Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 22, Episode 8 - The Only Way Out is Through - full transcript
In the criminal justice
system,
sexually based offenses
are considered
especially heinous.
In New York City,
the dedicated detectives
who investigate
these vicious felonies
are members of an elite squad
known as
the Special Victims Unit.
These are their stories.
*LAW AND ORDER
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT*
[dramatic music]
One, two...
[tense music]
Three...
four...
Five.
[breathing shakily]
Imani, is he gone?
Yeah.
Are you okay?
Aneeka?
♪
- So he walked you home?
- No... I mean yes.
Jimmy Gunn walked me home.
He kissed me good night.
And that's when you
invited him inside.
No, he asked
to use my bathroom,
- so...
- So you let him inside.
To use my bathroom.
When he came out,
he threw me on the floor.
Nora, you had a nice date
with my client,
kissed him.
You invited him in.
Then he got passionate
with you.
No, he raped me.
♪
- Lily...
- Wait, oh..
- Wait, slow down.
- So hot.
- Wait, I really want...
- I know what you want.
Lily, Lily, slow down.
Okay, this was last night?
And he did what?
Can you come in?
No, I get it.
I'll come there.
20 minutes.
- A friend had a bad night?
- My cousin, actually.
We're not close.
Her family moved
to Manhattan when we were kids.
- She's more of an uptown girl.
- But she knows you're SVU.
- Uh-huh.
- Go.
- I'll tell the captain.
- Thanks.
Aneeka and Imani Clark.
Is Captain Cragen
or Detective Munch still here?
- Okay, hold on.
- Sergeant.
Cap, remember a case
about 20 years ago...
Aneeka and Imani Coleman?
- Oh, I do.
- It was horrible.
The sisters,
they were kidnapped at gunpoint
and one was raped,
and the other one
was forced to watch.
Munch and I interviewed
the mother.
I remember because it was
right after my mother died.
Yeah, I remember.
Well, Aneeka and Imani
just walked in here,
- asking to talk to a detective.
- Why?
Well, their mother
died recently... COVID.
- Oh.
- And it brought some stuff up.
And I'm supposed to be
meeting with Carisi
about Jimmy Gunn's
parole hearing.
- Want me to push this off?
- No, I'll talk to the sisters.
Jimmy Gunn
is up for parole already?
- He raped four women.
- Mm.
It'd be great if they could
show up to the hearing.
That's not gonna happen.
Only one... Nora Anderson...
is even willing
to speak with us,
but I put the sisters
in interview.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
You know, I want
to go through their file.
Tell them I just need
a few minutes, okay?
[dramatic music]
♪
*LAW AND ORDER SVU*
Season 22 Episode 08
Episode Title:
"The Only Way Out Is Through"
Aired on:
February 25, 2021
Yes, yes,
tell him I'm on my way.
- Liv, everything okay?
- No.
That was Noah's school.
Somebody in his pod
tested positive for COVID,
- and Noah's running a fever.
- Oh, no.
Can you please talk
to Imani and Aneeka?
- The file is on my desk.
- Yeah, your old case.
Fin told me.
I got this.
- Thank you.
- Of course.
- Go take care of Noah.
- Okay.
How's your mother doing?
She was always
my favorite aunt.
Oh, until you moved?
She's okay...
I mean, as far
as I can tell from Zoom.
Right, it must be tough.
I know you've always
been so close.
Yeah.
So this guy, was he a friend?
More like a first date
from hell.
Xavier Garcia,
you've heard of him, right?
The social app billionaire?
Yeah.
How did you meet him?
It sounds
a little stalkerish.
I drunk DM'd him one night.
I didn't expect him to reply.
He has 10 million followers.
So when he asked me
to come over,
of course I said yes.
Okay, what happened?
He ordered in fancy sushi.
We had some wine.
Then he was all over me.
I told him to slow down,
and he actually backed off.
- Okay, so he listened to you?
- Until he didn't.
We were making out,
and suddenly he was inside me.
I'm like, "I just told you
to slow down."
- Did you want to have sex?
- It all happened so fast.
By the time my brain
caught up with my body,
I-I told him to stop.
He didn't.
He just pinned me
against a wall
until he was finished.
- Am I wasting your time?
- No.
Lily, you can withdraw consent
at any time.
If you changed your mind
and he kept going,
that's rape.
Aneeka, Imani,
thank you for waiting.
I am Detective Rollins.
The captain has
a family emergency,
but she wanted me to tell you
that she remembers your mother,
- and she's so sad for your loss.
- Thank you.
It was a shock.
She was only in the ICU
for a week.
We couldn't even
say good-bye.
I am so sorry.
How can I help you?
We were going
through her storage locker,
and we came across this box.
Articles about Darryl Clark.
Okay, that can bring up
a lot of feelings.
Only one... anger.
The articles say that Clark
was convicted on six rapes,
none in Harlem,
but our mother said
that he went to jail
for what he did to me.
Okay, well,
he did take a deal.
- He got 35 years.
- But not for raping me?
Is that possible?
No, you're right.
He never confessed
to assaulting you.
The deal he made
specifically stated
he couldn't be prosecuted
for your assault.
So those three hours
he tormented us...
A gun in our faces,
frozen on the ground...
- Just don't count?
- How did that happen?
The only way the DA
could make the case
was to take it to trial,
and I think your mother
didn't want
to put you through that.
I didn't agree.
I was only 11,
but I wanted justice.
- I know I would have faced him.
- She would've for sure.
Show her your diary.
I wrote this a week
after the rape.
I wanted him to know
how I felt then,
and I want him to know now.
Isn't there anything?
There may be.
Let me call my captain.
Last time I saw Nora
was at Jimmy Gunn's sentence.
She's not happy
he's up for parole.
- Neither am I.
- I'm looking at Jimmy's file.
The way he manipulated
his vics,
what he did to 'em in trial,
this guy got too good a deal.
He's not getting out, is he?
Well, it looks like
he spent the past seven years
checking off
all the good inmate boxes.
College degree,
he goes to church, NA.
- NA?
- He's not a drug addict.
Not until he got to prison,
and then he realized,
oh, I get points
for going to meetings.
[knocks]
Detective Tutuola.
So you know
just 'cause I'm here
doesn't mean I'm doing this.
Understood,
and thank you for coming.
- Nora, this is ADA Carisi.
- Please come in.
Take a seat.
How you doing, Nora?
Aside from night terrors...
I wake up,
and it's happening again.
This parole hearing,
will he be there?
He'll be there,
but I'll be there too.
I'm just trying
to get on with my life.
It's been seven years, but I'm
still hanging on by a thread.
And that is exactly
what the parole board
needs to hear.
Jimmy is a conman, and if
none of the vics testify,
then he's gonna be able
to paint himself
- any way he wants.
- Can't you get someone else?
- We tried, but...
- They said no.
The guy raped me.
I already testified
at the trial.
Isn't it your job
to keep him locked up?
Restorative justice
isn't usually used
- in sexual assault cases.
- I know.
I just don't know what else
we can offer Aneeka and Imani.
- They want to face Darryl Clark.
- He's still at Sing Sing.
He's not even up for parole.
I just don't know
why he would agree to it.
- At least let me reach out.
- Please do.
- How's Noah?
- You know kids.
He's 100.6, and he has
no other symptoms so far.
It's probably nothing.
So Kat left me a message.
Can I talk to her?
Yeah, she's right here.
- It's the captain.
- Hey.
So your friend
disclosed to you?
My first cousin, actually,
Lily Bustani.
