under arrest, Kat.
None of us can talk to her
without a lawyer present.
Hell no.
Mal pensada.
Romeo was like a father...
Father.
I know.
But you have a father, Santos.
Leave him out of this.
He send you?
Nobody sent me.
I'm not even
supposed to be visiting you
without your lawyer.
Then go home.
Go.
You're looking at 15 years.
Girl.
Romeo didn't touch me.
No?
Why did he call you
damaged goods?
People heard that?
So everybody knows.
Knows what, Esperanza?
No, I mean...
They can't.
No, it's...
Espe, it wasn't Romeo.
It was your father, wasn't it?
Santos.
Don't you ever mention
that malparido's name to me
ever again.
Okay, so I didn't
approach her as a cop.
I went to visit her
as a friend.
At Rikers.
After she invoked.
No, Kat.
Her lawyer needs to be there.
She understands that,
Counselor.
Does she?
Because if Esperanza would've
said something probative,
then you would've tanked
this whole case.
Well, good news is she didn't
say anything too probative.
Oh, so it's just
a little probative.
Carisi.
Kat, go on.
It's what she didn't say,
about her father.
She insists Romeo
did not touch her,
but when I mentioned Santos,
she bolted from the room.
So you're inferring
that Esperanza's father
abused her.
So why would she go off
and punch Romeo?
Romeo called her
damaged goods.
If he was taunting her
about her father's abuse,
then that's mitigating,
isn't it?
Hold up, Kat,
she hasn't accused her father.
And we would
need corroboration.
And aside from that,
you should be talking
to her defense attorney,
and not me.
Whatever you do, Kat,
do not go back to Rikers
without a lawyer.
He gets stuck, doesn't he?
That's all men, actually,
but Kat, he's right.
If she doesn't disclose...
How about I take a run
at Santos?
Are you kidding me?
Kat.
I can't trust you right now.
So what, I'm benched?
You can't do anything
without me.
Okay.
Hey.
My daughter's
a very angry person.
When people fail her,
she lashes out.
Has she always been that way?
Uh...
her mother left us
when she was 10.
Esperanza never forgave her.
Girls need their mothers,
tú sabes.
But she had her daddy.
Yeah, except you two
don't seem so tight.
Why's that?
No sé.
I gave her everything.
Ballet, gymnastics.
She wanted to become a boxer.
I bust my ass
so Espe could have the success
I never had.
Still, she pushed me away.
That must burn.
You out here trying to make
a dollar out of 15¢,
and she disrespects you.
Or maybe it was because
you got too close to her.
What?
What is Esperanza saying?
I'm a good father.
I did everything
for my two girls.
Esperanza has a sister?
Had a sister.
Graciela.
She got hooked.
I tried to save her.
Now I've lost both my girls.
Now, excuse me.
My kids need me.
So one daughter
becomes a boxer,
the other's a junkie who OD'd?
You do whatever you can
to get out of a house like his.
Just to be clear,
my client is here
to discuss the events
leading up to the tragedy,
but nothing she says
will prevent her
from claiming self-defense.
And we understand,
and we're here
because we want to help you.
Too late.
Something triggered you.
Was it about your father?
Esperanza.
You have to give the jury
a reason
to understand how we got here.
I'm not gonna talk about him.
I'm a fighter.
I can't look weak.
Telling your story
isn't weak.
And whatever happened to you
doesn't define you.
For now, it's just us.
We can keep it a secret
if you want.
No one ever has to know.
Jesus.
What?
That's what he'd whisper
when he crawled into my bed.
Your father.
Santos...
was a mean drunk
when I was little.
At night,
I'd hear his footsteps, and...
That's how I knew he was coming
for me.
Coming for you?
He'd get under my covers...
move on top of me...
hold me down...
Eventually, I just gave in.
And Romeo knew about this?
First time I met him,
I told him I needed
to protect myself.
Took one look at Santos.
He knew why.
Esperanza,
what did Romeo do
when you confronted him
about Cami?
First, he called me a liar.
And then he said,
"You're just jealous
because I never wanted
your papi's sloppy seconds."
I should've known,
and I should've protected Cami.
Like you should've protected
your sister.
Your father got to her too,
huh?
What do you know
about Graciela?
You talked to her?
Graciela's alive?
As far as I know.
And when was the last time
you saw her?
Two years ago,
panhandling
near the Port Authority.
I gave her everything I had.
Made her promise to call me,
but she never did.
Graciela Morales?
Easy, papi.
I'm clean.
