Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 3, Episode 12 - Protection - 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.

Hurry, Mama! Hurry.

Mijo, run. Tell them. Go!

Whoa! What's the rush?

My brother. He's been shot.

Where is he?



They're coming.

Give him to me.
No, he's my baby.

I'll take him inside.

I got a gunshot
wound here! Hurry!

Prep trauma one. Page
surgery and tell OR to stand by.

Doctor, please save
my baby. Save him.

There's no exit wound.
Let's go. Forget trauma.

Oh, my God, don't
let him die. Save him.

He's in good hands. Please!

Let's take a look at you.

Mommy. Mommy.

Officer Jones is gonna take you
for a snack while I help your mom.

No. No. No! I'm
staying with her.

Post two, notify NYPD
for a GSW victim.



No, no. No police, please.

Ma'am, your son has been shot.

We have to call the police.

Now, what is your name?

Lupe Rodriguez.

And your son who's wounded?

Jorge.

Please, go and
check on him. Please.

Mommy.

He's gonna be okay.
Baby, he's gonna be okay.

The kid's lucky.

Still critical, but the docs say

he should make
it through surgery.

Where's the mother?

In the waiting room with her
older son. Real shaken up.

Where is she?

She's gone.

She had the kid in her arms.

Came from over there.

I carried him in, bleeding
all over the place.

Did you search
the building? Yes.

Didn't even wait to see if
her son was dead or alive.

You're from Special Victims?

Yeah, we handle the
child abandonment cases.

Now, Jorge, how's he doing?

Just out of surgery.

And the mother
was acting strange?

She freaked when she
heard me call the cops.

Jorge was shot once
in the lower abdomen.

Any idea how old he is?

Five, maybe six.

What are his chances?

We got the slug. Didn't hit
any major arteries or organs.

He'll recover from this,

but he's got bigger problems.

Bigger problems
than getting shot?

Chest film showed
multiple healed rib fractures,

so I ordered a skeletal survey.

Found even more
healed fractures.

His left ulna, humerus,
one on each side of his face.

Doctor said the kid had the
crap kicked out of him for years.

And nobody in that
ER recognized him?

Or the name.

No Jorge Rodriguez or anyone

matching those injuries
having been treated there.

Mother gave a phony home
address and social security number.

I mean, Lupe's probably
not even her real name.

So they're new in the area, or
the mother hit a different hospital

every time the boy was injured.

Makes it harder to
pick up on the abuse.

Could be she's
protecting a boyfriend

who thought the kid
was an inconvenience.

How about the victim or his
brother were playing with a gun?

He was shot with a 9 mill.

No stippling or powder burns.

Bullet was still inside of him.

He had to be shot from
some kind of distance.

Great, so we got false ID
on the victim and the mother,

no perp, no weapon. Do we
at least have a crime scene?

Checked communications
and the local precinct.

No reports of any shootings around
the time the boy was brought in.

Well, that woman couldn't have
run very far carrying 50 extra pounds.

Cab or car service
would've dropped them

right off at the
emergency room doors.

Fin, John, check with
transit just in case.

After that, call every
ER in the five boroughs.

See if anyone remembers a child

with our John
Doe's old injuries.

Chances are, this family lives
somewhere near that hospital,

and those kids had to
go to school somewhere.

Do you recognize this child?

It's Miguel Ramos, one of our first
graders. What happened to him?

He was shot.

Oh, good Lord. How is he?

Critical, but the doctors
expect him to recover.

That must be why
Luis is absent today.

Luis is Miguel's brother?

Yeah. One of our fifth graders.

Both good students. Quiet,
never cause any trouble.

We're looking for their mother,

but she gave a phony name
and address at the hospital.

That must be a habit of hers.

The letter I sent to their home
last week came back today.

No such address. Phone
number's out of service, too.

That's why I was looking
for Luis this morning.

Her name is Maria. Maria Ramos.

522 Cherry Street.

That's in the middle
of the East River Park.

Now, she would have had to
show proof of her current address

to register the boys, right?

Yeah. I have a
copy of her lease.