Right, and she says
that she was assaulted
by Xavier Garcia,
the tech entrepreneur?
She said no,
tried to push him off,
- but he insisted on finishing.
- Okay.
- Did she do a rape kit?
- I sent her for one.
But this guy's
not gonna deny sex.
They even had a nightcap
in his apartment after,
and he texted her
this morning.
- Did she text him back?
- Not yet.
- Should we pick him up?
- Look, he's a smart guy.
He's probably got
an army of lawyers.
He's not gonna come in
unless we arrest him,
and we don't have
enough for that.
So because he's rich,
we back off.
No, have her text him
and see if he'll meet her
for coffee.
All right, controlled meet.
Get him on the record
admitting assault.
I'll call Carisi.
You know,
I'll do that for you.
Okay.
Okay, Captain,
yeah, I hear you.
I hope Noah feels better.
Hey, tell me you got Nora
to change her mind.
No, she had
her AA sponsor call me.
I wouldn't count on her.
What about Jimmy's
other victims?
They're not returning
my calls.
The trial was brutal.
I'm trying.
Well, try harder.
Because if he gets out,
he's gonna strike again.
We'll all look like idiots.
Carisi, you don't think
I know that?
- Good, I caught you.
- Counselor Carisi.
Yeah?
Ronnie Blevins,
the chaplain at Fishkill.
- Jimmy Gunn is one of my flock.
- Sergeant Tutuola.
How can we help you?
You put Jimmy's victims
on the list to speak.
He'd like to have
a conversation
- with any and all of them.
- I'm sure.
Right before his parole hearing
so he can try to convince them
that they weren't raped?
No, he's contrite.
Jimmy's been trying
to apologize to these women
for years.
I have dozens of letters.
If he wrote them,
how can you have the letters?
Prison admin
never forwarded 'em,
which we know
is their prerogative.
Appreciate you coming by.
And Chaplain,
Jimmy's victims,
they're not buying
anything he's selling.
[dramatic music]
♪
- Restorative justice?
- What is that?
So you both meet
with Darryl Clark,
tell him how you feel,
ask him questions.
- It's emotional justice.
- That's great.
- I'm in.
- Aneeka, hold on.
- He agreed to do this?
- He did.
He's getting transferred
to a federal prison
in Utah next week.
He got caught smuggling drugs.
He probably is hoping that
this will delay the transfer.
How would it do that?
Well, normally these sessions
take a year to arrange.
A facilitator
meets with him, with you.
You get an agreement
to the rules.
I'm not waiting that long,
and I'm not going to Utah.
Can't we just do it faster?
We've waited
21 years, Aneeka.
We can wait
a little bit longer.
Maybe you can.
It didn't affect you
like it did me.
Okay, well,
it would be better
if we had time to prepare
exactly what you wanna ask.
I want to know why.
Why'd he do it?
Why that day?
- Why he chose me?
- Us.
You know what I mean, Imani.
I need to face the man
who's been in my head
my whole life.
I need it to happen now.
♪
I know I agreed to this,
but I gotta tell you.
The eighth floor sees this
as a post-penetration
"he said, she said,"
where the he
is a wealthy tech titan,
and she...
Can we stop using
the expression
"he said, she said"?
I mean, it sounds
like there's no evidence
and there's nothing
that we can do,
and why is the "he"
always first?
Kat, a jury understands
no means no.
They have a harder time
with "yes, then slow down,
"then I want you to stop.
"Even though you didn't stop,
I'll still have
a nightcap afterwards."
Every time that you say
the jury
is going to have a hard time,
I think you mean you.
Last night, he said he should
be able to meet today.
- I can text him again.
- Do that.
And let's talk about
what we need Xavier
to admit to on tape.
Yeah, most importantly
is that he knew
you revoked consent,
and he continued
having sex with you
- after you told him to stop.
- That's what happened.
And that, even before that,
your affirmative consent
was only implied,
never enthusiastic.
Kat, that is
not the legal issue here.
I wasn't enthusiastic.
He started out by asking
if he could suck my toes.
- Like, really?
- Okay, I hear that.
But that's not what's
gonna help us make this case.
What will help us is if you
get him to make an admission
without putting words
in his mouth.
Controlled meets
can be tough.
You're gonna get nervous,
but we'll be nearby.
[phone chimes]
Xavier says
he wants to see me,
but he'd rather
take me to lunch.
This is literally
going to happen.
- [whistles]
- Hey, where you going?
- Don't pay them no mind.
- You know how it is.
[indistinct chatter]
Everyone wants to get
a look at the vics.
- Is that how it is?
- Mm-hmm.
Well, do you mind bringing in
Darryl Clark?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Why isn't he here?
- How long do we have to wait?
- We're fine, Imani.
[hyperventilates]
- What?
- Are you okay?
I-I saw a rat.
[breathing rapidly]
- It was probably just a mouse.
- No, it was there.
Like in the basement.
Clark yelled, "Lay down,"
but I saw a rat.
I have to get out of here.
I need to leave now.
- Imani, you can.
- You can go.
But I want you to know
that you're probably
being trigger flooded, okay?
And this will pass.
Look, just need
to breathe, all right?
Go ahead.
Breathe?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- It's funny.
- I don't remember the rats.
Imani, if you need
to wait outside...
I'm okay.
I'm sorry.
- It's a lot.
- It is.
It's scary to see him again.
It's scary to be in this place.
I want to remind you
that we are in control
of this situation,
and if it gets
- to be too much, we stop.
- Got it.
- Okay.
- [door opening]
I'm here.
[dramatic music]
So what do you want?
♪
Nora, can I talk to you?
Are you stalking me now?
Sorry, your roommate told me
this is where
you do your meetings.
So much for anonymity.
Nora...
I know you don't want
to hear this,
but Jimmy's prison chaplain
came to us
- with a message from Jimmy.
- I don't care.
He wants to meet with you,
apologize before the hearing.
No chance,
and joke's on him.
I'm not even going
to the hearing.
The chaplain also said
Jimmy's been writing you
letters from prison.
- That's bull.
- I never got any letters.
The prison program
won't forward letters
unless the vic requests them.
How can I request them
if I don't know they exist?
You're right.
I have the letters.
Now, if you don't want 'em,
I get it.
He's been writing me
all this time?
- Did you read 'em?
- No, they're addressed to you.
Now, if you want me
to screen 'em, I can.
Knowing Jimmy,
he's just trying to work you.
Yeah, I know.
He's full of it.
There's no way
that guy's changed.
Fair, I'll give 'em back
to the chaplain.
No, wait, I'll read 'em.
I want to see what
that son of a bitch has to say.
Okay.
I've listened to you girls.
Still something
I need explained.
What is that, Mr. Clark?
This one really still thinks
she's one of mine?
- One of yours?
- I don't belong to you.
- You raped me.
- Not possible, sweetheart.
Told the DA that years ago.
If you really believed that,
why did you agree to this?
You're getting transferred
to Utah either way.
Something to do.
Or it was.
Didn't expect to be ambushed.
- Ambushed?
- Isn't that what you did to us?
I'd never touch
either of you.
- You know what?
- That's enough.
You know, I've never seen
these two before.
I only did white girls.
- I'd never even look at a...
- What?
Never even look at what?
- You're trying to eyeball me.
- Good luck.
Uh-huh, why don't you
sit down and listen?
- Three hours on that floor...
- You took away my childhood.
You can at least listen
to one page
- of what I wrote at the time.
- You're gonna read to me now?
Oh, I wrote down
every single thing you did.
