Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 21, Episode 5 - At Midnight in Manhattan - full transcript

The detectives are spread thin when three major cases come in at Midnight. Amanda and Carisi argue over an arrest.

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.

[PANTING]

[CAR DOOR SLAMS]

[TIRES SQUEAL]



- [GLASS SHATTERS]
- [EXCLAIMS]

[WHIMPERING]

No!

- Please!
- It's what you wanted.

- Don't do that!
- It's what you asked me to do.

- Remember that.
- Please!

- [YELLING]
- Hmm?

- Dad, stop!
- No!

- Playing with me, girl?
- Dad, you're hurting Mom!

- That's what Mommy wants.
- Stop that!

[GRUNTS] Get out.

[GRUNTS]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

Whore.



♪ ♪

Are you going out?

House party.

- I miss those.
- Not me.

I'll see you guys on Monday.

- All right.
- See ya.

You guys are still here?

Two minutes to midnight and counting.

At vice, we never had
a Friday night this quiet.

Oh.

What?

I know you're new and all,
but we don't say the q-word.

- [PHONE RINGS]
- Mmm.

You jinxed it. That's your call.

[SIGHING] All right.

Special Victims.

[PHONE RINGS]

I got two kids
and a sitter on the meter.

Ooh, I hate when you play
the mama card.

Sergeant Tutuola.

I am playing the mom card, guys.

So you know where to reach me.

[CELL PHONE RINGS]

Captain Benson.

Yeah.

_

So we're looking at a sexual assault?

And beating.

Another Friday night in the projects.

The vic is Joelle Fuller.
Perp's the husband, Leon.

Bounced before we got here.

Their kid, Andre, called 911.

Find Leon.

Felony DV's a mandatory arrest.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Ms. Fuller, I'm Sergeant Tutuola, SVU.

There's no need for you to be here.

Andre shouldn't have called the cops.

I'm fine.

- I'm fine.
- No, she's not.

My mom's bleeding.

We're gonna take care of your mom.

_

Sorry to call your cell, Captain,

but Vanessa Hadid, uh,
we went to Spence together.

She gave me your number.
She said you're terrific.

Okay.

Uh, this is Detective Rollins.

You guys, can you fill us in
on what happened tonight?

Yeah, uh, Chloe called
my husband in a panic.

She'd taken a car service, HailMe,

and the driver assaulted her.

Now this is the guy right here.

Mohammad.

I'd like to speak with Chloe
alone if I could.

Great.

A trans-whatever beat up by a John.

Trans-whatever? Seriously?

Sorry, the vic was found
unconscious here.

Skirt up, cuts and bruises.
Some barfly called it in.

Yeah, did you get a statement?

- How about a name?
- He was gone before I got here.

Lakira.

Officer Kit Kat.

If you're here to arrest me,
you're too late.

Mall cop over there beat you to it.

You cuffed a vic?

I'm taking these cuffs off you.

You're sweet, Kit Kat.

They're gonna load you up.

Radio Mercy E.D.

and let them that we need
a sexual assault nurse

with trans experience.

Lakira, okay if I come with you?

♪ ♪

[SIREN BLARES]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I was getting Andre down..

Leon came over ready to payday party.

- Had he been drinking?
- Some.

I said maybe it was better if he left.

He didn't like that.

He's been in a mood since we separated.

I should've just gave in sooner.

After he got what he wanted,
it was over.

- What he wanted?
- What do you think?

It might be a good idea
for you to get a rape kit,

in case you decide to press charges.

And how long is that business?

A few hours.

Anywhere I can take Andre?

My sister, Aleah,
in the Van Buren Houses.

Andre knows.

♪ ♪
_

The driver, Muhammad, pulled over,

said he had a flat.

Then he opened up the door
to the backseat and jumped in.

He ripped my top,
put his hand up my skirt.

Okay, and how did you react?

Uh, I pushed him off of me. I just ran.