I mean, she enrolled
the boys last month.

Everything seemed in order.

It's a standard form.

She could have bought it at
any stationery store and forged it.

Okay. Is there a father?

No. Not in any of the paperwork.

Must be out of the picture.

What about an emergency contact
number or a place where she works?

No. Just a home number
but I know she has a job.

Luis takes Miguel
to a youth center

on Essex Street
every day after school.

Thank you.

Miguel and Luis are regulars.

We try to keep
these latchkey kids

off the street
and out of trouble.

How did it happen?

That's what we're
trying to find out.

Are there any friends
that we can talk to?

Yeah.

Hey, Kevin?

Take over for a minute.

McDONALD: What's up, Mr. Penza?

These detectives
need some information.

This is Kevin McDonald,
he's one of our counselors.

McDONALD: How can I help you?

Tell us about the
Ramos brothers.

Two great kids.

Luis is one step
away from his red belt.

He's got a mean
flying side kick.

You ever see their mother
pick them up from school?

Yeah. She was here yesterday.
Comes by once a week.

The rest of the time, Luis
is more like Miguel's father.

Makes sure nobody
messes with him.

Anybody know where they live?

I walked Miguel home one
night when Luis was out sick.

Nobody named Ramos on here.

I lived in a building
for four years,

never put my name on the buzzer.

I'll ring the super.

Liv, what's that look like?

Ricochet mark.

Goes all the way
down the building.

Shooter either got him
going into the building...

Or coming out.

There's no blood on
the stoop or the sidewalk

I don't see any
blood on the walls.

Doesn't look like there's
any in the street, either.

But there's some over here.

Trajectory of the slugs show the
weapon was fired at a low angle.

Someone crouching
down across the street?

Yeah. More likely a drive-by.

We found more slugs than shells.

So some of the shells
might've ejected into this car.

Or rolled into the sewer.

That's not all.

Angles of the slug marks on the
building get more and more blunt

from the stoop to the
alley, so the car had to stop.

So the shooter fired at somebody
coming out of the building,

then escaped into that alley.

Might explain these.

Skid marks.

Yeah, and they're fresh ones.

Stopped the car, peeled out, he
left that behind. Sideswiped him.

Silver car, black paint.

Also fresh.

Peter, get a shot of this.

Got it.

We'll get the chemistry set out,

match the paint to
the manufacturer.

How long before you get us a
make and model on that car?

For you two, give me a day.

Any luck on the canvass?

Hear no evil, see no
evil. Zero witnesses.

We found the kids' apartment.

They live with Grandma.

Last night when I came
home, the boys weren't here,

so I thought maybe Maria took
Luis and Miguel for the night.

Well, they live here,
but Maria doesn't?

Last month, she
shows up at my door

and asks me to
take care of the boys.

It was the second time
that I see them in two years.

Where is Maria staying?

I don't know where.

With some friends.

But she said that
it was temporary

until she find a
place of her own.

Why would anyone
want to harm them?

Last year, Maria called me.

She was arrested... with drugs

I gave her the bail money,

because she told me that her
boyfriend could never find out.

When she came here
with my grandsons,

I asked her if she was
back with the drugs

and she swore to me
that it was all behind her.

But I knew she was in trouble.

Maria's boyfriend, do
you know where he lives?

In the Bronx.
They live together.

We'll need that address.

You said that you tried to
reach Maria, but you couldn't.

This is her telephone
number where she works,

some restaurant,

in case the boys got sick.

Two other detectives were here
yesterday asking about Maria.

Don't you people
communicate with each other?

That would be much too efficient
for a bureaucracy like ours.

The detectives say
where they were from?

No, but they were undercover.

Looked more like
drug dealers than cops.

What did you tell them?

Maria had a day off.

I didn't know where she was.

She scheduled to
work here today?

She didn't show
up. Not like her at all.

Hard worker, good
attitude, until today.

But if she don't call
me, I got to let her go.

She seem uneasy
about anything lately?

Yeah, two days ago,
she was working the grill.

Some customer comes
in and calls her by name.

