Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 3, Episode 14 - Counterfeit - full transcript
A woman is found by her car, where she had been raped and killed. Benson and Tutuola try to figure out why there were drugs in the victim's trunk but then find that a similar rape was committed. This victim says that a police officer raped her after pulling her over for a supposed driving violation. The DA now has to zero in on the corrupt cop.
NARRATOR: 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,
WOMAN ON POLICE RADIO :
,,, 2 Edward, and 65 shows
no warrants, no warrants,
SORRE: 22 Edward, 1 0-4.
It ain't stolen.
ROBBINS: Someone could
afford a nice car Iike this,
you think
they'd get a room.
Yeah, but it's empty.
You're out of Iuck.
This is no
free show tonight.
Couldn't have
been here very Iong.
It's still in one piece.
Could have broken down
and the owner went for help.
With the keys
in the ignition?
Who's going to do that?
The guy that can't afford
the payments on his Iease.
I bet he Ieft the car here,
and he reports it stolen
in a day or two.
You bet, you Iose.
What?
What are you talking about?
(SIREN WAILING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
AII right. Nice dress.
Yeah. It was a nice date.
Where's Munch?
He banged in sick.
He's such a hypochondriac.
How many times has he had
anthrax this week?
Victim's name
is Paula Grace.
No driver's Iicense
in her wallet,
just cash
and credit cards.
Her car registration says
she Iived in the East 50s.
Nice dress.
What have we got?
Rape-homicide.
FIuid on her thighs,
perineal tears.
Lots of pre-mortem bruising.
Cause of death?
Massive head trauma.
Any signs of a weapon?
BIoody rock
underneath her head
when we rolled the body.
Won't know for sure
till we get her back
to the morgue.
Thanks.
We have any idea
what she was doing down here?
Cops say this is
Iike a Iovers' Iane.
Could have been
a romantic interlude
gone wrong.
What did you find
inside the car?
Nothing but her purse.
I haven't checked
the trunk yet.
(OFFICERS CHATTERING
ON POLICE RADIO)
Trunk release
isn't working.
FIN: Keys either.
You see this in Narcotics.
Drug dealer's too cheap
to put in a stash spot
so they re-key the Iocks,
then disable
the manual release.
Were you a car thief
in a former Iife?
Nah, baby.
Boy Scout. AIways prepared.
What the hell is Rytex?
Whatever it is,
she's got a pharmacy
back here.
Burning the midnight oil?
Just Iike you ordered.
What've we got?
Paula Grace.
She worked in
a pharmaceutical company
called Quantum,
up in Westchester.
She couldn't have
walked out of the office
with all those drugs
and nobody noticed.
She didn't. Her company
doesn't make Rytex.
Morning. Nice dress.
Don't start.
We find out
what this Rytex is yet?
Yeah. It's a hot
new cancer drug.
Doc Warner says
a 10-week course
costs about $25,000.
Which makes the supply
in the victim's trunk
worth a cool million.
Who knows
what on the black market?
Anybody who knew
those drugs were there
could have
driven off in her car.
Well, if the murder
isn't about the drugs,
what was she doing
under the West Side Highway?
Could be she was supposed
to meet a buyer there
and some random predator
got to her first.
Buyer shows up,
finds the body,
can't get the trunk open,
isn't going to risk driving
off in a murder victim's car.
CSU found the trunk key
hidden under the carpet.
Which means she didn't
want anybody to know
what was in there.
Let's find out why.
RAGOLIA: I can't believe
this happened to Paula.
We're all in shock.
This is where Paula worked,
on one of our drug research
teams.
What kind of research?
Squamous cell
esophageal cancer.
We're very close to testing
a promising new treatment.
Is that something
your company's
working on alone?
No. There's a drug
on the market called Rytex,
but we believe that ours
will be more efficacious.
When did you Iast see
Miss Grace?
Last night, around 8:00.
She said that
she was finishing up.
I assumed that she was
heading home from here.
It's a Iong commute
to Manhattan, Mr. Ragolia.
She always drive?
Paula always said
that it was the best
part of her day,
her chance to
clear her head.
That's why she would
never move up here.
Does she have any family,
a boyfriend?
Both her parents are dead.