An old couple saw me,
waited while I called my dad.

Oh, God.

My shoes... I left them in the car.

Um, can I get those back?

You know, if we find them,
then they'll be evidence.

Right.

God, sorry, I just sounded
really spoiled, didn't I?

Nope. Not at all.

There's no wrong or right way to react.

Honey, the nurse said
you were all done.

We're taking you home.

Did you pick up the driver yet?

Actually, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper,

um, if I could just get
a few more moments with Chloe,

I'd so appreciate it.

Oh, of... of course.

- Nicole.
- Mm-hmm.

Thank you.

Um, where was I?

You know, tell me...
tell me about the car.

Yeah.

I don't know.

Trapped in the backseat
with him on top of me...

For a second, I thought...
"This is where I die."

I was scared my mom
wasn't gonna get up.

You did good, little man.
You called 911.

My dad is gonna be so mad.

He get mad a lot?

- You guys get along?
- Yeah.

He takes me for rides in the big truck.

- We blast the music.
- You know what?

It looks like you're getting tired.

Come on. I'm getting tired too.

[GRUNTS] You're a big guy.

My friend TJ,

his dad went to jail
because he knocked out his mom.

Is my dad going to jail too?

Come on.

It's gonna be a little while.

[SIGHS] Never get assaulted
on a Friday night.

[CHUCKLES]

So you're SVU now.

Yeah. You're my second case.

- Good for you, Kat.
- Thanks.

Can I call anyone for you?

You back in touch with your family?

[SIGHS] I got a moms,

but my moms don't got a daughter.

So, no.

What happened out there, Lakira?

Just trying to make some money

so I could sleep in a real bed tonight.

Rich dude picks me up.

Middle of a BJ, he goes soft,
so he smacks me.

I say, "Don't take your ED out on me."

He starts hitting me, pulling my skirt,

then he grabs a flashlight...

You recognize him?
You ever seen him before?

Don't waste your time, Kat.

Just let me get fixed up
and get out of here.

[CHUCKLES]

Hey.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

I've seen him around the pier.

Never been with him before.

What did he look like?

[SIGHS] Blue eyes.

Big jaw.

He's got a Dorito-colored car

with doors that open up like wings.

Okay.

A vulture.

_

[SIREN WAILS]

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

- Mohammed Sayeed?
- The light was still yellow.

I need you to step out of your car.

You're under arrest.

For what? I've done nothing wrong.

Attempted rape.

Turn around, put your hands
behind your back.

[CUFFS CLICK]

So your vic is transgender.

- Mm-hmm.
- Um, another hate crime?

I don't think that's what this is.

Lakira's homeless, so she works
at the piers sometimes.

Okay, survival sex work. I get it.

She gave this guy oral, he got rough,

she sassed him, and he snapped.

- How bad?
- Beat her.

Sexually assaulted with a flashlight.

She described the John
as a blue-eyed vulture.

- She's poetic.
- And observant.

She said the guy had a car
with gull-wing doors.

Track it down.

- Already on the traffic cams.
- Good.

Hey, Cap, you got a sec?

If that's for me,
I'll give you a full minute.

So you find, uh, your DV perp?

No known address.
He and Joelle just separated.

TARU's tracking his phone,

and his son thinks he lives in a truck.

- Is she willing to cooperate?
- You know how that goes.

She's backing up, but we can't.

Listen to this.

- 911, what's your emergency?
- Messing with you!

My dad, he's hitting Mommy!

He's on top of her, punching her.

- What's your name?
- Andre.

Dad, stop! You're hurting her!

- Stop it, stop it, stop it!
- [GLASS SHATTERS, YELLING]

Hello, hello? Andre?

Please get the police here!

Mommy... please hurry!
He's gonna kill her!

Dad, don't kill her! Don't kill her!

Don't kill her!

[CLICK, PHONE TONE]

Leon Fuller.

Whoa! Don't shoot!

It's my truck. I work here.