She makes like she
doesn't even know the guy,

and then she said she was sick,

and she had to go home.

Okay, if you see her...

Yeah, don't worry, I have
her paycheck. She'll call me.

Hello?

Yes?

Police. I'm Detective Stabler.

This is my partner,
Detective Benson. You are?

Fredo Garcia.
How can I help you?

We're here about your family.

Did something happen to them?

When were they last here?

About a month ago.

I was away on business.
Came back, they were gone.

Can you tell me
what this is about?

Miguel was hurt.

Did she do it?

Why would you say that?

Maria has a crazy temper.

I came home one night,
she was hitting Miguel.

I warned her if she did
it again, I'd call the cops.

I guess that's why she left.

But you didn't
report them missing?

I looked for them myself.
Didn't have any luck.

She wanted to leave me. I figured,
what am I gonna do to stop her?

How long were you two together?

Two years.

And she gave you no indication
where she might've gone?

Didn't even leave a note.

If you find them,
would you tell them

I'd like her and the
boys to come back?

Sure will.

He's so concerned
that Maria beat Miguel

but doesn't ask what
happened to him.

Wonder what Fredo
does for a living.

Somebody's dealing out of here.

Could explain
Maria's drug problem.

Last year Maria was busted
with a dozen dime bags of heroin

and $1,000 cash.

Possession with intent to sell.

First offense, D.A.
knocked it down.

She did a year on probation.

None of this jibes with a woman

slinging burgers
to support her kids.

We figure out their movements
the day of the shooting?

The kids went to school
and the youth center as usual.

Maria picked them up. We don't
know where she was before that.

Yeah, we're thinking they all
went to Maria's mother's place,

even though it was
just Miguel who got shot.

From there, they ran the
three blocks to the hospital.

Well, what about
the ex-boyfriend?

Munch is running a
rap sheet on him now.

Now Fredo's story is,

Maria left because he
threatened to call the cops on her

for beating up her boys.

Maybe Miguel can
tell us what happened.

He's asking for his mother.

What's going on?

Doctor told me
not to say anything.

What happened?

Miguel is dead.

They just told us
that he was awake.

Complications from surgery?

Pillow over his face.
He was smothered.

I was checking his vitals.
He was stable, awake, alert.

I walked out to get a
peds blood pressure cuff.

I was only gone
five minutes. All right.

Now, when you were in there

did Miguel say anything
about the shooting?

He asked for his mother
and his brother, that's all.

Okay, think really hard.

You remember seeing
any strangers on the floor?

Just some visitors and
a maintenance man.

Oh, my God.

What?

The maintenance guy.

He passed the Nurses' Station
as I was going back to Miguel.

I said, "Hi" and he
just kept walking.

Someone I haven't seen before.

Can you describe to
us what he looks like?

Hispanic, average
height, dark hair.

Okay. We'll need you to
describe him to a sketch artist.

I'll tell my boss.

Good.

Let's go.

Pair of patrols found a
maintenance worker's uniform

in the men's room
on the first floor.

Nurse saw him just
before she found Miguel.

Does the mother's
ex-boyfriend look good for this?

We'll have the nurse
work with the sketch artist.

All right, look, I want everybody
who works in this hospital

interviewed quick.

Miguel's mother and
brother could be next.

Look like you could
use some caffeine.

Twelve-hour sack time
would be a lot better.

Sketch of your guy.

Anything back from the lab, yet?

Dozens of prints taken
from the hospital room.

No word yet if it matches
anyone in our system.

Results are in of
the sideswiped car

from the scene of the drive-by.

Your shooter drove
a black '98 Lexus.

Must be a couple of thousand
of those in the Tri-State Area.

Why don't you guys catch
an hour or two up in the crib?

We'll cover for you.

Thanks.

It's gonna have to wait.

What's the problem?

That was Maria Ramos' boss.
She's going to pick up her check.

Manager just gave
me the heads up.

Wake up call, she's at
the counter. Neither did we.

What?

Olivia said she didn't
see her coming in.

Who's that?

Not Maria.

On the way out. Leather
jacket. Orange pants.