I already pissed twice in a cup
this month.
Actually, we wanted to talk
to you about your sister.
Espe?
I heard she's in trouble.
She is.
We were hoping that you
could help us help her.
How?
She punched her trainer
'cause he was taunting her
about your father.
Did you know anything
about that?
That's why she boxes.
After she got good,
she told him
he had to leave us both alone.
It could help your sister
if you came
and told our ADA that.
Yeah.
Sure, okay.
She's doing good now boxing.
She must have money.
How much she gonna pay me?
So her sister knew
about the abuse,
but she'll only testify
if she gets paid?
- Yeah.
- What about Esperanza?
She won't testify.
She's too ashamed.
And she's still looking
at man two.
Santos abused his daughters
for years.
We should be arresting him.
You're right,
but we're not.
I'm sorry.
Espe's in jail,
and her sister won't help her.
My sisters and I would do
anything for each other.
I still don't get it.
I do.
She didn't say
she wouldn't help.
She said she wanted
to get paid.
To see my own kid,
I gotta sit here
with glass between us?
Breaks my heart.
You're lucky I'm even talking
to you at all.
Your sister called me.
She's nervous about you
running your mouth.
She is?
Or you are?
Nice counter.
Make this about Santos.
You better be nice.
That's all he cares about.
I took two subways and a bus
to get here.
Two hours.
Point proven.
You know,
since your whole gym
turned on you, I mean,
you got no one but me.
I'd rather have no one.
Stubborn as a rat.
You know,
you wanna survive in here,
you gotta toughen up.
Yeah, let go of whatever grudge
you're holding.
Papi, wait.
Sit.
Por favor.
I get it.
You want me to keep
my mouth shut.
But my lawyer says the only way
I don't go down for murder
is by telling people
what you did.
Espe, you...
You must have me confused
with Romeo and your friend.
No.
You were my papi,
and you should've never
touched me like that.
All I did was love you.
Look out for you.
You never looked out for me.
You're only here
because you're scared
people are gonna find out
that you're the worst kind
of papi.
Screwing your daughters.
Cállate, Esperanza.
How could you do that to me?
I was a little kid!
I couldn't help it.
After your mami left,
you were all I had.
It's not my fault.
'Cause it was mine, right?
You said
because I was beautiful,
I was teasing you.
I raised you alone.
I had needs.
You raped me!
Do you hear yourself?
What man will want you
after you say that
on the stand?
How could you say that?
If I hadn't done what I did,
you would've been a victim
your whole life.
You took everything from me.
My childhood,
my little sister,
my career.
I was almost out,
and once I made Golden Gloves,
I was gonna leave you
and all your baggage behind.
I was a fighter,
and I was damn good!
I had a chance, but now
I'm stuck in this hellhole!
You can't change the past,
Espe.
I'm stuck here
because of you!
You took everything from me!
Get out!
Get out!
Get out!
No! No!
Esperanza, you did great.
You got a confession.
Then why do I feel
like I lost?
Trust me, you didn't.
The hard part is over,
and you're still standing.
My client did what you asked.
And I'll do what I promised.
Assault two, two years.
Stay out of trouble,
you'll be out sooner than that.
Okay.
But what about Santos?
Okay, mi amor?
Aquí está.
Okay?
You never blamed me,
and you got over it.
You gotta get Esperanza
to do the same.
Okay.
Santos Morales.
- You're under arrest.
- What?
- Get your hands on the wall.
- What is this?
- Keep 'em up.
- Huh?
My own daughter?
You set me up?
How could you do this?
How could I?
How could you?!
I hope you die in prison!
Tell Officer Tamin
she didn't need to pay me.
I wanna give her
the money back.
Graciela!
Morales.
You got visitors.
Kat?
Graciela?
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
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.
You grew a beard?
I'm in Iowa,
trying to blend in.
Good luck.
Why are you there?
Election fraud.
We're living
in a dystopian nightmare.
Enough about me.
- How are you?
- Hm.
I heard about Tucker.
You know, it's been rough.
A lot of loss lately.
Time is just...
flying by.
Every day.
I'm back after the primary.
Dinner?
On me?
I'd like that.
Oh, oh, oh, before I go,
happy birthday.
You're early.
I wanted to be the first.
Regards to the squad.
And Noah.
Barba sends his regards.
How's he doing?
He's in Iowa,
tilting at windmills.
Where's Kat?
Oh, I let her out early
so she could warm up
for a boxing match.
We're all going, remember?
Oh, I totally forgot.
Um...