She never mentioned
anyone special.
She mostly kept
to herself at work.
I insisted that she spend
the holidays with me,
my wife and my kids.
Sounds Iike you
really took her
under your wing.
In this business,
nurturing talent
can make you billions.
Paula was on her way
to a very bright future here.
What a waste.
Your victim
has vaginal bruising
and Iacerations from the rape.
No semen,
just Rough Rider.
I ID'd the brand
of condom Iubricant
using the FBI database.
What about the rock?
Embedded in the ground,
but definitely
what killed her.
The trauma is
to the Iower right quadrant,
but with an upward impact.
Fracture pattern of the skull
indicates one fatal blow,
probably while she was
trying to fight him off.
So if the perp
didn't hit her
with the rock,
he may not have realized
why she suddenly
stopped resisting.
She get a piece of him?
Just his clothes.
Navy blue fibers
under her fingernails.
AIready sent it to the Iab.
I'm running the fibers now.
No prints in the car
other than hers.
Too much time
on your hands?
My kid visits, always Ieaves
something behind in my office.
My son used to
Iove these, too.
Used them to make
a model of your crime scene.
Here's the car.
We found her clothes
over here.
Nothing but garbage
around the body.
Any idea
how the perp got there?
There were tire tracks
behind her car,
made by different tires.
Goodyear radials, very worn.
But what was in her trunk
is much more interesting.
FIN: The Rytex?
I tested it. It's fake.
A million dollars worth
of sugar pills? Why?
Drug counterfeiting
is a booming industry.
Huge amounts
of fake antibiotics have
been sold over the Internet
and at Mexican pharmacies.
What about these?
High grade knock-offs.
Look Iike the real deal,
worthless for treating cancer.
But worth a hell of a Iot
to Paula.
BENSON: Nice place.
I wonder how many
cancer patients had to die
so she could get these views.
How Iong had Miss Grace
Iived here?
AImost a year.
Nice Iady.
Good tipper
at the holidays.
What about boyfriends?
Visitors?
None that I ever saw.
But Miss Grace didn't
Iook Iike she had guys
knocking down her door.
How much Ionger
is this going to take?
You got a train to catch?
Some prospective tenants
are coming to see the place.
How about a Iittle respect?
The Iady's been dead
Iess than a day.
She said
she was moving out.
See for yourself.
You have any idea
where she was moving?
AII I know is the owners
called and said to start
showing the place.
Gucci, Prada, Chanel,
it's pretty pricey stuff
for a Iab tech.
Living above her means.
You Iadies are all alike.
Do you have a copy
of her Iease?
I don't think she had one.
She knew the owners.
BENSON: We're going
to need to talk to them.
I'II get you the number.
Name's Ragolia, Mr. and Mrs.
You seen either of them
around here recently?
Mr. Ragolia,
about once a week.
Said he was measuring
for renovations.
How much of this
do you think
Mrs. Ragolia knows?
It's terrible what happened
to Paula.
How well
did you know her?
She came for Thanksgiving
and Christmas
the past two years.
One of those introverted
science types.
But you felt you could
trust her in your apartment.
That was Kevin's idea.
I was more concerned with
finding someone who could
afford $7,500 a month.
That's a Iot on
a researcher's salary.
Kevin said Paula had
family money she inherited
when her parents died.
I think she went through
most of it.
BENSON: Is that why
she was moving out?
She told Kevin
she wanted to Iive
closer to the office.
She could rent
a place up here for
a third of what she paid us,
still have enough
Ieft over for a car.
I thought
she had a car already.
Didn't she drive to work?
No. Paula told me herself
she hated taking the train
every day.
We checked
Paula Grace's financials.
She never paid a nickel
in rent to Ragolia.
Or chipped in
on the car she Ieased.
Ragolia co-signed
and made all the payments.
So she gets tired
of being a kept woman,
he gets
jealous-soon-to-be-
ex-Iover's disease.
Ragolia's wife
is a knockout.
Why cheat on her with somebody
who Iooked Iike Paula Grace?
Maybe she had
something else he wanted.
Oh, I can't
wait to hear this.
Your sympathy's
overwhelming.
What happened to you?
Skydiving. Hard Ianding.
He said he wiped out
riding his friend's Harley.