It's not about your truck.

It's about what happened last night.

All right, what's Joelle saying now?

She didn't have to say anything.

The evidence is all over her face.

You're under arrest.

- You can't arrest me in my house.
- Your house?

This is company property, dumbass.

Now come down or I'll have
my people get you out of there.

My friend, ADA Hadid,

said that your captain
would handle Chloe's case?

Yeah, she's my direct boss.
She'll be overseeing.

Now, Chloe, do you recognize
any of those men?

That's him, sweetie.

He looks just like
the photo from your app.

Mr. Cooper, she really needs
to do this on her own.

It's a... um, it's all right.

I can show you...
I can show you another array.

Okay, here we go. Just take your time.

[SIGHS]

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

It's him.

That's Mohammed.

Okay, this is the man who attacked you?

It has to be.

Why haven't you arrested him yet?

We have.

Yeah, CSU is going through
his car right now.

Did he confess?

No, uh, we've got a call into HailMe.

Uh, my husband knows someone
on the HailMe board.

- He could make a few calls...
- Mom.

Please don't.

We can handle this.

She looked like that when I came by.

Stop it, man. We know that's not true.

I'm telling you. Wasn't me.

We have audio,
we have witnesses, we have DNA.

You know what that means?

That means, A,
you're a wife-beating rapist,

or B, you had a bad night.

- Which one is it?
- Neither.

Man, I've seen this
so many times before.

Guy, post-breakup, gets a little drunk,

thinks he can still get it in,
she ain't with it.

[CHUCKLES] Joelle wanted the pipe.

She told you she wanted to have sex?

She said next time I wanted her,

I'd have to force myself on her.

I'm just doing what she wanted.

Bible.

- Great, that's one down.
- Well, yes and no.

So our victim, Joelle,
won't let us test her rape kit.

Now we have the son's 911 audio.

CSU is working the apartment.

Okay, we can do this without her.

At least on the assault,
I'd rather not,

but please tell me the next
case is a ground ball.

Uh, not exactly.

Uh, this is HailMe driver
Mohammed Sayeed.

He's facing Mecca?

He asked me which way was east.

I didn't want to make him pray
in the holding cell.

He's the attempted rape on, uh...

Chloe. Chloe Cooper.

Uh, she picked him out of a six-pack.

Now you should know that Chloe's mother

is one of Ms. Hadid's...

Friends from private school?
Oh, I know.

She texted me from
her sister's wedding in Ravello

at 4:00 in the morning.

So this all happened off
of the West Side Highway?

Did you check his phone GPS?

He refused to give us his passwords.

That's a tell. What's he saying?

He's saying that he didn't do it,

and he wants a lawyer.

Legal aid on a long weekend?
You better pray harder.

Captain, Mr. Carisi, I may have a lead.

I found a parking ticket...

Okay, hold up. Which case?

This is Lakira Baca.
She's the trans woman...

Assaulted at the piers, right.

- Got it, what do you have?
- I found a parking ticket

for a late-model, gull-wing sports car,

10:00 p.m., one block away.

Owner lives in Scarsdale.

Paul Davies, 40, corporate attorney.

More good news.

So what else do you have?

Well, he paid for parking six times

over the last nine weeks at the piers.

That's suspicious,
but it's not probative.

He matches Lakira's description of a

strong-jawed, blue-eyed vulture.

All right,
so bring her in to make an ID.

I already called. She's on her way up.

- Okay.
- [SIGHS]

Captain, this is...

April Andrews,
representing Mohammed Sayeed.

What's my client up against?

Attempted Rape, First Degree
Criminal Sex Abuse.

Da-da-da.
So he didn't complete the rape?

Because she fought him off.

So knock it to a misdemeanor,

I get him on board,
we still get half a weekend.

He forced himself on her in his car.

He's pushing a B felony, Ms. Andrews.

Whatever. May I speak to him?

- Coffee?
- Yeah, like six of them.