- I-I have an appointment.
- An appointment?
- Let it go, Fin.
- Meet us after.
You know what, I can't.
Noah has a rehearsal,
but wish Kat good luck for me.
She just needs time.
She'll be okay.
Come on, pick it up,
pick it up.
That's right,
hook off the jab.
Dance.
All right, swift feet,
Esperanza.
Esperanza, you better save
some of that for the ring.
I'm taking you down.
Your cop intimidation tactics
are useless.
I'm gonna bury you.
Romeo around?
Yeah, in his office.
You backing out?
Hey, you just be ready
to catch these hands.
All right, all right.
Back to your feet.
Hard pivot.
Romeo, it's Kat.
You got a minute?
Just a sec.
- Hey, Cami.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- Hi.
Sorry, the door was locked.
Oh, it was?
Maybe Cami did that.
Pobrecita pulled
her left shoulder.
I had to pop it back in
for her.
Hey.
Focus.
You win tonight,
Golden Gloves are within reach.
Right?
Forgot to tell you
that Val's gonna be
in your corner tonight.
Val?
I was banking on you.
So is Esperanza.
She's 19.
You're a big girl.
You're gonna be fine.
So that's it for my pre-fight
pep talk?
All right, kid, listen,
and I shouldn't even
be telling you this.
Right?
Esperanza's got a weak
left hook.
Okay, so what are we gonna do?
Hit her with a couple
body jabs, right?
Pah!
Pah!
Then we follow it up
with your overhand right.
Pah!
Make it hard for her
to counter.
Boom, boom, boom.
She's done, finito.
Hey, but you didn't get
none of that from me.
Hey, Cami.
How's your shoulder?
Hmm?
Romeo said he had to pop it
back in.
Oh.
It's fine.
So who locked the door,
you or...
Hey, SVU, take a knee.
I'm not some
after-school special, okay?
Quit trying to stir up trouble.
Hey.
Lot of people here.
Kat any good?
She could whip your ass,
Counselor.
Do we know anything
about this opponent?
Hell yeah.
It's my daughter.
Esperanza Morales, huh?
Most knockouts in the gym.
Yeah, total killer.
Kat's a stepping stone.
Our money's on that girl
from Gowanus.
Ladies and gentlemen,
welcome to this elite
qualifying match.
Fighting
out of the blue corner,
the phenomenon from Lebanon,
the brute from Beirut,
Katriona "I Own Ya" Tamin!
And in the red corner,
with an undefeated record
of six wins and no losses,
the Dyckman Street devil,
Esperanza "No Hope" Morales!
Whoo!
Let's fight.
Box.
Light on your feet,
light on your feet.
You got this, Espe!
Come on, girl!
Yeah, let's go!
Kat looks good.
Everybody looks good
till they get popped
in the mouth.
Come on, Kat.
Let's go!
Come on!
Keep moving.
Keep moving.
All right, gotta be faster
than that, baby!
Come on!
That's it!
Finish her!
That's it!
One.
Two.
Get up, get up!
Three.
Four.
Five.
*LAW AND ORDER*
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT
*LAW AND ORDER SVU*
Season 21 Episode 13
Episode Title:
"Redemption in Her Corner"
Kat threw down.
Our girl can fight.
Yeah.
She can drink too, huh?
That's why I drove her home.
Here she is.
Rocky Tamin.
What's up?
- Ooh, nice shiner.
- Uh-huh.
You and Carisi were hitting it
pretty hard last night.
You get home okay?
You had it, rookie,
till you went to the overhand.
Yeah, yeah.
The captain in?
Yeah.
Come on in.
I heard you impressed
the squad.
Till I didn't.
- Ouch.
- Yeah.
Everything all right?
I'm not sure.
When you first got here,
did you start seeing
predators everywhere?
I did.
I know it takes a while
to get your bearings.
What's this about?
Before my fight, I went in
to see the head trainer, Romeo.
His door was locked,
and then Cami,
another fighter, 16,
came rushing out,
and Romeo was tying his sweats.
Okay.
Anything else?
He claimed he popped
her shoulder back in,
but Cami had no idea
about that.
It kept me up all night.
Well, if your gut
is telling you
that something's off,
you gotta trust that.
I already told Kat
nothing happened.
Well, this'll be quick.
So how long have you been
at Romeo's gym?
Two years.
It's my home away from home.
The trainers there are intense.
You can't fake anything.
Trainers like Romeo.
He saved my life.
Made me a fighter.
Before him, I was a screw-up.