Every single messed up detail.
Listen.
Then you can decide if you
ever raped a Black girl.
First, Nora's not even sure
that she's gonna go
to the hearing,
but now on the day of,
she's willing to go
to the prison
- and meet with Jimmy?
- She read the letters.
She said she spent
the last seven years
of her life hating the guy.
Maybe it's time to let that go.
He's just gonna
manipulate her.
What am I supposed to do,
tell Nora no?
- Why don't you go with her?
- Because I can't.
I gotta babysit Kat
at a controlled meet.
Hey, you got any tips
on how to deal with her?
Because everything I do
makes her angry.
Then don't do anything.
"When he got off me,
I lay empty.
"A spit-out piece of gum
on the ground.
"Imani unstuck me, and we ran.
"It's been ten days
since it happened.
"Mom won't let me
talk about it.
"I can't look at myself.
"I can't forget
his bourbon breath.
It still"...
Bourbon, huh?
I did love my Old Crow
back in the day.
So you remember
you raped my sister?
I know it was you.
I was there too.
- How old were you?
- Nine.
If I saw you two
walking together,
I'd have thought
you were twins.
So it's finally
coming back to you?
Maybe.
Sounds like my...
What's the word?
My MO.
- Just admit it.
- You raped me.
It's a possibility.
I was drinking a lot then,
so all I can say
is, yeah, sounds familiar.
I appreciate you coming,
Nora.
She came here
to hear you out.
- You read all my letters?
- I did.
I only got them this morning.
All I could do
is write them, Nora.
The rest is out of my control.
I don't mean to sound
like I'm ducking blame.
- Then what are you doing?
- I want to listen to her.
Do you have something
you want to say to me?
I do.
You remember that night,
how you acted like a good guy?
I thought you were so nice.
And since then,
I've never been able
to trust my own instincts.
You took away my road map.
I hadn't thought of that.
Thank you for trusting me
enough to be here.
- Don't get ahead of yourself.
- Of course.
Anything else you want
to say to me, Nora?
Please say it.
And, Jimmy, I think
there were some things
- you wanted to say to Nora?
- Right.
Thank you, Chaplain.
Nora, I've traveled a hard path
to get to where I am now.
A lot of soul searching,
personal inventory.
And here I am at this table
sitting across from you...
Asking for your forgiveness.
Can you do that?
- I-I don't know.
- I'm not ready.
You don't have to answer.
Nora, but I am truly sorry.
You did tell your cousin
not to wave at us
- when Xavier gets here, right?
- She's prepped, Carisi.
She wants to bring
this guy down.
Game on.
- Lily, hi.
- How's it going?
- Hey.
- Good to see you.
- Thanks for meeting me.
- Of course.
What's going on?
- You're upset with me.
- I think you know why.
- Honest to God, I'm not sure.
- Whatever it is, just tell me.
Remember we talked about
how important honesty is?
Okay.
It's about
when we were making out.
Didn't you hear me
say, "slow down"?
And I did, right?
At first,
then I changed my mind.
I said, "stop."
Tried to push you away.
I didn't hear that.
But if you're saying
you said that, I believe you.
- And you didn't listen?
- First times are awkward.
- Awkward... I said stop.
- You kept going.
I'm sorry you're upset,
and I don't want
to upset you anymore.
- I should probably go.
- Please don't.
- I didn't mean to imply...
- She's losing him.
Just give her a chance.
Honestly, you are
a substantial person.
There was a real spark
between us.
- I thought there was.
- There definitely was.
Can you stay please?
Let's work through this.
I'm trying to figure out if you
are the sweet, funny Xavi
I was DMing with
or the tech titan
who invites a girl over
to order in
just to get laid.
[tense music]
♪
Okay.
Why don't we at least start
with why you targeted them.
Them?
I know for damn sure
I didn't do 'em both.
- Lucky for you.
- It wasn't lucky for me.
That's debatable.
I mean, you got off easy.
- You still had your cherry.
- Shut up!
Everyone's always
telling me that!
I had to lay on that ground
listening to my sister crying.
- I didn't cry!
- You cried.
I saw you.
He made me watch.
He said he'd shoot you
if I screamed.
I know it's
not the same thing,
but it still counts.
[alarms blaring]
- Sorry, folks.
- We're done here.
- What is going on?
- A brawl in the yard.
- So what?
- Let me finish.
- Come on, we're good here.
- Not happening, Clark.
It's a lockdown.
Let's go.
- Where do you want us?
- Right here.
Just sit tight, ladies.
[alarms blaring]
Hey, they say
it's almost under control.
- We just have to wait.
- Let's just go.
He acknowledged it,
and seeing him
in this cage for life,
I'm good.
Well, I'm not.
He didn't acknowledge me.
I come all the way up here
to be supportive of you,
and I have to hear
the same thing
I've heard my whole life?
"You're so lucky.
Your poor sister
had it so much worse."
- Maybe because I did.
- So you agree with him.
You agree with your rapist?
Cool.
Just stop.
I made sure
he never touched you.
- You protected me?
- You were his victim.
I was his victim too.
Wasn't I?
- Yes, you both were.
- Oh, please.
I was helpless, terrified.
- That feeling never went away.
- I know.
I was the one pinned
to the floor.
That's why I could
never say anything.
- You just laid there!
- Nothing happened to you!
You think nothing happened?
I still can't fall asleep
until I know you're home.
My mind is always racing...
Guilt, panic, rage.
How am I supposed
to know how you're feeling?
- I can't just read your mind!
- You're right.
You were allowed
to have feelings, and I wasn't.
I was on the sidelines
during your rape,
and that's how you and Mom
treated me ever since.
- Jesus, this...
- That is not...
- It's your sister's turn.
- Mom worshipped you.
She thought
you protected me from him,
so you were the hero,
and I was nothing.
Any love she had to give
went to you,
and you took it.
I was hurting too,
but no one cared.
So sometime...
Sometimes I wish
he raped me, not you.
I know it might be cliché,
but I want a guy
- that takes care of me.
- Nothing wrong with that.
I'm kind of
old-fashioned myself.
Maybe that's why I kind of
freaked out the other night.
I thought you were,
but things moved way too fast.
My last relationship
was a roller coaster...
Physically, emotionally.
Thank you
for sharing that, Lily.
If I'd known...
What?
I would have taken more time,
slowed down.
Stopped when I said stop?
Yes, exactly.
Now that we're
talking about it,
I realize
I did hear you say stop,
and I should have.
All right, good, good.
I was just so into you,
I couldn't control myself.
Oh, seriously, dude?
I can see now that,
from your point of view,
I forced things...
and I am sorry for that, Lily.
- So very sorry.
- That means a lot to me.
Maybe we can start over.
Oh, this is going
in the wrong direction.
- We need to regroup.
- So we'll go in now.
- No, Kat, we may not have it...
- Moving in.
I am so turned on right now.
- [both chuckle]
- Me too.
Maybe we should move this
to my place.
- That's enough.
- Lily, get up.
- What the hell?
- Xavier, you're done.
- And you're under arrest.
- What?
Lily, this was
a setup with cops?
- Are you kidding me?
- I'm sorry, Xavi.
- I didn't know they would...
- Lily, stop talking.
I want my lawyer.
Xavier Garcia,
you're under arrest.
Anything you say can and...
[phone vibrates]
Fin, I'm kind of
in the middle of something.
If you can't afford
an attorney...
- Be quick.
- We have a problem.
Nora fell
for Jimmy's apology act.
Well, then you gotta
do the hearing without her.