Yeah, and the only thing
he's riding now is a desk.
Dump on the victim's
cell phone just came back.
Let's find out
who she called.
Sure, make the gimp
do the busywork.
How much Ionger
is the trial?
Couple more days of testimony.
You know, I got
a background check
on Paula Grace.
Got a Bachelor's
from the Pennsylvania
College of Pharmacy,
Master's in Biochemistry
from Cornell.
So, why are the drugs
in the trunk fake?
Industrial espionage?
Well, if she's
acting as a spy for
the makers of Rytex,
they're not paying her
too well.
She has a Iittle
under $2,000
in her combined
bank accounts.
She's a mole, all right,
but for the good guys.
Paula made two calls
Iast night.
A short one to Ragolia,
and a very Iong one
to an unlisted number.
I called the number.
It's our friends at the FBI.
She's blowing the whistle
on her own company.
Quantum's about to test
their version of Rytex.
MUNCH: So they conspire
to undermine the competition.
They sell fake Rytex
under the table
at half price to
pharmacies around the country,
knowing that
when the drug fails,
doctors are going to
Iook for an alternative.
They didn't count
on Paula Grace
going to the Feds
with her trunk
full of evidence.
Which gives Ragolia
a couple hundred million
reasons to shut her up.
Bring him in.
Thank you for coming in.
We just got a few things
we need to clear up.
Anything I can do to help.
It was...really
admirable of you,
making Paula
a part of your family.
Well, my wife's
just as responsible
for that as I am.
She Iiked Paula a Iot.
Really?
Then how come
she didn't know
that you paid for
her apartment and her car?
How dare you talk to
my wife behind my back?
FIN: We don't need
your permission.
We found enough fake Rytex
in the back of Paula's car
to stock about
two dozen pharmacies.
RAGOLIA: Fake Rytex?
Yeah.
Why would I know
anything about that?
No, you're not that smart,
are you?
But Paula was.
That's why you seduced her.
Big executive Iike yourself
interested in the mousy,
shy Iittle girl,
paying for her apartment,
paying for her car,
and she helps you out
with your Iittle scheme.
What scheme?
FIN: Quantum's stock
is taking a dive
while your promising
competition to Rytex
is 18 months behind schedule.
BENSON: So you flood
the market with fake Rytex
to damage its reputation.
Then, when your product
comes out, your company
rakes in all the profits.
You were set to cash in,
till you find out
she was working for the Feds.
What?
She was on her way
to bring the fake Rytex,
and you, to the FBI
when she was killed.
I didn't kill her.
I needed her.
Till you were done with her.
She wanted me
to Ieave my wife.
I said, "No way."
Later, she called me.
Said she was going
to make me sorry.
I didn't think
she'd go to the Feds.
That's it
until I get my Iawyer.
I wouldn't get
too comfortable.
He Iawyered up.
We're handing Ragolia
off to the FBI.
Paula Grace
was in the wrong place
at the wrong time.
Another victim?
Same area, same M.O.,
but this one
is still breathing.
(SIGHING)
Victim made the 911
from her cell phone.
Couldn't get a word
out of her.
Okay. We got it
from here. Thank you.
Thanks.
Hi, I'm detective Benson.
I'd Iike to ask you
a few questions.
What's your name?
Francesca Jesner.
Can you tell me
what happened?
He made me
get out of the car.
I thought
he was going to kill me.
Did you see his face?
Not really.
How about
what he was wearing?
It was a blue uniform.
He was a cop.
A client of mine
had a party at Lucio's.
I was driving home
when the cop pulled me over.
Tell me
what happened next.
He walked up to my window
and shined a Iight in my eyes,
so I couldn't see him.
He said I was weaving
and asked for my Iicense.
Then he made me get out
and take a breathalyzer.
Had you been drinking?
No.
He said that if I would
have sex with him,
he wouldn't arrest me.
When I refused, he got angry.
So I pretended to pass out.
(SOBBING)
He dragged me from the car
and said that
he knew I was faking,
and that he was going
to kill me.
So I Iet him.
During the attack,
did he say anything?
Nothing.
What did the car Iook Iike?
Unmarked.
Had a red Iight
on the dashboard.
It was a dark color.