Now I'm clean, happy,
get good grades.
I wouldn't be nothing
without him.
Cami, I hear all that,
but I'm worried about you.
Don't be.
Romeo was just popping
my shoulder back in.
I gotta go.
Book club.
Okay.
Well, Cami,
if anything comes up,
please call.
- Abuela.
- Cami.
Speaking Spanish...
Grandma.
Romeo's a good man.
Before him, Cami didn't have
a father in her life.
Now she does.
Tiene un buen corazón.
"Good heart."
How so?
Every time they work
or train late,
he drives her home.
What time does she get home?
He wants her
to be a champion,
so he trains her like one.
She's so tired,
she goes straight to bed.
How's her shoulder?
She injured it.
Did she see a doctor?
No.
She's fine.
She does 100 pushups
every morning.
Okay.
Mrs. Vega, just in case,
would you mind talking to Cami
about Romeo
and about her shoulder?
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
So Romeo's good for this,
right?
Slow down, Kat.
The grandmother
just described grooming,
and the shoulder
was just an excuse.
Maybe,
but there are two scenarios.
One, he's a predator,
and two, he's a trainer
that cares about his girls.
So now you're telling me
not to trust my gut.
No, now we dig deeper.
Who else can we talk to
from the gym?
Romeo's a trainer.
Yeah, he touches me,
but not in a creepy way.
What about Cami?
She ever say anything to you
about him?
They're close.
Romeo plays favorites.
Okay, look,
I know you guys are SVU,
but Romeo is not like that.
He's not a perv.
Well, Kat says
that you're the eyes
and the ears of the gym,
so you ever notice anything...
Yeah, I'll hit you up.
I wanna protect my girls
just as much as you do.
Great.
Your eye looks better.
Yeah, it was a lucky punch.
Not really.
Romeo said when you come around
with that big right,
you drop your guard.
- He told you that?
- Mm-hmm.
He said I could pivot,
hit you with the right.
"No mercy" was his exact words.
But we're still good, right?
Yeah, of course.
I don't empty the dryer,
those viejas will have their
hands all over my clothes,
and I can't have that.
- What was that about?
- I knew it!
He told me to throw
that overhand right,
and he told her
that it was coming.
So he set you up.
It was a message.
To shut up
about whatever happened
between him and Cami.
Follow up.
- Carisi.
- I was in the neighborhood.
My mom made you soup.
Ribollita.
- Oh, um, thank you. I'm-I'm...
- Oh.
- I'm fine.
- Listen.
It's my mother's.
All right?
Take the soup.
While you're here,
fresh eyes?
All right,
thanks a lot.
That's the...
That's the guy
who runs Kat's gym, right?
Romeo Solís.
When I got back into boxing
a year ago,
everyone told me
he was the best.
But?
He may be sexually involved
with an underage boxer.
Great.
So what's his story?
No record.
Box full of awards
and honorary degrees.
Who's the complainant?
Well, she hasn't disclosed
yet.
So what do you have?
I interrupted her and Romeo
behind a locked door.
They weren't working out.
He also set Kat up.
He tipped off her opponent
to Kat's fight plan.
So that's why you got tagged.
Look, I might've lost anyway,
but he was pretty pissed
when I called him out.
Had her do his dirty work.
Mrs. Vega.
Cami.
What can I do for you?
Cami, tell her
what you told me.
You know,
why don't we go someplace
a little more private?
Esperanza grilled me.
That's the only reason
I'm here.
So you get the truth
from me
- and not some jealous lies...
- The truth?
It's actually
none of your business,
but Romeo and I are
in love.
Okay, so it's more
of a relationship.
No, you don't understand.
He's been sleeping with her
for two years.
I get it,
and Cami, you're 16?
I'm old enough to know
what I want.
No you're not.
Show her your texts.
All right. I would like to see
those, and I would like to hear more.
- Detective Rollins?
- Yeah.
Come this way.
We'll clear this up.
That's no love.
That's just rape.
- So now we arrest him?
- Well, no.
Now we get Romeo's side
of the story.
- You good with that?
- Yeah, go.
Also, I'm gonna need a warrant
for their cell phones,
his office...
I got you covered.
- Guys, stop it.
- I don't know who you think
- you are... Disrespecting me when
- Walk away, yo, just walk away.
- My name's on the door.
- Hey, what's going on?
Everybody step away.
- Whoa!
- Hey, that's enough!
All right, everybody,
back up.
Back up.
Get up!
You think you slick?
Let's go!
Hey, step back!