You gotta testify
that all his victims
are too traumatized
to even confront him.
It's too late... she's here,
and she wants to go in.
What's worse... I think she's
gonna back him getting out.
No, you can't
let that happen.
She says she has closure.
Am I supposed to tell her
she doesn't?
Well, tell her
that if he gets out,
he's gonna rape again.
I gotta go.
[sighs]
Nora...
The ADA and I
both have done this a lot.
We really believe
Jimmy's playing you.
He looked me in the eye,
listened to me.
He heard me.
Maybe he's paid his dues.
[sighs]
Impressive recommendations,
Mr. Gunn.
No infractions.
This reconciliation ceremony,
can you tell us what that is?
Chaplain Blevins
set that up, sir.
We met in the chapel
and made an offering
to our victims...
A drawing, a poem,
gift from commissary,
then apologized.
Tell me,
how did the victims feel?
That was
with surrogate victims...
Members of
Chaplain Blevins' congregation.
- A symbolic act.
- That's very moving.
But have you given thought
to the more specific effect
you've had on your victims?
- We can leave now.
- In seven years...
I want to hear
what he has to say.
I thought
of nothing else, sir.
I've tried to apologize
to all my victims
and did finally manage
to meet with one of 'em.
But that's a personal matter,
and I didn't do it
so that I could play
show and tell here today.
I know that some of them
might still be angry at me...
which I understand.
It's funny.
I'm hearing Chaplain Blevins'
voice in my head now.
True repentance
seeks no reward.
I've tried to put myself
in their shoes.
The pain, the fear,
the, well, distrust, right?
I mean, I have trouble
trusting people,
but these women probably can't
even trust themselves.
I destroyed their instincts.
What I did, that's like...
That's like trying to...
That's like trying
to live your life without...
a road map.
That's very perceptive,
Mr. Gunn.
It appears to me
that you've made good use
of your time inside, Mr. Gunn,
that you had time to reflect
on your crime and the effects
that it had on your victim.
I was most struck
by your attempts
at reparations
even within your limited means.
Road map?
Son of a bitch,
he... he used me again.
I don't let myself trust anyone
for seven years,
and I fall for this?
How stupid am I?
The way he just pretended
to find his words
and then spit out
exactly what I said.
That's why he asked
to meet with me, isn't it?
I'm sorry.
He stole my words.
He's gonna get away with it,
isn't he?
Well, right now
when the board looks at him,
they see a prison
success story...
unless you tell 'em different.
Jimmy Gunn, the board
is ready
- to render our decision.
- Hold up.
I have a victim who would like
to make a statement...
Nora Anderson.
We've already
talked privately.
She doesn't need
to forgive me here.
- Please let me speak.
- Mr. Gunn, sit down.
Ms. Anderson.
I met with Jimmy Gunn.
I read his letters.
I listened to his apology.
Took me a moment to realize,
but it's all a fake.
The only reason he met
with me is to make sure
I didn't speak
against him today.
What he showed you just now,
the nice guy Jimmy Gunn...
well, I met that guy
seven years ago.
I thought he was
sensitive, sweet,
someone I could
fall in love with...
until he conned his way
into my apartment,
shoved me down,
called me a bitch,
and then raped me.
And that's the real Jimmy Gunn.
The hatred,
the anger in his eyes.
He... he wanted to destroy me.
I-I may never be whole again.
So he can go to church
every Sunday
and study the Bible on Monday,
but that hatred will never die.
If you can't lock him up
and keep him locked up
for my sake, then do it
for the sake of all the women
out there who are still whole.
The women Jimmy Gunn
will rape if he gets out.
How are you doing?
I'm so sorry, Imani.
[door clicks]
Hey, folks, lockdown's over.
I'll see if I can go
get him back to you.
Thank you.
You know,
whatever you want to say,
we can take our time here.
What is it, Imani?
I'm thinking about that day
Mom met us at the hospital.
She looked at me
like I did something wrong.
That's not how she felt.
How am I supposed
to know how she felt?
She never talked to me
about it once my whole life.
- Me either.
- Come on.
I saw her hugging you.
Ever since then,
for the rest of our life,
she gave you
whatever you wanted.
It was like I was invisible.
What I saw,
she just felt sorry for me
like I was pitiful
from then on.
Maybe she felt guilty
for not protecting you.
I think that's why she
didn't want you to testify.
Maybe,
but it's too late to know.
She never wanted
to deal with it.
Neither did we.
I feel like right now
is the first time
you ever even knew
that I was there.
- What?
- Are you kidding me?
The whole time
Clark was raping me,
I kept looking at you.
I saw you praying.
That got me through it.
- Imani, you never heard that?
- No.
Always just thought
it was my fault.
- No, it was my fault.
- Mm.
You wanted
to go straight home.
I ran ahead.
I never told Mom that...
No, no.
It was his fault.
You were being kids,
and what happened
to both of you,
it never should have happened.
Do you understand that?
- Clark's here.
- Hang on.
Aneeka, I don't need
to talk to him anymore.
Neither do I.
Tell Clark
we're done with him.
[emotional music]
♪
So the eighth floor
signed off on indicting Xavier?
- Barely...
- His defense attorney's
gonna have a field day
with that controlled meet
practically turning
into a second date.
- Mr. Carisi.
- Lily.
I told you you didn't
have to come to this.
I know.
I didn't realize
you were gonna be here.
This is awkward.
I'm just getting ready
to quietly arraign Xavier.
- What's up?
- Yeah, about that.
I changed my mind.
I don't want to do this.
What?
His arrest
is all over the internet.
"Cancel Xavier Garcia"
is trending.
That's not on you.
His image
is destroyed already.
That feels
like punishment enough.
It's my decision, and I don't
want to be talked out of it.
Sorry.
- Lily...
- Kat.
Whatever you're
about to say, don't.
I feel bad as it is.
Let me try
to get her to testify.
Kat, it's over.
We have
an uncooperative victim.
We need to close this case.
Look, she's family.
Something bad happened.
I understand that, but you
didn't do anything wrong.
I still want to try
and talk to her.
But thanks.
Lily, wait.
I know that you're
having second thoughts,
but Xavier himself
admitted he was guilty.
And he apologized,
and he meant it.
This opened his eyes.
It's not who he wants to be.
Lily.
Have you been
in touch with him?
- Did you talk to him today?
- So?
Can't you see
that you just did
exactly what he wanted?
Xavier said
you're gonna say that.
I know he should've acted
better on our first date.
So does he.
But how could you
have arrested him like that?
He's not a criminal.
And now...
him and I have a real chance.
Captain, how's Noah?
Tested negative.
He's hungry, and he cannot wait
to get back to school.
So I heard Jimmy Gunn
got denied parole.
All because Nora
stood up for herself.
- Mm.
- She turned that board around.
Good for her.
And you were in lockdown
at Sing Sing?
Yeah, actually, it was okay.
It gave the sisters a chance
to work some things out.
All those years,
they never talked to each other
- or their mother.
- Wow.
Well, thank you both
for covering for me.
Of course.
And by the way,
congratulations on your award.
NYPD Women
in Law Enforcement.
Like, they want
to honor me now?
I have this whole
Jayvon Brown lawsuit
hanging over my head.
I just... I don't think
that right now
is the time to be doing
a victory lap.
Maybe that's why
they're giving it to you.
Look, I don't even know
if I'm gonna go.
- I have to write a speech...
- You got a month.
- You need to be there.
- Why?
Because it's good PR for NYPD?
Because you deserve it.