- Hold that thought.
- Captain, ADA Carisi?

This is Lakira Baca.

- Hey.
- ADA?

Your shoes say "police."

Take your time.

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]

Him. No doubt.

♪ ♪

You okay?

No.

Your jury looks at him,

looks at me... who they gonna choose?

Even his eyes shine money.

We'll do our best, Ms. Baca.

You know, the first time
I was assaulted, I was 14.

My mom had just kicked me
out of the house.

Know what the cop told me?

"Wipe off your makeup and go home.

You don't belong out here."

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Um, Carisi, I know you're busy, but...

Give me a second, please.

Okay, so good news.

Mohammed gave his... his lawyer
his passcode for his phone.

- Bad news?
- His app shows that

he was gonna pick up
Chloe at 10:48 p.m.

She never showed;
he canceled five minutes later.

He could've cancelled after she got in.

Not how it works, Counselor.

Plus Mr. Sayeed booked another ride

to Crown Heights then Jersey.

Huh, says his app.

You should've taken the misdemeanor.

- You got the wrong guy.
- Until we process his car,

we confirm with HailMe,
he stays in holding.

You ADAs can never admit
you made a mistake, can you?

Clock's ticking.

Chloe's ID, on a scale of one to shaky?

Uh, well, she... she knew
his face from her HailMe app.

So she could've been influenced.

- Oh, you think?
- Chloe was assaulted,

- in that car.
- Yeah, maybe,

or maybe it was another car,

but now I gotta keep
Mr. Sayeed in holding

for a crime that
he probably didn't commit

because if I let him go,
and Ms. Hadid finds out,

- I'm a dead man walking.
- Oh, okay.

You made that bed, you can lie in it.

Excuse me?

What did you think would happen

when you moved over to that place?

Because it... it's all about politics,

which is not your strong suit.

- [PHONE RINGS]
- I'm just doing my job.

- I'm not paying attention to that.
- Are you, because...

'cause it seems like
you're more worried

about your boss
than you are about Chloe.

Actually, what I'm
more worried about is the DV

with a battered wife
who's not cooperating.

I'm worried about the trans girl

who was assaulted by a corporate lawyer

in a case that we're never gonna make.

We're not. Not with that attitude.

And you know what? Everyone is worried.

We're all nervous; we're swamped.

We're drowning because you left.

Oh, okay, so that's what this is about?

That I left?

[CHUCKLES] I had to go.

- It was my shot.
- Oh, come on!

I would be fine if you
were right here beside me!

You said you're my partner.
You walked out on me.

[TENSE MUSIC]

- You said that you were happy for me.
- And you believed me?

How stupid are you?

Hey guys, I'm on the phone
with the Deputy Chief.

So whatever is going on between you...

BOTH: Nothing's going on.

Get over it, now!

♪ ♪

[SIGHS]

I'm just trying to stay afloat here.

- They got me doing ECAB shifts.
- I'm sorry?

- Early Case Assessment Bureau.
- Ah, the Complaint Room.

You catch every case,

that comes in on an eight-hour shift.

You're... you're like
the lone outfielder

- in an extra inning game.
- As of midnight last night,

you have three ticking-clock
felony sex assaults.

- I get it.
- It's triage.

Every case is mine
all the way to arraignment.

Okay, how can I help you?

For starters, the... the DV case.

You've got to make sure that the

vic is going to cooperate with us.

Joelle?

Carisi, I told you,
she's terrified of her husband.

You have the 911 call.

You don't need her to make the case.

Yeah, if I force that kid Andre

to testify against his father.

You want me to let the weight of
this fall on a seven-year-old?

- Okay, I hear you.
- No, you don't.

You want to help me?

Then let Joelle know that
that is my next step.

Make me the bad guy if you have to.

[SIGHS]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Just figure out what is going on

or I'm going to have
to drop-kick this case.

Okay, Counselor.