Espe.
Hey, are you there?
Look at me.
Are you with me?
- Let go of me!
- SVU portable to Central.
I need a bus
at Romeo's Boxing Club.
We got a head injury.
Get your hands off me!
- My head!
- Romeo, don't move.
- Just let me at him!
- Espe, come on.
Let me at him!
Maldita perra
sucker punched me, man.
No way some chick
knocks me out.
Why were you two going at it?
It don't matter.
Load of bull anyway.
She say anything about Cami?
Ain't nothing to say.
Cami said you two
are in love.
It's a Mickey Mouse crush, man.
My girls mistake mentorship
for relationship.
It's not a mistake when you
sleep with them and sext 'em.
Yo, she's lying.
And your girl, Kat,
she set me up.
And why would she do that?
My ambulance.
Stop talking.
Esperanza
was protecting Cami.
Okay.
Let her tell it.
Esperanza, you can follow me.
She knows why I did it.
You guys weren't doing
anything.
She confronted him about Cami
and she lost it.
Did she say that Romeo
made an admission?
We didn't get that far,
but I can find out.
Listen, I know
that you're worried about her.
Let us talk to her.
So let's rewind.
You talked to Cami.
Yeah.
Like your captain said,
if Romeo was molesting her,
- I had to know.
- Right.
She's my girl.
Like a sister.
Good.
Good, and what did she say?
First she denied,
but I pushed,
and she spilled it all.
She showed me Romeo's texts.
He's sick.
And she thinks it's love.
She doesn't know it's rape.
She was only 14
the first time they...
We're aware.
I did not know about her
and Romeo.
I mean, he looked out for me
when no one else did.
So Romeo never crossed a line
with you?
No.
He's always treated me
like a daughter.
Mr. Morales.
Hi.
My daughter, Esperanza,
is she okay?
Yeah, she's doing better
than Romeo.
Yeah, but what happened?
They got into an argument,
and Esperanza landed a punch.
Oh.
Well, you know,
she's a good kid.
He probably started it.
Where is she?
My captain's speaking
with her now.
Well, I wanna be in the room.
She's my daughter.
She's not a minor,
Mr. Morales.
Please.
I mean, you know how fast
these things turn.
Could you at least
give her a message
that her dad said to zip it?
You know?
Wait for a lawyer?
Yeah.
Take a seat.
So you went to the gym
to confront Romeo.
Yeah, he was coaching Sasha,
and I told him we need to talk.
I asked him, how could he
be having sex with Cami?
And how did he react?
He said I was crazy,
and that I should mind
my own business.
Sorry.
Esperanza's father's here.
Oh, Kat, we're still talking.
Santos?
He does not need to be here.
He wants you to get a lawyer.
Officer, you have a sec?
Excuse me.
Give me a minute.
Do I need a lawyer?
It's in case Romeo
presses charges.
Charges?
On me?
He's the rapist!
Let's just calm down
for a second, okay?
- Kat.
- I know, I know.
I screwed up.
Yeah, you did.
It's just, her dad's upset,
and I wanna help Espe.
I'm scared for Cami.
And I get that,
but it's hard to be objective
when you're too close
to a victim.
You bond with victims
all the time.
I do, and I've had to learn
to see things with perspective.
My old captain used to warn me.
He said, "If you're too close
to a case,
you're not helping the victim."
Okay.
Speaking of helping
the victims,
when do we arraign Romeo?
He's at the hospital.
They're running some tests.
When he went down,
he hit his head.
He's faking injury
in order to buy time.
I'll pass that on to Carisi.
You're arraigning me in bed.
Why don't you just
pull the plug already?
Don't tempt me, Mr. Solís.
Just lay there.
Let me do the talking.
- Can you scoot back please?
- Thank you.
Everybody cozy?
Good.
On a count of rape two, a plea
of not guilty has been entered.
Have you had time to talk
to your client, Mr. Kluger?
I have, Your Honor.
- People on bail?
- $20,000, Your Honor.
We also request an order
of protection for the defendant
to stay away from the victim
and his gym.
His livelihood involves close
interaction with young girls,
one of whom
he's accused of raping.
Your Honor, Mr. Solís is in
no shape to get back to work,
let alone leave this bed.
His only wish is to regain
his health and clear his name.
That may be so, Mr. Kluger,
but I'm still granting
the T.O.P.
Defendant will surrender
his passport,
and bail is set at $20,000.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- Mm-hmm.
- How was that?
- It was crowded.
- Did he get bail?