And you should own it.
And you never know
who may show up.
[dramatic music]
♪
[dramatic music]
♪
[wolf howls]
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.
*LAW AND ORDER
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT*
[dramatic music]
One, two...
[tense music]
Three...
four...
Five.
[breathing shakily]
Imani, is he gone?
Yeah.
Are you okay?
Aneeka?
♪
- So he walked you home?
- No... I mean yes.
Jimmy Gunn walked me home.
He kissed me good night.
And that's when you
invited him inside.
No, he asked
to use my bathroom,
- so...
- So you let him inside.
To use my bathroom.
When he came out,
he threw me on the floor.
Nora, you had a nice date
with my client,
kissed him.
You invited him in.
Then he got passionate
with you.
No, he raped me.
♪
- Lily...
- Wait, oh..
- Wait, slow down.
- So hot.
- Wait, I really want...
- I know what you want.
Lily, Lily, slow down.
Okay, this was last night?
And he did what?
Can you come in?
No, I get it.
I'll come there.
20 minutes.
- A friend had a bad night?
- My cousin, actually.
We're not close.
Her family moved
to Manhattan when we were kids.
- She's more of an uptown girl.
- But she knows you're SVU.
- Uh-huh.
- Go.
- I'll tell the captain.
- Thanks.
Aneeka and Imani Clark.
Is Captain Cragen
or Detective Munch still here?
- Okay, hold on.
- Sergeant.
Cap, remember a case
about 20 years ago...
Aneeka and Imani Coleman?
- Oh, I do.
- It was horrible.
The sisters,
they were kidnapped at gunpoint
and one was raped,
and the other one
was forced to watch.
Munch and I interviewed
the mother.
I remember because it was
right after my mother died.
Yeah, I remember.
Well, Aneeka and Imani
just walked in here,
- asking to talk to a detective.
- Why?
Well, their mother
died recently... COVID.
- Oh.
- And it brought some stuff up.
And I'm supposed to be
meeting with Carisi
about Jimmy Gunn's
parole hearing.
- Want me to push this off?
- No, I'll talk to the sisters.
Jimmy Gunn
is up for parole already?
- He raped four women.
- Mm.
It'd be great if they could
show up to the hearing.
That's not gonna happen.
Only one... Nora Anderson...
is even willing
to speak with us,
but I put the sisters
in interview.
[soft dramatic music]
♪
You know, I want
to go through their file.
Tell them I just need
a few minutes, okay?
[dramatic music]
♪
*LAW AND ORDER SVU*
Season 22 Episode 08
Episode Title:
"The Only Way Out Is Through"
Aired on:
February 25, 2021
Yes, yes,
tell him I'm on my way.
- Liv, everything okay?
- No.
That was Noah's school.
Somebody in his pod
tested positive for COVID,
- and Noah's running a fever.
- Oh, no.
Can you please talk
to Imani and Aneeka?
- The file is on my desk.
- Yeah, your old case.
Fin told me.
I got this.
- Thank you.
- Of course.
- Go take care of Noah.
- Okay.
How's your mother doing?
She was always
my favorite aunt.
Oh, until you moved?
She's okay...
I mean, as far
as I can tell from Zoom.
Right, it must be tough.
I know you've always
been so close.
Yeah.
So this guy, was he a friend?
More like a first date
from hell.
Xavier Garcia,
you've heard of him, right?
The social app billionaire?
Yeah.
How did you meet him?
It sounds
a little stalkerish.
I drunk DM'd him one night.
I didn't expect him to reply.
He has 10 million followers.
So when he asked me
to come over,
of course I said yes.
Okay, what happened?
He ordered in fancy sushi.
We had some wine.
Then he was all over me.
I told him to slow down,
and he actually backed off.
- Okay, so he listened to you?
- Until he didn't.
We were making out,
and suddenly he was inside me.
I'm like, "I just told you
to slow down."
- Did you want to have sex?
- It all happened so fast.
By the time my brain
caught up with my body,
I-I told him to stop.
He didn't.
He just pinned me
against a wall
until he was finished.
- Am I wasting your time?
- No.
Lily, you can withdraw consent
at any time.
If you changed your mind
and he kept going,
that's rape.
Aneeka, Imani,
thank you for waiting.
I am Detective Rollins.
The captain has
a family emergency,
but she wanted me to tell you
that she remembers your mother,
- and she's so sad for your loss.
- Thank you.
It was a shock.
She was only in the ICU
for a week.
We couldn't even
say good-bye.
I am so sorry.
How can I help you?
We were going
through her storage locker,
and we came across this box.
Articles about Darryl Clark.
Okay, that can bring up
a lot of feelings.
Only one... anger.
The articles say that Clark
was convicted on six rapes,
none in Harlem,
but our mother said
that he went to jail
for what he did to me.
Okay, well,
he did take a deal.
- He got 35 years.
- But not for raping me?
Is that possible?
No, you're right.
He never confessed
to assaulting you.
The deal he made
specifically stated
he couldn't be prosecuted
for your assault.
So those three hours
he tormented us...
A gun in our faces,
frozen on the ground...
- Just don't count?
- How did that happen?
The only way the DA
could make the case
was to take it to trial,
and I think your mother
didn't want
to put you through that.
I didn't agree.
I was only 11,
but I wanted justice.
- I know I would have faced him.
- She would've for sure.
Show her your diary.
I wrote this a week
after the rape.
I wanted him to know
how I felt then,
and I want him to know now.
Isn't there anything?
There may be.
Let me call my captain.
Last time I saw Nora
was at Jimmy Gunn's sentence.
She's not happy
he's up for parole.
- Neither am I.
- I'm looking at Jimmy's file.
The way he manipulated
his vics,
what he did to 'em in trial,
this guy got too good a deal.
He's not getting out, is he?
Well, it looks like
he spent the past seven years
checking off
all the good inmate boxes.
College degree,
he goes to church, NA.
- NA?
- He's not a drug addict.
Not until he got to prison,
and then he realized,
oh, I get points
for going to meetings.
[knocks]
Detective Tutuola.
So you know
just 'cause I'm here
doesn't mean I'm doing this.
Understood,
and thank you for coming.
- Nora, this is ADA Carisi.
- Please come in.
Take a seat.
How you doing, Nora?
Aside from night terrors...
I wake up,
and it's happening again.
This parole hearing,
will he be there?
He'll be there,
but I'll be there too.
I'm just trying
to get on with my life.
It's been seven years, but I'm
still hanging on by a thread.
And that is exactly
what the parole board
needs to hear.
Jimmy is a conman, and if
none of the vics testify,
then he's gonna be able
to paint himself
- any way he wants.
- Can't you get someone else?
- We tried, but...
- They said no.
The guy raped me.
I already testified
at the trial.
Isn't it your job
to keep him locked up?
Restorative justice
isn't usually used
- in sexual assault cases.
- I know.
I just don't know what else
we can offer Aneeka and Imani.
- They want to face Darryl Clark.
- He's still at Sing Sing.
He's not even up for parole.
I just don't know
why he would agree to it.
- At least let me reach out.
- Please do.
- How's Noah?
- You know kids.
He's 100.6, and he has
no other symptoms so far.
It's probably nothing.
So Kat left me a message.
Can I talk to her?
Yeah, she's right here.
- It's the captain.
- Hey.
So your friend
disclosed to you?
My first cousin, actually,
Lily Bustani.
Right, and she says
that she was assaulted
by Xavier Garcia,
the tech entrepreneur?
She said no,
tried to push him off,
- but he insisted on finishing.