[KNOCK ON DOOR]

Hey, sorry to interrupt.

I just found out
that Paul Davies is headed

to a country club event today.

I alerted Westchester County PD,

and they're gonna
accompany me on the arrest.

Hold up, Kat. Look, I... I, uh,

I appreciate your drive,

but this isn't Vice or Street Crimes.

We're only gonna get one crack at him.

If you arrest him now, he lawyers up.

It's better to get him on record.

Plus he's a lawyer himself.

Look, I know that you're very busy

and you have a lot on your plate,

but I think it would not be a bad idea

if you went up there with Kat.

- I don't have time for this.
- I don't need a chaperone.

Yes, you do.

♪ ♪

Go.

_

[BAGPIPE MUSIC PLAYS]

♪ ♪

The hell is going on up here?

Don't ask me. Not my tribe.

♪ ♪

Okay, hey, look.
That's him right there.

- Now let me take the lead on this.
- [LAUGHTER]

Paul Davies? Officer Kat Tamin, NYPD.

ADA Carisi.

Oh, you're here about my car?

Your sports car, the one that you...

Actually, yeah, we... we are.

Uh, you got a minute?

Yeah, of course.

Excuse me, fellas.

So you found it?

Oh, it was, uh, it was stolen?

Is that what you're telling me?

- You were in Chelsea last night?
- That's right.

Hockey at the sports center.

I went for a drink after,
came out of the bar,

and car was gone.

So you reported it stolen?

Oh, actually, I assumed it was towed.

Can you, uh, can you tell us
what bar you were at?

Oh, it was some sports bar, Irish name.

I took an Uber home from there.

Counselor, did you find my car or not?

A witness did, actually.

You know her?

[TENSE MUSIC]

Said she knows you.

Yeah, maybe it's somebody,
uh, you met in the bar?

Maybe outside?

No, it's not that kind of bar.

There is no Venn diagram

where someone like that
and I would intersect.

Yeah, says the guy wearing
a skirt and a furry pouch.

♪ ♪

When you find my car, call me.

He stashed it some place and I know it.

I will canvass every
parking garage in New York...

- No, no, no, no, better idea.
- If I have to.

Better idea, You know the piers, right?

- Yeah.
- Work those,

'cause this was not
this guy's first time.

How long does Leon stay in custody?

Until the arraignment,

- but after that...
- Cut to it.

You're here to make her press
charges she doesn't wanna press.

- [OBJECT CLATTERING]
- Andre,

enough already!

Hey, Andre, how's your spiral?

I'll show you, if we get fries again.

This kid's gonna be an attorney.

Aleah, why don't
we give them a little privacy?

You can go. My sister wants me here.

Andre, ask your mom. Let's go.

So, Joelle...

this wasn't the first time the
cops were called about Leon.

If I can just...

make it through the
divorce, it'll all be good.

Not necessarily.

Sometimes it can make it worse,

and I'm worried about
your safety and Andre's.

So is my sister.

That's why you need to back off.

Don't push her.

What do you want me to say? "Me too"?

What is that really gonna do?

Help you, get out of this situation.

Help get your son out.

My son?

My son is a bright boy.
He will be fine.

Do you really want him to
grow up in this kind of home?

How do you know what kind
of home he's growing up in?

[SOFT DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Joelle, I'd like to...

I'd like you to listen to something.

- 911, what's your emergency?
- My dad, he's hitting Mommy!

He's on top of her, punching her.

- What's your name?
- Andre.

Dad, stop! You're hurting her!

Stop it, stop it, stop it!

- [GLASS SHATTERS, YELLING]
- Hello, hello?

- Andre?
- Please get the police here!

Mommy!

Please hurry!

Can you turn that off?
You're upsetting my sister.

- Don't kill her! Mommy!
- [CLICK]

You're okay. You're okay.

- [SOBS]
- It's gonna be okay.

It's gonna be okay.

♪ ♪

Tell me what I have to do.