- He's not going anywhere, Kat.
- Until this goes to trial.
- Cami still in love?
She is.
She doesn't want to testify.
Well, keep working her.
If I have to, I'll call her
as a hostile witness.
- What's going on?
- I don't know.
Stand back.
Please don't crowd.
Patient's coding.
Call the O.R.
He was fine.
Your friend Esperanza,
does she have a lawyer yet?
You didn't hear this from me,
but she better get one.
So Mr. Solís died
of a brain bleed
minutes after
his bedside arraignment?
Well, I don't think
that there was a cause
and effect.
Subdural hematoma,
common among boxers,
from a head trauma.
Inflicted by one of the teens
he trained with?
Yeah, Esperanza Morales, 19,
his protégé.
She's a champion boxer
and one of the success stories
at his gym.
Had he abused her too?
Well, she hasn't said that.
She was confronting him
about the one victim we know
about so far, Cami Vega.
Well, that's moot.
Your rape case just became
a murder case.
I interviewed Esperanza.
This wasn't premeditated.
It wasn't even intentional.
Intent or not, a man is dead.
You're gonna have to pivot
your investigation.
Murder?
But she's a kid.
She has no priors.
He was a predator.
She...
I feel for her,
but she's a trained boxer.
Unless you can prove
she or someone else
was in imminent danger...
Ms. Morales is facing man two.
Hadid's in a good mood.
Always.
Man two.
How long could Esperanza get?
Up to 15 years.
See ya.
This wasn't supposed to be
my story.
You know, growing up,
I always told myself
that I'll rise above
the narrative they have
for people like us,
but here I am.
All because I assaulted
that mañoso.
Esperanza,
it's no longer assault.
There was a complication
with the injury.
Romeo died this morning.
I didn't mean to...
I know.
But for now, the DA wants
to charge manslaughter.
Did you tell them
it was an accident?
They are aware,
but it may not matter.
So I have to ask you again,
did Romeo ever do anything
to you?
No.
I already told you, never.
Okay.
Is there anyone
that we can call for you
before arraignment?
Your father mentioned
getting you a lawyer.
No. No.
I don't want anything from him.
Okay.
Esperanza,
is there anything
that you remember
that could justify this
as self-defense?
Um...
What about the other girls
who were there?
Maybe they heard
or saw something?
No.
They didn't see anything.
Give us a minute.
She's hiding something.
Clearly.
How many witnesses
were at the scene?
A dozen, at least.
So see if anyone knows
what happened.
If it's self-defense,
they'll drop the charges,
right?
One step at a time, Kat.
Esperanza Morales,
a 19-year-old boxing prodigy,
knocked out her trainer
and mentor Romeo Solís
during an argument last night.
He died at LaGuardia Hospital
this morning
as a result of his injury.
We were a family,
and now we're broken.
I don't know who to believe.
We know you and Esperanza
are close.
Anything you saw
could help her.
You were there.
Can you tell us
how it went down?
It's not gonna bring Romeo
back.
Yeah, but it could prevent
your girl from going away.
You wanna lose her too?
No.
Esperanza came into the gym
all hyped up.
She went to Romeo,
they started arguing...
Could you hear
what they were saying?
Pieces.
Something about
getting too close.
Romeo said Esperanza
was just jealous.
Jealous of who, Cami?
Maybe.
Look, all I know is that Romeo
never crossed a line with me.
Okay.
Esperanza doesn't stir
the pot like that.
She punched Romeo out.
She had a reason.
Girls are gossiping.
Parents are calling.
I don't know what to tell 'em.
What they're saying
about Romeo,
is it true?
The allegations are bad.
Did you hear
what Romeo and Esperanza
were arguing about
before he went down?
I can't take sides.
Is that what
you're gonna tell Esperanza
when she goes to prison
for 15 years?
I was wrapping a girl's hand.
Esperanza and Romeo
were getting into it.
I went over to break it up.
Bad energy.
Getting into it about what?
Romeo got in her ear,
said something
about damaged goods.
Then she slugged him.
Look, you gotta be straight
with me, Val.
Looking back, did you ever see
anything not right
between Romeo and Esperanza?
Trainers play head games
with their boxers all the time.
Whatever he did or didn't do,
it doesn't matter.
No one's ever gonna look at us
without thinking about that.
Men make the mess;
women get stuck cleaning it up.
"Damaged goods?"
"Jealous?"
I mean, it sounds like Romeo
was abusing Esperanza.
Maybe,
but we don't know that,
and she won't admit it.