- Okay.
- Did she do a rape kit?
- I sent her for one.
But this guy's
not gonna deny sex.
They even had a nightcap
in his apartment after,
and he texted her
this morning.
- Did she text him back?
- Not yet.
- Should we pick him up?
- Look, he's a smart guy.
He's probably got
an army of lawyers.
He's not gonna come in
unless we arrest him,
and we don't have
enough for that.
So because he's rich,
we back off.
No, have her text him
and see if he'll meet her
for coffee.
All right, controlled meet.
Get him on the record
admitting assault.
I'll call Carisi.
You know,
I'll do that for you.
Okay.
Okay, Captain,
yeah, I hear you.
I hope Noah feels better.
Hey, tell me you got Nora
to change her mind.
No, she had
her AA sponsor call me.
I wouldn't count on her.
What about Jimmy's
other victims?
They're not returning
my calls.
The trial was brutal.
I'm trying.
Well, try harder.
Because if he gets out,
he's gonna strike again.
We'll all look like idiots.
Carisi, you don't think
I know that?
- Good, I caught you.
- Counselor Carisi.
Yeah?
Ronnie Blevins,
the chaplain at Fishkill.
- Jimmy Gunn is one of my flock.
- Sergeant Tutuola.
How can we help you?
You put Jimmy's victims
on the list to speak.
He'd like to have
a conversation
- with any and all of them.
- I'm sure.
Right before his parole hearing
so he can try to convince them
that they weren't raped?
No, he's contrite.
Jimmy's been trying
to apologize to these women
for years.
I have dozens of letters.
If he wrote them,
how can you have the letters?
Prison admin
never forwarded 'em,
which we know
is their prerogative.
Appreciate you coming by.
And Chaplain,
Jimmy's victims,
they're not buying
anything he's selling.
[dramatic music]
♪
- Restorative justice?
- What is that?
So you both meet
with Darryl Clark,
tell him how you feel,
ask him questions.
- It's emotional justice.
- That's great.
- I'm in.
- Aneeka, hold on.
- He agreed to do this?
- He did.
He's getting transferred
to a federal prison
in Utah next week.
He got caught smuggling drugs.
He probably is hoping that
this will delay the transfer.
How would it do that?
Well, normally these sessions
take a year to arrange.
A facilitator
meets with him, with you.
You get an agreement
to the rules.
I'm not waiting that long,
and I'm not going to Utah.
Can't we just do it faster?
We've waited
21 years, Aneeka.
We can wait
a little bit longer.
Maybe you can.
It didn't affect you
like it did me.
Okay, well,
it would be better
if we had time to prepare
exactly what you wanna ask.
I want to know why.
Why'd he do it?
Why that day?
- Why he chose me?
- Us.
You know what I mean, Imani.
I need to face the man
who's been in my head
my whole life.
I need it to happen now.
♪
I know I agreed to this,
but I gotta tell you.
The eighth floor sees this
as a post-penetration
"he said, she said,"
where the he
is a wealthy tech titan,
and she...
Can we stop using
the expression
"he said, she said"?
I mean, it sounds
like there's no evidence
and there's nothing
that we can do,
and why is the "he"
always first?
Kat, a jury understands
no means no.
They have a harder time
with "yes, then slow down,
"then I want you to stop.
"Even though you didn't stop,
I'll still have
a nightcap afterwards."
Every time that you say
the jury
is going to have a hard time,
I think you mean you.
Last night, he said he should
be able to meet today.
- I can text him again.
- Do that.
And let's talk about
what we need Xavier
to admit to on tape.
Yeah, most importantly
is that he knew
you revoked consent,
and he continued
having sex with you
- after you told him to stop.
- That's what happened.
And that, even before that,
your affirmative consent
was only implied,
never enthusiastic.
Kat, that is
not the legal issue here.
I wasn't enthusiastic.
He started out by asking
if he could suck my toes.
- Like, really?
- Okay, I hear that.
But that's not what's
gonna help us make this case.
What will help us is if you
get him to make an admission
without putting words
in his mouth.
Controlled meets
can be tough.
You're gonna get nervous,
but we'll be nearby.
[phone chimes]
Xavier says
he wants to see me,
but he'd rather
take me to lunch.
This is literally
going to happen.
- [whistles]
- Hey, where you going?
- Don't pay them no mind.
- You know how it is.
[indistinct chatter]
Everyone wants to get
a look at the vics.
- Is that how it is?
- Mm-hmm.
Well, do you mind bringing in
Darryl Clark?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Why isn't he here?
- How long do we have to wait?
- We're fine, Imani.
[hyperventilates]
- What?
- Are you okay?
I-I saw a rat.
[breathing rapidly]
- It was probably just a mouse.
- No, it was there.
Like in the basement.
Clark yelled, "Lay down,"
but I saw a rat.
I have to get out of here.
I need to leave now.
- Imani, you can.
- You can go.
But I want you to know
that you're probably
being trigger flooded, okay?
And this will pass.
Look, just need
to breathe, all right?
Go ahead.
Breathe?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- It's funny.
- I don't remember the rats.
Imani, if you need
to wait outside...
I'm okay.
I'm sorry.
- It's a lot.
- It is.
It's scary to see him again.
It's scary to be in this place.
I want to remind you
that we are in control
of this situation,
and if it gets
- to be too much, we stop.
- Got it.
- Okay.
- [door opening]
I'm here.
[dramatic music]
So what do you want?
♪
Nora, can I talk to you?
Are you stalking me now?
Sorry, your roommate told me
this is where
you do your meetings.
So much for anonymity.
Nora...
I know you don't want
to hear this,
but Jimmy's prison chaplain
came to us
- with a message from Jimmy.
- I don't care.
He wants to meet with you,
apologize before the hearing.
No chance,
and joke's on him.
I'm not even going
to the hearing.
The chaplain also said
Jimmy's been writing you
letters from prison.
- That's bull.
- I never got any letters.
The prison program
won't forward letters
unless the vic requests them.
How can I request them
if I don't know they exist?
You're right.
I have the letters.
Now, if you don't want 'em,
I get it.
He's been writing me
all this time?
- Did you read 'em?
- No, they're addressed to you.
Now, if you want me
to screen 'em, I can.
Knowing Jimmy,
he's just trying to work you.
Yeah, I know.
He's full of it.
There's no way
that guy's changed.
Fair, I'll give 'em back
to the chaplain.
No, wait, I'll read 'em.
I want to see what
that son of a bitch has to say.
Okay.
I've listened to you girls.
Still something
I need explained.
What is that, Mr. Clark?
This one really still thinks
she's one of mine?
- One of yours?
- I don't belong to you.
- You raped me.
- Not possible, sweetheart.
Told the DA that years ago.
If you really believed that,
why did you agree to this?
You're getting transferred
to Utah either way.
Something to do.
Or it was.
Didn't expect to be ambushed.
- Ambushed?
- Isn't that what you did to us?
I'd never touch
either of you.
- You know what?
- That's enough.
You know, I've never seen
these two before.
I only did white girls.
- I'd never even look at a...
- What?
Never even look at what?
- You're trying to eyeball me.
- Good luck.
Uh-huh, why don't you
sit down and listen?
- Three hours on that floor...
- You took away my childhood.
You can at least listen
to one page
- of what I wrote at the time.
- You're gonna read to me now?
Oh, I wrote down
every single thing you did.
Every single messed up detail.
Listen.
Then you can decide if you
ever raped a Black girl.