- Hey.
- Hey.

How'd it go uptown?

Joelle came around.
She'll... she'll testify.

That's great.
It means I can finally take 20.

- Yeah.
- If Rollins can keep it down.

All right, well, I got
something on Chloe's case.

The... the bar where
she had drinks last night

finally gave me video cam surveillance.

This here is Chloe
getting into a black car.

- Not Mohammad's?
- Not a HailMe.

Oh, Jesus.

Uh, the license plate, look, is bent,

probably to avoid traffic cams.

But, uh, TARU dug out a number.

It's registered to an owner in Queens.

- I'm gonna head out there now.
- Yeah, not by yourself.

Go get Fin before he falls asleep.

Hey, you seen Kat?

Uh, no.

[POP MUSIC PLAYING]

Ooh, that's the dude with the sexy car.

Oh, Westchester? He's psycho.

What's his MO? What does he like?

He pays you to go down on him.

When he can't get it up,
he starts beating on you,

and then he's good to go.

He does stuff to all us girls.
I hate him.

You ever see him with Lakira?

Yeah, last night,
I saw her get in his car.

She was wearing her cute
white boots, Dolls Kill.

I ain't seen her since.

She okay?

♪ ♪

_

Chloe's heels.

So he's our guy... or not.

The registered owner is 63.

Chloe says she remembers that
the... the driver was in his 20s.

She also IDed the wrong guy.

You... you think
she may have cried rape

- just to get her shoes back?
- Something's off.

Hello, can I help you with something?

Please come into my home.

I'm sorry about all the boxes.
My home is in foreclosure.

I lived here 30 years.

I have less than a week to pack up.

It's all right, Mr. Patel.
We're actually here about your car.

- Is that it out front?
- Yes.

I know I should have a permit,

but I only drive to the airports,

and I'm very safe.

Safe driver as I was in my yellow cab,

only minus the medallion.

We're not TLC, we're Special Victims.

Were you driving your car last night?

No, sir. What is this about?

We're investigating an assault,

and a young girl got into that car...

And you think I... no.

I-I would never.

[CLATTERING]

- Who's back there?
- My son Sanjay.

- He's helping me pack up.
- Call him in here, please.

Sanjay? [SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE]

[DOOR OPENS]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Stop, Sanjay!

NYPD!

Sanjay, please stop!

Get... get down!

Get down now!

Don't hurt him. He's my son.

Where were you last night?

Sanjay, what did you do?

Stay down. Don't move.

I did it for you, Dad.

♪ ♪

My dad borrowed over a million dollars

for his taxi medallion.

He wanted to pass it on to me.

Then after Uber, everything
he worked for was gone.

I know, Sanjay. He's not the only one.

Two of his friends committed suicide.

No one cares. I had to do something.

So you assault somebody?

Help me understand
what you were thinking.

That... that girl didn't even check.

She just got in.

With these apps,

no one knows who
they're getting in a car with.

I only did it to scare her
and everyone from using them.

I didn't hurt her. I swear.

Okay, now we have one down.

- I still need Chloe to ID.
- [BENSON SIGHS]

I was afraid you were gonna say that.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC] _

♪ ♪

It's him. Number two.

- You're positive?
- Yes.

Please say I'm right this time.

He confessed and we found
your shoes in his car.

- Um, Officer Taylor?
- Of course.

For what it's worth,

Sanjay felt bad about what he did.

Yeah, well, I feel bad
for keeping Mohammad

in holding for 24 hours.

It's better than the Tombs.

[BUZZING, CLICK]

Morning. Coming for me?

No chance. Muhammad, step up, please?

- You're free to go.
- What... what happened?

Detective Rollins kept investigating.

She found the man who did this.

Honey, let's just get her out of here.

How long are we gonna
stand around here?

- You're Mohammad.
- Who are you?

I'm sorry. I'm... I'm so, so sorry.

♪ ♪

Chloe, let's go.