I don't see
what difference it makes.
If she was protecting Cami,
I mean,
wouldn't a jury
be sympathetic to that?
Emotionally, yeah,
but technically,
you can't just kill someone
because you don't like the way
they're treating someone else.
But if we can prove
he's abusing her?
Well, that changes the case.
You know,
she gets a good lawyer,
she could do a variation
of the battered wife defense.
An abused teen snaps
when she's taunted
by a predator.
She's a boxer.
She'll never admit to it.
She's got her rep to protect.
Or she's scared,
or in denial.
If she and a lawyer
come to me with her admission,
I can convince Hadid
to make a deal.
Good luck.
Bail's set at 10 grand?
She won't be able
to make that.
How about I go over to Rikers
and talk to her?
She's under arrest, Kat.
None of us can talk to her
without a lawyer present.
Hell no.
Mal pensada.
Romeo was like a father...
Father.
I know.
But you have a father, Santos.
Leave him out of this.
He send you?
Nobody sent me.
I'm not even
supposed to be visiting you
without your lawyer.
Then go home.
Go.
You're looking at 15 years.
Girl.
Romeo didn't touch me.
No?
Why did he call you
damaged goods?
People heard that?
So everybody knows.
Knows what, Esperanza?
No, I mean...
They can't.
No, it's...
Espe, it wasn't Romeo.
It was your father, wasn't it?
Santos.
Don't you ever mention
that malparido's name to me
ever again.
Okay, so I didn't
approach her as a cop.
I went to visit her
as a friend.
At Rikers.
After she invoked.
No, Kat.
Her lawyer needs to be there.
She understands that,
Counselor.
Does she?
Because if Esperanza would've
said something probative,
then you would've tanked
this whole case.
Well, good news is she didn't
say anything too probative.
Oh, so it's just
a little probative.
Carisi.
Kat, go on.
It's what she didn't say,
about her father.
She insists Romeo
did not touch her,
but when I mentioned Santos,
she bolted from the room.
So you're inferring
that Esperanza's father
abused her.
So why would she go off
and punch Romeo?
Romeo called her
damaged goods.
If he was taunting her
about her father's abuse,
then that's mitigating,
isn't it?
Hold up, Kat,
she hasn't accused her father.
And we would
need corroboration.
And aside from that,
you should be talking
to her defense attorney,
and not me.
Whatever you do, Kat,
do not go back to Rikers
without a lawyer.
He gets stuck, doesn't he?
That's all men, actually,
but Kat, he's right.
If she doesn't disclose...
How about I take a run
at Santos?
Are you kidding me?
Kat.
I can't trust you right now.
So what, I'm benched?
You can't do anything
without me.
Okay.
Hey.
My daughter's
a very angry person.
When people fail her,
she lashes out.
Has she always been that way?
Uh...
her mother left us
when she was 10.
Esperanza never forgave her.
Girls need their mothers,
tú sabes.
But she had her daddy.
Yeah, except you two
don't seem so tight.
Why's that?
No sé.
I gave her everything.
Ballet, gymnastics.
She wanted to become a boxer.
I bust my ass
so Espe could have the success
I never had.
Still, she pushed me away.
That must burn.
You out here trying to make
a dollar out of 15¢,
and she disrespects you.
Or maybe it was because
you got too close to her.
What?
What is Esperanza saying?
I'm a good father.
I did everything
for my two girls.
Esperanza has a sister?
Had a sister.
Graciela.
She got hooked.
I tried to save her.
Now I've lost both my girls.
Now, excuse me.
My kids need me.
So one daughter
becomes a boxer,
the other's a junkie who OD'd?
You do whatever you can
to get out of a house like his.
Just to be clear,
my client is here
to discuss the events
leading up to the tragedy,
but nothing she says
will prevent her
from claiming self-defense.
And we understand,
and we're here
because we want to help you.
Too late.
Something triggered you.
Was it about your father?
Esperanza.
You have to give the jury
a reason
to understand how we got here.
I'm not gonna talk about him.
I'm a fighter.
I can't look weak.
Telling your story
isn't weak.
And whatever happened to you
doesn't define you.
For now, it's just us.
We can keep it a secret
if you want.
No one ever has to know.
Jesus.
What?
That's what he'd whisper
when he crawled into my bed.
Your father.
Santos...
was a mean drunk
when I was little.
At night,
I'd hear his footsteps, and...
That's how I knew he was coming
for me.
Coming for you?
He'd get under my covers...
move on top of me...
hold me down...