We got her.

You want us to take her?

No, not yet. Let's see
where she leads us.

Looks like she's
heading for the bus stop.

You think she's just
bringing that check to Maria?

Think that'd be too easy.

Hey, Luis.

Luis. Let's go.

Leave him alone! Let go of me.

I didn't do anything. BENSON:
Luis, you're not in trouble.

Listen to me, we're cops.
We're here to help you.

What's going on here?

Let's start with your real name.

Annie Colon.

Annie Colon, why are you
picking up Maria Ramos' paycheck?

She asked me to. Where is she?

I don't know. She slept on
my couch for the last week.

Then last night she
said she had to leave,

told me to give
her check to Luis.

You lying to us?

I'm telling the truth, I swear.

Luis, where's your mother?

That's a tough guy, he
doesn't wanna work with us.

I'll tell you what, you
want to play it that way?

Let go of me.

- What are you doing?
- We're taking him in.

No! For what? He's 10 years old!

He's truant.

Stop. Let go.

Luis, we wanna help you.

But you have to help us, too.

Why was your mom scared
to pick up her own paycheck?

You left your little brother
in the hospital, why?

Did you see Miguel?

Yeah, we saw him.

Now, look, we know you
and your mom are in trouble,

and we wanna protect you,
but we've got to talk to her first.

Luis, tell us where you
and your mom are staying.

No. I'm not telling you.

That kid's hanging tough.

Can we hold him?

For cutting class?

As a material witness. We
know he saw something.

We put him in the system,
they put him in juvenile detention,

which just
terrifies him further.

He didn't do anything.
Let's try harder.

Poor kid doesn't even
know about his brother.

Luis have anything on him?

A few bucks, slip of paper

with the word
"Liberty" written on it,

a school subway pass,

and transit says most trips

originate from the
Lawrence Street Station.

N and R trains in Brooklyn,
near the Fulton Mall.

They could be
staying near there.

Then that's where
we look for Maria.

Start with every place
that has Liberty in the name.

Haven't seen anyone
like that around here.

Anyone move into the
building in the last few days?

No. No new tenants
in six months.

Okay. Thanks.

We've been to Liberty
Apartments, Liberty Hotel.

There's a Liberty Avenue exit
off the Van Wyck in Queens.

You know, this is gonna
take us at least a month.

Maria must be
going out of her mind

wondering why Luis
hasn't come home.

What's next on the list?

Liberty Knick Knacks.

If Liberty's not the name of
the place where she's staying,

well, maybe it's where
she's got a new job.

I'm not seeing anybody.

Right there.

Maria.

Go down that aisle.

Can I help you?

Maria Ramos?

You get away from me.

Calm down, Maria.
We're the police.

We need you to come with us.

Why? Why?

You left Miguel in the hospital.

Well, I had to. What's wrong?

My baby, is he okay?

Let's talk privately.

No, no, no, tell me.
What's going on?

Well, tell me, how is my baby?

Miguel's dead.

What are you talking about?
What are you talking about?

He's fine. He's
in a good hospital.

We're sorry, Maria.

No, no, no! You're wrong.
You're so wrong. He's fine.

The doctor told me
he was gonna be okay.

Why don't we talk
somewhere else?

No. Please, please.

Sorry.

No, you're not sorry.
You never help us. Stop it!

Does Luis know about Miguel?

We haven't said anything yet.

Where is he? I have to tell him.

He's here. Safe.

Let me see him.

Maria, Luis is
going to a shelter

until we can place
him in a foster home.

You can't take him away
from me. He's my son.

So was Miguel, but where
were you when he needed you?

I loved him. It's a hell
of a way to show it,

leaving him in that
hospital like that.

I thought he would
be safe there.

From the person who shot him,

or whoever used him
as a punching bag?

Healed fractures in
both arms and ribs.

He had a broken nose.

His jaw was cracked twice.

Was it you?

I never laid a hand on my kids.

Her word against his.

Whose word? STABLER: Fredo.

You talked to Fredo? He knows
I'm here? He knows Luis is here?