Detective, you'll thank
your captain and Ms. Hadid?

She already knows.

So I gotta prep these arraignments.

Hey.

Are we good?

You tell me.

Mr. Davies and his attorney
are here in the waiting room.

I'll tell Kat.

[SIGHS]

[DOOR OPENS]

Kat, your perp is here.

Sarge, if it's all right
with you, I'm clocking out.

No, Captain says we're
all in until arraignment.

Great. I'll call my sitter.

How'd you get your guy
to come in on a Sunday?

I offered to pick him up at services

at Scarsdale Presbyterian myself.

Church. You get any sleep?

- Yeah, a solid 20.
- It's all you need.

Me, I can close my eyes at a red light

and nap until it's green.

When I was younger, I hated naps.

Never wanted to miss anything.

My dad would put me in the stroller

and tell me that
we're going for ice cream,

and by the end of the block, I was out.

[CHUCKLES]

Captain, you seen my perp?

Uh, Carisi and I are taking this.

But it's my case.

Yeah, you got him in, Kat.
We're gonna take it home.

You're gonna get your chance.
Don't worry about it.

Seriously?

That rude detective of yours
already brought this person up.

These are obviously false accusations.

Well, this victim was
assaulted Friday night,

and she IDed you.

She's clearly looking for a payday.

Oh, so you do know her.

Hold up. He didn't say that.

Look, it's a freak show down there.
I gawk.

- Now maybe I noticed her.
- Mr. Davies was playing hockey.

He parked in the area.
His car was stolen.

So when we do find your car,
you're telling us

that Lakira's DNA is not
gonna be all over it?

Maybe she stole the car.

I didn't touch this... person.

How about her? Nikkita.

She claims you assaulted her
a month ago.

I think we're done here.

Oh, we're just getting
started, Ms. Turner.

Here's Angel.

She says that she knows other girls

that your client assaulted.

He has a proclivity, a clear pattern.

Or they colluded.

Did anybody file a complaint
at the time?

Exactly.

My client is going home
to see his family.

Try again.

Mr. Davies, you're under arrest

for aggravated sexual abuse, assault,

and patronizing a prostitute.

Ms. Turner,
you might want to explain to

your client what's
going to happen next.

Yes!

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

How you doing, Lakira?

I look in the mirror, it hurts.

Give it some time.
You'll be pretty as ever.

I wish I had me a little hideaway.

Let me help.

I could put you in touch
with some people,

get you off the street.

I could hole up there for a while,

just me and my friends.

Listen, Lakira, we arrested him.

But I'm gonna need you to come
back down to the courthouse

to speak to the ADA.

I don't know.

Every day I tell myself,

"You're a beautiful human, Lakira."

Even though your family
says it ain't so.

Even though people stare at you
like you're some kind of puzzle

they don't want to put together.

And now you want me to stand in
front of a bunch of strangers,

and talk about being raped
with a goddamn flashlight?

I get it, but it won't
just be strangers.

I'll be there.

♪ ♪

Look, you decide what you can do, okay?

Just know that I think you're one of

the strongest people I've ever known.

♪ ♪

Okay.

But I'm doing it for you.

I'm not expecting no fairy tale ending.

Mm-hmm.

♪ ♪

All right, I arraign in two hours.

- Where are we?
- Mr. Davies is in holding.

Kat talked to Lakira.
She said she'll testify.

Okay, what about his other victims?

I think Lakira is our best bet.

Okay, fine, um,

where...
where are we with Joelle Fuller?

I spoke to Joelle. She's on board.

All right, what... what else?

I got the... the HailMe case.

Got Sanjay's confession and Chloe's ID.

Okay, three up, three down.

What am I missing here?

Carisi, you are good. You got this.

From your mouth to God's ears.

Mind if I walk the Counselor out?

So, Fin, how was your weekend?

Really?

- Can I take off?
- Take me with you.

Excuse me, Captain. Aleah Brown's here.