Dark blue or black.
Francesca, is there
anything else that you can
remember? Anything at all?
He used a condom.
This is really,
really important.
Do you remember
what he did with the wrapper?
He put it in his pocket.
I remember thinking,
"Why would he keep that?"
Oh, my God. He kept
my driver's Iicense, too.
He knows where I Iive.
How's Francesca's rape kit?
It Iooked clean,
but we got a problem
with her blood alcohol.
Over the Iimit?
Way over.
Doc says she would
have blew about 0.12.
She said she never
had a drink.
Well, that's a good way
to get out of a DWI.
Accuse the cop of rape.
Well, he sure thinks
Iike a cop.
Took the condom wrapper
so now we can't get prints.
If there was a condom.
You think Francesca's
Iying about the rape?
She Iied about being drunk.
Maybe it's just a habit.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Francesca Jesner
has two prior DWIs.
The Iast one,
she got belligerent
with the arresting officer
and was charged
with resisting.
So this time she figured
she'd Iie her way out of it.
Or maybe
she's telling the truth.
These cases have
too much in common.
Same area,
same time of night...
Paula Grace's homicide
was front page news.
Enough details
for Francesca
to fake her story.
There is no way
that she could have
faked that traumatized.
I'm telling you, Captain,
this woman was raped.
I just don't want to
send the rat squad
on some witch hunt
and screw
some innocent cop.
Neither do I.
Could've been
anybody in a uniform.
Didn't have to be a real cop.
It doesn't matter.
This woman is a rape victim
until we prove otherwise.
Nobody is jumping
to any conclusions
until we investigate
this case, okay?
Two DWIs and she's still
behind the wheel?
Her Iicense was revoked
once before.
She just got it back.
She is one moving violation
away from Iosing it for good.
Which gives her
the motive to Iie
when she got
pulled over Iast night.
I'II have Munch
pull all citations
and radio runs
from that precinct.
You two check out
the victim's story,
and not a word to anybody.
It was a big party.
Some hip artiste rented
the whole place out.
Open bar, top-shelf booze,
everybody off the A-Iist.
Must've been
300 people here.
Was she one of them?
Vodka-coke, no ice.
Three hundred guests
and you remember her
that quick?
She must've been
chained to the bar.
She was knocking them back
pretty steady.
AIone?
No, she was all over a guy,
hot and heavy.
When she started
getting sloppy, I think
he walked her out.
What did this guy
Iook Iike?
I don't know.
BIonde, tall.
You know,
every woman's dream.
I didn't Ieave with anyone.
Bartender says otherwise.
Parking attendant says
he saw both of you
Ieave in your car.
I say a cop raped me,
and you stick up
for your own.
Francesca, you Iied
about being drunk.
I want to believe you.
I do.
But you're not making it
easy for me.
I didn't tell you
about the drinking
because I knew
you would think
I made up the rape.
FIN: What about the guy
you Ieft with?
I used to work with him.
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
He's married.
I don't want him involved.
Well he's going to be,
unless you start
telling the truth.
Excuse me.
We parked and had sex.
When we finished,
he caught a cab.
I started to drive home
and the cop pulled me over.
You should've told me that
from the beginning.
We'II be back.
What's up?
CSU wants us back
at the crime scene.
So what's here
that you couldn't
tell us on the phone?
A picture's worth
a thousand words.
Take me through
your victim's account
of what happened.
Francesca said that
the perp walked through
the alcohol field test here
and as she was coming back
is when he grabbed her.
See these drag marks?
They match the shoes
your victim was wearing.
We found gravel inside them.
These are
your perp's footprints,
and the tire tracks
match the ones
from across the way,
where Paula Grace
was found.
Shoe prints
tell us anything
about our mystery man?
Based on the depths
of the shoe impressions
and their size,
I'd say he's about
six foot, 200 pounds.
Are there any cops
on your Iist of suspects?
What makes you think
it's a cop?
The blue fibers from under
Paula Grace's fingernails
are consistent
with NYPD issue
uniform pants.
MUNCH:
If Francesca Jesner
was pulled over by a cop,
he did not write a summons.
In fact, there were no
traffic stops or checkpoints
anywhere near the area,
either night.