Eventually, I just gave in.
And Romeo knew about this?
First time I met him,
I told him I needed
to protect myself.
Took one look at Santos.
He knew why.
Esperanza,
what did Romeo do
when you confronted him
about Cami?
First, he called me a liar.
And then he said,
"You're just jealous
because I never wanted
your papi's sloppy seconds."
I should've known,
and I should've protected Cami.
Like you should've protected
your sister.
Your father got to her too,
huh?
What do you know
about Graciela?
You talked to her?
Graciela's alive?
As far as I know.
And when was the last time
you saw her?
Two years ago,
panhandling
near the Port Authority.
I gave her everything I had.
Made her promise to call me,
but she never did.
Graciela Morales?
Easy, papi.
I'm clean.
I already pissed twice in a cup
this month.
Actually, we wanted to talk
to you about your sister.
Espe?
I heard she's in trouble.
She is.
We were hoping that you
could help us help her.
How?
She punched her trainer
'cause he was taunting her
about your father.
Did you know anything
about that?
That's why she boxes.
After she got good,
she told him
he had to leave us both alone.
It could help your sister
if you came
and told our ADA that.
Yeah.
Sure, okay.
She's doing good now boxing.
She must have money.
How much she gonna pay me?
So her sister knew
about the abuse,
but she'll only testify
if she gets paid?
- Yeah.
- What about Esperanza?
She won't testify.
She's too ashamed.
And she's still looking
at man two.
Santos abused his daughters
for years.
We should be arresting him.
You're right,
but we're not.
I'm sorry.
Espe's in jail,
and her sister won't help her.
My sisters and I would do
anything for each other.
I still don't get it.
I do.
She didn't say
she wouldn't help.
She said she wanted
to get paid.
To see my own kid,
I gotta sit here
with glass between us?
Breaks my heart.
You're lucky I'm even talking
to you at all.
Your sister called me.
She's nervous about you
running your mouth.
She is?
Or you are?
Nice counter.
Make this about Santos.
You better be nice.
That's all he cares about.
I took two subways and a bus
to get here.
Two hours.
Point proven.
You know,
since your whole gym
turned on you, I mean,
you got no one but me.
I'd rather have no one.
Stubborn as a rat.
You know,
you wanna survive in here,
you gotta toughen up.
Yeah, let go of whatever grudge
you're holding.
Papi, wait.
Sit.
Por favor.
I get it.
You want me to keep
my mouth shut.
But my lawyer says the only way
I don't go down for murder
is by telling people
what you did.
Espe, you...
You must have me confused
with Romeo and your friend.
No.
You were my papi,
and you should've never
touched me like that.
All I did was love you.
Look out for you.
You never looked out for me.
You're only here
because you're scared
people are gonna find out
that you're the worst kind
of papi.
Screwing your daughters.
Cállate, Esperanza.
How could you do that to me?
I was a little kid!
I couldn't help it.
After your mami left,
you were all I had.
It's not my fault.
'Cause it was mine, right?
You said
because I was beautiful,
I was teasing you.
I raised you alone.
I had needs.
You raped me!
Do you hear yourself?
What man will want you
after you say that
on the stand?
How could you say that?
If I hadn't done what I did,
you would've been a victim
your whole life.
You took everything from me.
My childhood,
my little sister,
my career.
I was almost out,
and once I made Golden Gloves,
I was gonna leave you
and all your baggage behind.
I was a fighter,
and I was damn good!
I had a chance, but now
I'm stuck in this hellhole!
You can't change the past,
Espe.
I'm stuck here
because of you!
You took everything from me!
Get out!
Get out!
Get out!
No! No!
Esperanza, you did great.
You got a confession.
Then why do I feel
like I lost?
Trust me, you didn't.
The hard part is over,
and you're still standing.
My client did what you asked.
And I'll do what I promised.
Assault two, two years.
Stay out of trouble,
you'll be out sooner than that.
Okay.
But what about Santos?
Okay, mi amor?
Aquí está.
Okay?
You never blamed me,
and you got over it.
You gotta get Esperanza
to do the same.
Okay.
Santos Morales.
- You're under arrest.
- What?
- Get your hands on the wall.
- What is this?
- Keep 'em up.
- Huh?
My own daughter?
You set me up?
How could you do this?
How could I?
How could you?!
I hope you die in prison!
Tell Officer Tamin
she didn't need to pay me.
I wanna give her
the money back.
Graciela!
Morales.
You got visitors.
Kat?
Graciela?
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Thank you.