How did Fredo treat your kids?

He loved them.

So why don't you
want us to talk to him?

Maria, someone beat up your boy.

Now if it's not you,
then it must be Fredo.

You've got to stop
covering for him.

We can protect you and Luis.

You just don't get it. I can't.

Fredo has her spooked.

How many times have
we seen this, Counselor?

Woman trapped in
a violent relationship

and doesn't want
to press charges.

Yeah, but she left him.
That takes courage.

And no doubt
pissed off the bastard.

Now he wants revenge,
so he shoots her kid.

But he doesn't count
on Miguel surviving,

so he sends somebody to
the hospital to shut him up.

That seems pretty extreme
for a family squabble.

Unless that's not all this is.

John, any luck?

No rap sheet under
the name Fredo Garcia.

Check with Narcotics Task Force.

If this guy's a player,
they got to know about him.

I just got off the
phone with them.

I asked about Fredo, guy says
they never even heard of him.

Then he starts questioning me

like he doesn't think I'm a cop.

The only thing he didn't ask me

was whether I wear
boxers or briefs.

Sounds like they know
something they don't wanna share.

I'll call my office and see
if anybody knows anything.

Thanks.

Any other back
doors we can open?

Fin bolted a couple of
minutes ago, didn't say where.

That usually means
a covert meeting

with one of his operatives
in the drug netherworld.

What did Maria say? Nothing.

We're gonna
have to talk to Luis.

Let me take a run at
him. I speak 10-year-old.

All right.

You didn't finish.
Was the burger okay?

Full.

Sorry. I didn't mean
to treat you like a baby.

Just the way I was brought up.

My mom, you know,
she'd kind of hover over me.

Just the opposite of
you and your mother.

What do you mean?

When I was your
age, I wasn't allowed

to ride my bike
around the corner.

You, you pick up your little
brother at school every day,

ride the subway alone.

You're a pretty independent guy.

Yeah, someone's got to do it.

I have a lot of respect for
you, Luis. I live by myself.

I only have myself
to worry about.

You take care of your
mother, your brother.

I didn't do that too well.

What makes you say that?

Miguel got shot.

That's not your fault.

Yes, it is.

My stomach hurts.

You don't have
to be scared, Luis.

I don't want to talk about it.

Talking can be good.
Make you feel better.

It'll get you into trouble.

You don't have to keep
everything to yourself.

He'll hurt my mom
if I say anything.

Luis, look at me.

Your mom turns to you
for help, doesn't she?

We take care of each other.

I'm a detective. I want
to take care of you, too.

I can't do that
unless you talk to me.

But I promised her I wouldn't.

Your mom's confused,
Luis. She needs your help.

You can't protect her unless
you tell me what Fredo did.

I saw one of Fredo's men

in the car where
the shots came from.

What do you want with me anyhow?

Fredo Garcia mean
anything to you?

You trying to get me
killed? I'm out of here.

Don't move.

If the guy's in the trade, why
don't I know anything about him?

He's new, since you
stopped being a narc.

Keeps a low profile,
my own personal mantra.

Here's my mantra.

I scratched your back,
now I got a major itch.

Unless you want to
be keeping a low profile

in some cell in Rikers.

You got to watch my back.

Talk!

Two years, Fredo's got
the dope market cornered.

How?

By killing off the
local competition.

Joey Stapleton was the
main supplier in the Bronx

till Fredo capped him.

How'd he take over the building?

He hears we had this
talk, I'm a dead man.

Listen, the evidence I have
on you is good for two years.

He forced out some of the
tenants and paid off the rest.

Moved in with some
woman and her kids.

It's a nice little
front for him.

I wouldn't want to be that
bitch right now, though.

Why not?

Word is, he's got
a hit out on her.

For ratting him out to you cops.

Fin's guy says Fredo
charmed his way

into Maria's life,
into her apartment.

He used the whole damn
building for his drug business.

While the rest of his
rats crawl around the city.

We're ready.

Let's do it.

It may be the only
way to nail Fredo.

How's Miguel?

No!

It's not your fault, Mijito.

No.