CRAGEN: What about radio runs?
AII cars accounted
for in the 22 both nights.
Except one.
Unmarked?
Anticrime.
The cops worked in uniform.
Both nights,
MIA during the time
of the attacks.
Missing for how Iong?
Forty-nine minutes
unaccounted for
at the time
of Paula Grace's homicide,
and 36 Iast night.
CRAGEN: We have names?
Yeah.
AI Marcosi and Roger Graves.
Marcosi's got
more than 10 years on,
most of it on midnights.
Graves got out
of the academy
Iast spring.
Victim says
it was a white guy,
so Graves gets a pass.
Unless he knew
what his partner was
doing on traffic stops.
We got to get
their car down to CSU,
see if the tire tracks match.
Which means we're gonna
have to involve IAB.
I'II call the action desk,
have their jackets pulled,
see if either one's
been a target before.
Captain, before you do that,
Iet us take a run over
at the 22.
If this Marcosi
is a wrong cop,
I don't want him wise
that we Iike him for this.
Yeah. Lieutenant over there
is my old boss who works
midnights, Phil Urzi.
I'II finesse him.
URZI: That strip under
the West Side Highway,
worst spot
in the whole precinct.
Car strippers,
prostitution, narcotics.
But this is the first homicide
down there in years.
We're thinking
that something
scared our perp off,
that's why
we're checking
all police presence
in that sector
at the time of the attack.
We Iistened
to the division radio-tapes.
Two of your guys,
we can't figure out
where they were.
Marcosi and Graves.
How'd you know?
My problem children.
Two gold shield wannabes
who don't play by the rules.
We can't account for them
for about a half-hour.
Well, Iast night,
they were still
marked at a job,
but they'd been gone
40 minutes.
CIeared the job quick
when they heard
I was out Iooking for them.
But why haven't you
ripped them yet?
Because Marcosi and Graves
bring in the big collars.
Guns, drugs.
Stopped a robbery in progress
three nights ago.
You mind if we have
a Iittle chat with them?
Not to bust their chops,
but we're thinking
maybe they saw something
that can help us out
with our case.
URZI: I don't mind.
But I guarantee Marcosi will.
Probably wants
the collar himself.
Man, can you believe it?
BENSON:
Hey, guys, got a minute?
You are?
OIivia Benson,
Special Victims.
This is Fin Tutuola.
We caught the two cases
under the West Side Highway.
How can we help you?
We thought maybe you saw
something if you guys were
down there the other night.
MARCOSI: Usually it's
the first place we check
at the top
of the tour because
that's where
most of the crimes
are committed in the precinct.
But both times
we were someplace else.
I wish we were there.
We've been
searching for the vehicle
in the bulletin ever since.
Can we call you
if we need anything?
MARCOSI: Sure, you know
where you can find us.
Thank you.
They were probably off
handling some investigation
they didn't want
your Iieutenant friend
to know about.
Yeah, well,
maybe you should
have asked them.
What, you got a problem?
Yeah, I do.
You softballing them
Iike that.
I'm not going to go hard
on two good cops unless
I think they done something.
What side are you on?
The victim's, where
we're supposed to be.
Yeah, well,
what about the truth?
Your victim's
definitely not
telling that.
Oh, and your cops are?
You didn't even ask them.
You sounded more Iike
their union rep
than anything else.
I just call it
how I see it.
Yeah? We just
blew our chance.
And now it's IAB's call.
Your detectives
went against policy.
They were following
my orders on our case.
For which a cop
may be a suspect.
We investigate cops.
And we investigate
sex crimes.
Look, it's not Iike
we were trying to hide
anything from you.
You spoke to a target
without us.
You of all people
should know better, Captain.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
You knew about Marcosi
before we called you?
He's been under investigation
for six months.
Having sex
with a prostitute
in exchange
for a reduced charge.
And you didn't nail him?
Oh, we tried.
But we couldn't find her.
She's been missing ever since.
You're getting pretty good
with those.
Better than Iifting weights.
Best workout I've had
in a Iong time.
When you going to tell me
how you really got hurt?
Why should I give that up
when you never even
once mentioned that
you have offspring?
My son? What,
OIivia told you that?