First, Nora's not even sure
that she's gonna go
to the hearing,
but now on the day of,
she's willing to go
to the prison
- and meet with Jimmy?
- She read the letters.
She said she spent
the last seven years
of her life hating the guy.
Maybe it's time to let that go.
He's just gonna
manipulate her.
What am I supposed to do,
tell Nora no?
- Why don't you go with her?
- Because I can't.
I gotta babysit Kat
at a controlled meet.
Hey, you got any tips
on how to deal with her?
Because everything I do
makes her angry.
Then don't do anything.
"When he got off me,
I lay empty.
"A spit-out piece of gum
on the ground.
"Imani unstuck me, and we ran.
"It's been ten days
since it happened.
"Mom won't let me
talk about it.
"I can't look at myself.
"I can't forget
his bourbon breath.
It still"...
Bourbon, huh?
I did love my Old Crow
back in the day.
So you remember
you raped my sister?
I know it was you.
I was there too.
- How old were you?
- Nine.
If I saw you two
walking together,
I'd have thought
you were twins.
So it's finally
coming back to you?
Maybe.
Sounds like my...
What's the word?
My MO.
- Just admit it.
- You raped me.
It's a possibility.
I was drinking a lot then,
so all I can say
is, yeah, sounds familiar.
I appreciate you coming,
Nora.
She came here
to hear you out.
- You read all my letters?
- I did.
I only got them this morning.
All I could do
is write them, Nora.
The rest is out of my control.
I don't mean to sound
like I'm ducking blame.
- Then what are you doing?
- I want to listen to her.
Do you have something
you want to say to me?
I do.
You remember that night,
how you acted like a good guy?
I thought you were so nice.
And since then,
I've never been able
to trust my own instincts.
You took away my road map.
I hadn't thought of that.
Thank you for trusting me
enough to be here.
- Don't get ahead of yourself.
- Of course.
Anything else you want
to say to me, Nora?
Please say it.
And, Jimmy, I think
there were some things
- you wanted to say to Nora?
- Right.
Thank you, Chaplain.
Nora, I've traveled a hard path
to get to where I am now.
A lot of soul searching,
personal inventory.
And here I am at this table
sitting across from you...
Asking for your forgiveness.
Can you do that?
- I-I don't know.
- I'm not ready.
You don't have to answer.
Nora, but I am truly sorry.
You did tell your cousin
not to wave at us
- when Xavier gets here, right?
- She's prepped, Carisi.
She wants to bring
this guy down.
Game on.
- Lily, hi.
- How's it going?
- Hey.
- Good to see you.
- Thanks for meeting me.
- Of course.
What's going on?
- You're upset with me.
- I think you know why.
- Honest to God, I'm not sure.
- Whatever it is, just tell me.
Remember we talked about
how important honesty is?
Okay.
It's about
when we were making out.
Didn't you hear me
say, "slow down"?
And I did, right?
At first,
then I changed my mind.
I said, "stop."
Tried to push you away.
I didn't hear that.
But if you're saying
you said that, I believe you.
- And you didn't listen?
- First times are awkward.
- Awkward... I said stop.
- You kept going.
I'm sorry you're upset,
and I don't want
to upset you anymore.
- I should probably go.
- Please don't.
- I didn't mean to imply...
- She's losing him.
Just give her a chance.
Honestly, you are
a substantial person.
There was a real spark
between us.
- I thought there was.
- There definitely was.
Can you stay please?
Let's work through this.
I'm trying to figure out if you
are the sweet, funny Xavi
I was DMing with
or the tech titan
who invites a girl over
to order in
just to get laid.
[tense music]
♪
Okay.
Why don't we at least start
with why you targeted them.
Them?
I know for damn sure
I didn't do 'em both.
- Lucky for you.
- It wasn't lucky for me.
That's debatable.
I mean, you got off easy.
- You still had your cherry.
- Shut up!
Everyone's always
telling me that!
I had to lay on that ground
listening to my sister crying.
- I didn't cry!
- You cried.
I saw you.
He made me watch.
He said he'd shoot you
if I screamed.
I know it's
not the same thing,
but it still counts.
[alarms blaring]
- Sorry, folks.
- We're done here.
- What is going on?
- A brawl in the yard.
- So what?
- Let me finish.
- Come on, we're good here.
- Not happening, Clark.
It's a lockdown.
Let's go.
- Where do you want us?
- Right here.
Just sit tight, ladies.
[alarms blaring]
Hey, they say
it's almost under control.
- We just have to wait.
- Let's just go.
He acknowledged it,
and seeing him
in this cage for life,
I'm good.
Well, I'm not.
He didn't acknowledge me.
I come all the way up here
to be supportive of you,
and I have to hear
the same thing
I've heard my whole life?
"You're so lucky.
Your poor sister
had it so much worse."
- Maybe because I did.
- So you agree with him.
You agree with your rapist?
Cool.
Just stop.
I made sure
he never touched you.
- You protected me?
- You were his victim.
I was his victim too.
Wasn't I?
- Yes, you both were.
- Oh, please.
I was helpless, terrified.
- That feeling never went away.
- I know.
I was the one pinned
to the floor.
That's why I could
never say anything.
- You just laid there!
- Nothing happened to you!
You think nothing happened?
I still can't fall asleep
until I know you're home.
My mind is always racing...
Guilt, panic, rage.
How am I supposed
to know how you're feeling?
- I can't just read your mind!
- You're right.
You were allowed
to have feelings, and I wasn't.
I was on the sidelines
during your rape,
and that's how you and Mom
treated me ever since.
- Jesus, this...
- That is not...
- It's your sister's turn.
- Mom worshipped you.
She thought
you protected me from him,
so you were the hero,
and I was nothing.
Any love she had to give
went to you,
and you took it.
I was hurting too,
but no one cared.
So sometime...
Sometimes I wish
he raped me, not you.
I know it might be cliché,
but I want a guy
- that takes care of me.
- Nothing wrong with that.
I'm kind of
old-fashioned myself.
Maybe that's why I kind of
freaked out the other night.
I thought you were,
but things moved way too fast.
My last relationship
was a roller coaster...
Physically, emotionally.
Thank you
for sharing that, Lily.
If I'd known...
What?
I would have taken more time,
slowed down.
Stopped when I said stop?
Yes, exactly.
Now that we're
talking about it,
I realize
I did hear you say stop,
and I should have.
All right, good, good.
I was just so into you,
I couldn't control myself.
Oh, seriously, dude?
I can see now that,
from your point of view,
I forced things...
and I am sorry for that, Lily.
- So very sorry.
- That means a lot to me.
Maybe we can start over.
Oh, this is going
in the wrong direction.
- We need to regroup.
- So we'll go in now.
- No, Kat, we may not have it...
- Moving in.
I am so turned on right now.
- [both chuckle]
- Me too.
Maybe we should move this
to my place.
- That's enough.
- Lily, get up.
- What the hell?
- Xavier, you're done.
- And you're under arrest.
- What?
Lily, this was
a setup with cops?
- Are you kidding me?
- I'm sorry, Xavi.
- I didn't know they would...
- Lily, stop talking.
I want my lawyer.
Xavier Garcia,
you're under arrest.
Anything you say can and...
[phone vibrates]
Fin, I'm kind of
in the middle of something.
If you can't afford
an attorney...
- Be quick.
- We have a problem.
Nora fell
for Jimmy's apology act.
Well, then you gotta
do the hearing without her.
You gotta testify
that all his victims
are too traumatized
to even confront him.
It's too late... she's here,
and she wants to go in.