It's Fredo's fault. I told them.

No, no, no! Tell them you lied.

Tell them! Please,
he takes it back.

He's a child. You tricked him.
You made him tell you lies.

Mom!

Luis, please, listen to me.

No, Mommy, tell them.
Tell them it was Fredo.

Don't be afraid.

Fredo's not just some jealous
lover Maria's trying to escape from.

He happens to be one of
the city's biggest drug lords.

As long as she and Luis are
breathing, they're in danger.

We can keep them
in protective custody.

Safest bet is to get
them out of town.

I need them here to prep the
case, go before the grand jury.

Now we're talking about a hotel.

We got no budget
for witness protection.

Any chance the D.A.'s
office can pony up the bucks?

You know how it works. You pay
before indictment, we pay after.

Come on, 1PP's down our throats
on money ever since the attacks.

Help us out here.
I'll see what I can do.

In the meantime, try to find
someplace that isn't The Plaza.

What about Miguel's funeral?

Crime Victims Board will pay.

And we do the arrangements.

Find a church as far away from her
neighborhood as you possibly can.

Immediate family and us only.

I was in love with Fredo.

He was wonderful.

Until I came home
from work one night.

He was at my kitchen table
with his friends, cutting heroin.

Where were the boys?

Watching them.

I told Fredo to stop, and
he hits me with his gun

and tells me to never embarrass
him in front of his friends.

Later he apologized and
said he wouldn't do it again.

It usually gets worse.

He started to beat
Miguel and Luis, too.

Then he would beg
us to forgive him.

Bring us presents

and promise he
will never do it again.

Until the next time.

Maria, did you ever
try to leave before now?

I had no place to go, no money.

He would only give
me enough to buy food

and spend the rest on
himself and other women.

But, Maria, you were
arrested for drugs.

Were you using?

I never used.

Never. Fredo degraded me.

He made me carry
his drugs inside of me

so the police
wouldn't find them,

forced my boys to run drugs,

told me he would kill them if
we didn't do as we were told.

But you stayed.

Something must
have made you realize

that you had to
get away from him.

One day, Fredo
took Luis' baseball bat

and beat a man unconscious
while Luis and I watched.

I knew we could be next.

Your boss at the restaurant said
that somebody recognized you.

That's how Fredo
found you, isn't it?

It was the man I
delivered the dope to.

He runs Fredo's
operation in Brooklyn.

Everybody decent?

Yeah, come in.

You look so handsome.

We ready?

Yeah.

We'll start in just a moment.

Gracias, Father.

What are they doing here?

Said it couldn't wait.

Detectives Milton...

And Tatum, yeah, from the Bronx.

What's the problem?

She didn't tell you?

Tell us what? Oh, my God.

She and her son Miguel
witnessed Fredo Garcia

off one of his competitors,

a dealer named Joey Stapleton.

I mean, she came to us, but
disappeared before we got her statement.

Fredo's men follow you,
and that's how he found me.

Maria, it's time to
start telling the truth.

Yes, we did see it.

We saw how Fredo killed that
man, and I did call the police.

But I run when they said
I had to testify in court.

I couldn't face Fredo.

Down! Down! Maria's hit!

Shots came from the
back. Stay with them!

10-30. We got shots fired at
the church on Broadway and 177.

We got a civilian down.
We need an ambulance now.

Police! Freeze!

Show us your hands!

Show me your hands.
Show me your hands!

Black Lexus with
silver paint scrapings.

I've been looking
for one of these.

Look at this.

It's good enough to fool the
manager at Maria's restaurant.

Where'd you get that? Shove it.

I'm sorry?

Shove it.

You know something?

Running your mouth like that,
you're gonna wish you'd shot me.

What's your answer now?

No answer. Come on.

How bad? She got it in the arm.

Okay, let's get her out of here.

This way over here, please.

You can't keep us
safe. You can't help us.

We will never be safe.

Go.

Do you recognize anyone?

Number three.

Where do you recognize him from?

He's the one I saw
passing the Nurses' Station

wearing the maintenance
man's uniform.