I bare my soul to you,
and you can't even share
that there's
a Iittle Tutuola
running around?
He's not Iittle. He's 18.
What did you find out?
Prostitute's name
is Raquel Stephens.
Missing Persons
has no record of a report.
How did IAB get onto him?
Anonymous tip.
Well, maybe
there's something
in her previous collars.
I already
cross-referenced them
with other prostitutes
picked up at the same time.
Raquel was joined
quite regularly by
a Miss Mandy Mangum.
Including the night
of the alleged incident.
MANDY:
You come to remind me
of my right to remain silent?
You're Raquel's friend.
And Marcosi's yours.
And if he made
Raquel disappear,
he's no friend of ours.
Why the hell
should I trust you?
Because cops Iike Marcosi
make the rest of us Iook bad.
If he did
something to Raquel,
he's going down.
You got our word on it.
I used to share a place
with Raquel.
She disappeared about
a week after we got busted.
We know you two
were collared together
that night. What happened?
We were cuffed to
a bench in the precinct,
and Marcosi came by.
Raquel bummed a cigarette,
and he took her into
a break room to smoke it.
FIN:
She tell you what he said?
She give him a freebie,
and he'II get
our case dropped.
So she did it right there
in the precinct.
Marcosi offer you
the same deal?
No, but he had
a real woody for Raquel.
Next day he called her,
asked her for a date.
She was excited.
Thought she might have
a permanent
get-out-of-jail-free card.
When I Ieft for the weekend
she had plans with him.
Did you tell any other cops
about this?
Some guy from Internal Affairs
came by about
six months ago.
I played dumb.
I don't want
to disappear, too.
If you think of anything else,
give us a call.
You convinced now?
Not on the word
of some hooker.
Those fibers under
Paula Grace's fingernails
could have come
from any one of 40,000 cops.
But the tire tracks
on the perp's car didn't.
BENSON: When did these
go on?
TREVOR: Yesterday,
according to Motor Pool.
At whose request?
The cops who drive it.
Said someone
stuck an ice pick
in two of the tires.
Guess Motor Pool figured,
might as well
replace them all.
Even if we find them
on some pile,
the chain
of custody's broken.
Looks kind of clean
for an anticrime car.
Someone had
the undercarriage washed.
So we're screwed?
Not totally.
Gravel.
From all four wheel wells.
Consistent with what we found
in Francesca Jesner's shoes.
Your captain called.
You got to get back.
What's going on?
Trouble.
News is running a story
on a rapist cop
in the morning edition.
How did it Ieak?
Hopefully not from here.
You're Iooking at four
of the five people
who know about this,
and nobody wants the media
badmouthing the job.
Well, now that it's out,
we're running on
borrowed time.
The paper won't
hold the story
to safeguard
the investigation?
They feel public safety
overrides.
What about the safety
of the roads?
Story breaks,
nobody stops for the police.
And Marcosi gets
rid of his evidence.
We need a warrant
for his Iocker.
Well, my bosses
are going to want
more than
a couple rocks and fibers
before they go after a cop.
Then put a spin on it
as a necessary step to clear
Marcosi if he's not involved.
AIex, we don't move fast
on this, we Iose them.
Okay.
Thanks.
OFFICER 1: I smell a rat.
OFFICER 2: Make that three.
Come on, fellows.
Here we go. 157.
(OFFICERS CHATTERING)
BENSON:
He's quite the Iadies' man.
Let's bag everything.
Bingo.
Rough Riders.
Our favorite brand.
Hey, that's private property.
Yeah?
These private property, too?
Locker belongs to the city.
The contents are mine.
You can't do this.
Well, this says we can.
You got to talk to us.
BENSON: Have your union
delegate meet you over
at SVU.
I don't need a union delegate.
I got nothing to hide.
You think
that I killed a girl
under the West Side Highway?
Are you nuts?
You fit the description
of the suspect.
AIong with 100 other guys
in my command.
But the only one
unaccounted for
at the time
of both crimes is you.
I bend the rules
a Iittle, so what?
Well, then
there's your vehicle,
matches what the perp drove,
and Forensics places you
at the crime scene.
AIong with a dozen
other cars.
We're constantly
checking the area.
Why'd you take it
to the car wash?
It was caked in mud.