What's worse... I think she's
gonna back him getting out.
No, you can't
let that happen.
She says she has closure.
Am I supposed to tell her
she doesn't?
Well, tell her
that if he gets out,
he's gonna rape again.
I gotta go.
[sighs]
Nora...
The ADA and I
both have done this a lot.
We really believe
Jimmy's playing you.
He looked me in the eye,
listened to me.
He heard me.
Maybe he's paid his dues.
[sighs]
Impressive recommendations,
Mr. Gunn.
No infractions.
This reconciliation ceremony,
can you tell us what that is?
Chaplain Blevins
set that up, sir.
We met in the chapel
and made an offering
to our victims...
A drawing, a poem,
gift from commissary,
then apologized.
Tell me,
how did the victims feel?
That was
with surrogate victims...
Members of
Chaplain Blevins' congregation.
- A symbolic act.
- That's very moving.
But have you given thought
to the more specific effect
you've had on your victims?
- We can leave now.
- In seven years...
I want to hear
what he has to say.
I thought
of nothing else, sir.
I've tried to apologize
to all my victims
and did finally manage
to meet with one of 'em.
But that's a personal matter,
and I didn't do it
so that I could play
show and tell here today.
I know that some of them
might still be angry at me...
which I understand.
It's funny.
I'm hearing Chaplain Blevins'
voice in my head now.
True repentance
seeks no reward.
I've tried to put myself
in their shoes.
The pain, the fear,
the, well, distrust, right?
I mean, I have trouble
trusting people,
but these women probably can't
even trust themselves.
I destroyed their instincts.
What I did, that's like...
That's like trying to...
That's like trying
to live your life without...
a road map.
That's very perceptive,
Mr. Gunn.
It appears to me
that you've made good use
of your time inside, Mr. Gunn,
that you had time to reflect
on your crime and the effects
that it had on your victim.
I was most struck
by your attempts
at reparations
even within your limited means.
Road map?
Son of a bitch,
he... he used me again.
I don't let myself trust anyone
for seven years,
and I fall for this?
How stupid am I?
The way he just pretended
to find his words
and then spit out
exactly what I said.
That's why he asked
to meet with me, isn't it?
I'm sorry.
He stole my words.
He's gonna get away with it,
isn't he?
Well, right now
when the board looks at him,
they see a prison
success story...
unless you tell 'em different.
Jimmy Gunn, the board
is ready
- to render our decision.
- Hold up.
I have a victim who would like
to make a statement...
Nora Anderson.
We've already
talked privately.
She doesn't need
to forgive me here.
- Please let me speak.
- Mr. Gunn, sit down.
Ms. Anderson.
I met with Jimmy Gunn.
I read his letters.
I listened to his apology.
Took me a moment to realize,
but it's all a fake.
The only reason he met
with me is to make sure
I didn't speak
against him today.
What he showed you just now,
the nice guy Jimmy Gunn...
well, I met that guy
seven years ago.
I thought he was
sensitive, sweet,
someone I could
fall in love with...
until he conned his way
into my apartment,
shoved me down,
called me a bitch,
and then raped me.
And that's the real Jimmy Gunn.
The hatred,
the anger in his eyes.
He... he wanted to destroy me.
I-I may never be whole again.
So he can go to church
every Sunday
and study the Bible on Monday,
but that hatred will never die.
If you can't lock him up
and keep him locked up
for my sake, then do it
for the sake of all the women
out there who are still whole.
The women Jimmy Gunn
will rape if he gets out.
How are you doing?
I'm so sorry, Imani.
[door clicks]
Hey, folks, lockdown's over.
I'll see if I can go
get him back to you.
Thank you.
You know,
whatever you want to say,
we can take our time here.
What is it, Imani?
I'm thinking about that day
Mom met us at the hospital.
She looked at me
like I did something wrong.
That's not how she felt.
How am I supposed
to know how she felt?
She never talked to me
about it once my whole life.
- Me either.
- Come on.
I saw her hugging you.
Ever since then,
for the rest of our life,
she gave you
whatever you wanted.
It was like I was invisible.
What I saw,
she just felt sorry for me
like I was pitiful
from then on.
Maybe she felt guilty
for not protecting you.
I think that's why she
didn't want you to testify.
Maybe,
but it's too late to know.
She never wanted
to deal with it.
Neither did we.
I feel like right now
is the first time
you ever even knew
that I was there.
- What?
- Are you kidding me?
The whole time
Clark was raping me,
I kept looking at you.
I saw you praying.
That got me through it.
- Imani, you never heard that?
- No.
Always just thought
it was my fault.
- No, it was my fault.
- Mm.
You wanted
to go straight home.
I ran ahead.
I never told Mom that...
No, no.
It was his fault.
You were being kids,
and what happened
to both of you,
it never should have happened.
Do you understand that?
- Clark's here.
- Hang on.
Aneeka, I don't need
to talk to him anymore.
Neither do I.
Tell Clark
we're done with him.
[emotional music]
♪
So the eighth floor
signed off on indicting Xavier?
- Barely...
- His defense attorney's
gonna have a field day
with that controlled meet
practically turning
into a second date.
- Mr. Carisi.
- Lily.
I told you you didn't
have to come to this.
I know.
I didn't realize
you were gonna be here.
This is awkward.
I'm just getting ready
to quietly arraign Xavier.
- What's up?
- Yeah, about that.
I changed my mind.
I don't want to do this.
What?
His arrest
is all over the internet.
"Cancel Xavier Garcia"
is trending.
That's not on you.
His image
is destroyed already.
That feels
like punishment enough.
It's my decision, and I don't
want to be talked out of it.
Sorry.
- Lily...
- Kat.
Whatever you're
about to say, don't.
I feel bad as it is.
Let me try
to get her to testify.
Kat, it's over.
We have
an uncooperative victim.
We need to close this case.
Look, she's family.
Something bad happened.
I understand that, but you
didn't do anything wrong.
I still want to try
and talk to her.
But thanks.
Lily, wait.
I know that you're
having second thoughts,
but Xavier himself
admitted he was guilty.
And he apologized,
and he meant it.
This opened his eyes.
It's not who he wants to be.
Lily.
Have you been
in touch with him?
- Did you talk to him today?
- So?
Can't you see
that you just did
exactly what he wanted?
Xavier said
you're gonna say that.
I know he should've acted
better on our first date.
So does he.
But how could you
have arrested him like that?
He's not a criminal.
And now...
him and I have a real chance.
Captain, how's Noah?
Tested negative.
He's hungry, and he cannot wait
to get back to school.
So I heard Jimmy Gunn
got denied parole.
All because Nora
stood up for herself.
- Mm.
- She turned that board around.
Good for her.
And you were in lockdown
at Sing Sing?
Yeah, actually, it was okay.
It gave the sisters a chance
to work some things out.
All those years,
they never talked to each other
- or their mother.
- Wow.
Well, thank you both
for covering for me.
Of course.
And by the way,
congratulations on your award.
NYPD Women
in Law Enforcement.
Like, they want
to honor me now?
I have this whole
Jayvon Brown lawsuit
hanging over my head.
I just... I don't think
that right now
is the time to be doing
a victory lap.
Maybe that's why
they're giving it to you.
Look, I don't even know
if I'm gonna go.
- I have to write a speech...
- You got a month.
- You need to be there.
- Why?
Because it's good PR for NYPD?
Because you deserve it.
And you should own it.
And you never know
who may show up.
[dramatic music]
♪
[dramatic music]
♪
[wolf howls]