He killed Miguel Ramos.

You didn't see him kill anyone.

We're not in court.

Thank you. Thanks.

Maria's turn.

Number three. His
name is Eddie Fuentes.

Where do you recognize him from?

He works for Fredo.

I saw him driving the
car when Miguel was shot.

Driving? He wasn't
one of the shooters?

You can't lead her like that.

Okay, Maria, if Fuentes
was driving, who shot Miguel?

Fredo. From the
back seat of the car.

My client wishes to exercise
his right to remain silent.

He'd better say something if
he has any hope of staying alive.

Staying alive?

Miguel was a murder witness.

Killing him in that hospital
means a needle in your arm, Eddie.

You can't prove I did that.

Moron, we got a witness places
you 10 feet from Miguel's room

just before they found him
with a pillow over his face.

Your '98 black
Lexus left skid marks

and paint scrapings at
the scene of the crime.

And we matched the slug in Miguel
to the one you put in his mother.

That's attempted murder of
another witness and six cops.

And if you think the
jury is going to care

that nobody actually
saw you smother Miguel,

I can assure you, they won't.

I don't talk for nothing.

Murder one, life without parole.

What kind of deal is that?

The kind that
keeps you breathing.

You give us Fredo, we take
the death penalty off the table.

You gotta protect me.

We'll keep you out
of the general pop.

Fredo... It was all his idea.

I told him he was crazy,

that doing the kid in the
hospital was too risky.

Why'd he want Miguel dead?

Miguel and Maria.

They saw him
whack Joey Stapleton.

Fredo gave me
60,000 to hit them.

How did you find
Maria and her boys?

First time, we
followed her to the diner

where she met those two cops.

We lost her when she split,
so we followed the cops.

They led us right to the church.

Followed us? That's crap.

Fuentes lies and the deal's
off. He's looking at death row.

Even he's not that stupid.

We need to interview him.

No, he's our catch. He already
rolled on Fredo for your case.

Now, who told you
that we had Maria?

Narcotics Task Force said
you were asking questions.

Someone in your own squad
told us about the funeral.

And your going there
almost cost us Maria and Luis.

Not to mention four of my
detectives and your own sorry asses.

Come on, let
us talk to the girl.

You want in, you
follow my orders.

Did you go to
Maria's hotel first?

Before the church.

Which means Fredo could know
we have Maria and Luis there.

We gotta move them.

You wanna talk to Maria?

We work together to protect her,

and you two just drew
the graveyard shift.

Where's this new hotel?

Rockland County.

You can't take us there.

I don't drive, and we'll
be trapped in that hotel,

and Luis needs to be in school.

Maria, you're gonna
have to trust us.

The only way that
we can keep you safe

from Fredo's people is
to get you out of this city.

You have Eddie Fuentes. Let
Luis and me go. I'll be back to testify.

That's what you told
the other detectives

before you ditched
them and took off.

I did what I had to do
to protect my family.

You almost got yourself
killed. Please, get in.

I never should have gone to
those cops or talked to you.

We could have disappeared,
and Miguel would still be alive.

I killed my own son because
I didn't know what to do.

Let us help you.

You can't help me.

He could be one
of Fredo's people.

Or him, or them, or anybody.

You can't stop them.

If you just work with
us, we can protect you.

That's what the other cops
said and look what happened.

I'm not testifying
against Fredo.

Listen to me, as long as you're
out there, you're a threat to Fredo.

He can't afford
to leave you alive.

He'll never leave you alone.

Now, you refuse to
testify, we'll subpoena you.

If you still refuse to
testify, you go to jail

and you lose Luis
to a foster home.

Then take him!

Put him in someplace
where they can never find him.

We can't live like this anymore.

She has to testify.

Well, you can't blame her.

Fredo killed Miguel because
Maria talked to the Bronx detectives.

Maria doesn't nail him, he
wins. You'd cut her loose?

I'm just saying that
we're part of her problem.

She thinks that
we're punishing her

by making her a moving target,

and she's right.

She's in more danger
having us around.

Is there any way to do
this without Maria and Luis?