Joelle's sister.

Send her in.

Aleah, is everything okay?

Just came to tell you Joelle's done

- pressing charges and everything.
- Hold on,

what... what changed?

She got her head on straight.

They're not legally divorced,

so the child support
he's been doling out

isn't court-ordered.

- If Leon goes away...
- So does her cash flow.

- There are ways around that.
- Don't even, okay?

Joelle's out. Don't call.

Don't come knocking. Just drop it.

[SIGHS]

I'll go get Carisi.

Wait, now. Hold up.

Let me talk to Leon first.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[BUZZING]

Let me guess.
You're here for the white boy?

It's about time.

Sit down, Gilligan.

Leon, I think you're ready for a smoke.

♪ ♪

_

Your Honor, Mr. Patel has confessed.

He was also IDed in a lineup.

- How do you plead?
- Not guilty, Your Honor.

Although we are discussing

a plea of forcible touching
with the DA.

Not the time or place. People on bail?

- We request 100,000.
- Don't overreach, Mr. Carisi.

50,000.

Next case.

People vs. Leon Fuller.

It's me again, Your Honor.

So we both drew
the short straw this weekend.

Counselor.

Hey, are we good?
Joelle hasn't called me back.

- Is there a problem?
- Don't ask.

Let's just say I'm behind on paperwork.

I talked to Leon.

He said he'll plead to the assault

- if you drop the rape charge.
- What, why?

Don't ask that either.

Counselor? You.

Apologies, Judge McNamara.

So on the charges of rape in the second

and assault two, how do you plead?

Mr. Fuller is willing to plead guilty

to the aforementioned assault charge,

pending a motion to dismiss the rape.

The People are, um, open to the deal,

but given the violent nature
of his assault,

we request bail at 50,000.

Granted.

Next case.

People vs. Paul Davies.

You bowling for a turkey, Counselor?

Three for three, Your Honor.

Uh, I don't think so, Your Honor.

At this time, defense
is planning to file a motion

- to immediately dismiss all charges.
- On what grounds?

I have here a sworn affidavit

from the complaining witness,
Lakira Baca,

asserting she fabricated the accusation

and is withdrawing her complaint.

This... this is the first
that I'm hearing about this.

Your Honor, she could've been coerced,

threatened, or forced to sign...

I understand
the definition of "coerced."

The defendant is released R.O.R.

pending the motion to dismiss.

Give me a chance to talk
to the detective.

I'll find out what happened.

Take the two out of three, Counselor.

It's been a long weekend.

Court will adjourn
for a ten minute recess.

What the hell?

I don't get it.

Welcome to SVU.

My guess?

While you were looking after her case,

she was looking after herself.

♪ ♪

You locked him up?

I am dependent on Leon. He supports us.

How am I supposed to get by?

You're going to find your way, Joelle.

[SCOFFS]

You know, my experience is that...

is that women are stronger than men.

I'm stronger than him?

Then you should've minded
your own business.

You know, this wasn't just
about protecting you, Joelle.

[SOMBER MUSIC]

If Leon came back...

you could be in a grave,

Leon would be in a cell...

and that little boy...

♪ ♪

Andre would be alone.

Mom!

Mom, come on!

♪ ♪

Mama's coming.

♪ ♪

- [LAUGHS]
- Awesome!

[INDISTINCT CHATTER AND LAUGHTER]

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Bye, girls.

Thanks for the heads-up, Lakira.

Somebody helping you out?

An angel with wings.

I thought he was a vulture.

You know what my moms used to say?

No. Why don't you tell me?

She said there's two types
of people in this world...

the ones that turn gold into garbage

and the ones that turn
garbage into gold.

Is that what you think you did?

She's pretty, isn't she?

I got it for my moms.

I got rent money for her too.

Maybe she'll finally
let me move back home.

♪ ♪

Turning vultures into angels, Kit Kat.

You know me.

♪ ♪