They saw Fredo shoot Miguel. Maria
watched him murder Joey Stapleton.

We have Eddie Fuentes.

He's a co-conspirator. Without
corroboration, I can't even indict.

You know, if we were the Feds,

we could give her a
whole new identity, new life.

No honor among thieves.
Fuentes squealed like a pig.

Gave up Fredo's operation
including the layout of Fredo's crib

complete with all
the escape routes.

Maria's not talking till we
get Fredo out of the picture.

We'd better do it quick.

They go to the grandmother's
house to get Luis' asthma medicine.

Luis fakes sick. Maria and
Luis go into the bathroom,

close the door behind them,
and Maria bolts out the fire escape.

Tatum and his partner lost her.

Couple of square-badge security
guards wouldn't have fallen for that.

Yeah, we better pick up
Fredo before he finds out.

Decision time, Counselor.

I'll wake up a judge. The
warrant will be for the drugs only.

What you want, man?

Trying to get a taste, player.

4:00 in the morning,
man, we're closed.

Open up.

Yo, you rob for that?

Do you really care? You
gonna turn down this business?

Yo, I've never seen
you before, man.

I ain't never seen you
before, man. Come on.

Inside. Follow me.

You trying to take me off,
man? You in big trouble.

Shut up. Police.
We're all clear.

Police! Don't move.

Police.

We've got the
building surrounded.

Open the door slowly
and throw the gun out.

Get out! I'm
taking care of this.

Maria.

Maria, it's Detective
Stabler. Are you all right?

Go away.

Do it.

Maria, put down the gun.

The bitch shot me!

Maria, Maria, he's never
gonna hurt you again.

Now give us the gun.

Shoot her! I didn't do anything!

You killed my son, you bastard!

Don't listen to
him. Listen to us.

Killing him won't
bring Miguel back.

Maria, you have another
son. Think about Luis.

He will be safe. STABLER:
But he won't have a mother.

Now just put down the
gun, and this will all be over.

Come on, Maria, make Luis proud.

Come on, Maria.

How bad? It's killing me.

That's good. It's just the knee.

I'll call EMS.

Where's Luis? He's
at my mother's house.

He was going for the gun, the
one he keeps in the bedroom.

The bitch is a liar.

Shut up.

Maria, calm down.
Calm down. Look at me.

Look at me. Where
did you get the gun?

On the street. I bought it.

Come on.

Alex, this is a big mistake.

Maria bought a
gun with our money.

To protect herself and her son.

To assassinate her ex-boyfriend.

What's going on?

Alex wants to indict Maria.

For what?

Attempted murder.

Are you kidding me? Fredo terrorized
Maria and her sons for two years.

That doesn't give her the
right to become a vigilante.

This isn't about revenge,
Alex. It's self-defense.

No, Olivia, Fredo's gun
was two rooms away.

Unless Maria had
reason to believe

her life was in
immediate danger,

she had no justification
for shooting him.

How about extreme
emotional distress?

Doesn't apply here.

Maria knew exactly
what she was doing.

She dropped Luis
off at her mother's.

She ditched the
Bronx detectives.

She bought the gun,
and she went to kill Fredo.

We put her in that position
because we couldn't protect her.

No one could guarantee
Maria's safety 100%.

Look, she is scared
for her life and her boy's.

Maria committed a crime.

Which we are partly responsible
for. Alex, cut her a break.

I have to enforce the law.

Maria is your only eyewitness to
Fredo executing Joey Stapleton.

Convict her and
her credibility is shot,

along with your murder
case against Fredo.

The law is not always about
justice. Your words, remember?

Maria didn't kill anybody.

But, Fredo, Fredo's got two bodies
to his name that we know about.

We don't lop his head
off now, he will kill again,

and if anything happens
to Maria or Luis, it's on you.

Get on the bus, Mijo.

Okay.

Take care of yourself, Luis.

Bye.

Would you tell my mother?

That you've left town, yes,
but not where you've gone.

You'll have to call us.

I will.

Thank you.

Good luck.

Thank you.

He murdered her
child. She'll be back.