Is that
why you conveniently
had the tires replaced?
We came out
and found two flats,
courtesy of an ice pick.
CRAGEN: You got an out
for everything, don't you?
I don't have to explain
how I work to you.
Nobody in that precinct
brings in more collars
than me.
Really?
Well, how many cops
in the precinct date hookers?
Oh, I get a Iittle
bit on the side.
I don't pay for it.
That's not a crime.
It is when you
make them disappear.
(PAGER BEEPING)
What are you talking about?
IAB is investigating you
for Raquel Stephens.
Excuse me.
Raquel?
BENSON: Yeah, Raquel.
You collared her Iast year.
She gave you a freebie.
You Iet her walk,
then she just disappears
after her Iittle date
with you.
She went to an alcohol rehab
somewhere upstate.
FIN: You remember where?
She didn't say.
I swear, I didn't
do anything to her.
You want to go down
for this?
I am not going down.
I didn't rape those girls.
I break the rules
a Iittle bit,
but I get results.
We're trying
to help you here, AI.
Why should I believe you?
You just got to
take my word for it.
We're talking
rape-homicide here.
If you didn't do it,
worst thing IAB can do
to you is a five-day rip.
I was down there
the night of the murder,
under the West Side Highway.
FIN: Doing what?
I had a date in the car.
Where was your partner?
Looking out for me,
and it's a good thing
he was.
He see anything?
Yeah.
Our boss, Lieutenant Urzi,
came driving towards us.
So Graves comes up,
knocks on the window.
We got out of there,
no Iights,
before Urzi caught us.
Who was the girl?
Some random citizen
picked me up. She offered.
I don't even know her name.
Give us a second.
FIN: Marcosi's talking.
Put himself
at the scene the night
of Paula Grace's murder.
We got another victim.
Marcosi's been with us
for hours.
No, no, no.
It could still be him.
This is six weeks old.
And she's just
reporting it now?
She was afraid
to accuse a cop,
came forward after
she saw it on the news.
Where is she?
Interview.
Fin, I want you
on the phone to IAB.
They're sweating
Marcosi's partner
Graves now.
I want to know
everything they got.
OIivia, I'm calling in Huang.
I want you and him
in with the victim.
I came off
the West Side Highway,
took a shortcut.
He stopped me,
said that I was speeding.
He told me
to get out of the car.
Then he told me
to take off my clothes.
I just obeyed.
I kept staring at
the gun on his belt.
BENSON: You didn't
have a choice, Stacia.
Maybe I should have
screamed, fought back.
A cop with a gun
stopped you.
You made the right decision.
You survived.
Stacia, can I ask you
a question?
During the rape,
did he experience
any sexual difficulties?
He was on top of me,
and then he stopped,
and at first I thought
that he'd finished,
but then I realized
that he Iost his, you know...
His erection.
Yeah.
So then,
how did he react to that?
I opened my eyes
and he slapped me
across the face so hard
that I cried out.
And then he started again.
Stacia,
do you recognize
any of these men?
It was dark
and my eyes were closed.
I never saw his face.
Thank you. Excuse me.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
I called IAB.
Graves isn't talking.
CRAGEN: Where was Marcosi?
I checked the roll call.
He wasn't working that day.
He's got everything else
covered.
What do you want
to bet he's got an alibi?
Doc, can you help us
out here?
The badge, the uniform
and the gun all bolster
your perp's sense of power,
which enhances
his masculinity
and his control.
That's probably why
he became a cop
in the first place.
He keeps their driver's
Iicenses as trophies.
Strong possibility.
Every time
he Iooks at them again,
he relives the thrill.
She didn't resist,
he couldn't perform,
so he hits her.
I mean, this guy
gets off on violence.
And killing the first victim
probably gave him an appetite
for more.
If that car hadn't come by,
he would have killed
Francesca Jesner, too.
Marcosi fit your profile?
Well, I'd Iike to spend
some time with him.
Do it.
I've seen your arrest record.
It's very impressive.
Ever since
I was a Iittle boy,
all I wanted to be
was a detective.
Thrill of the chase?
I make a collar,
I get a real rush.
The same rush you get
when a beautiful woman
comes on to you?
Yeah.
Yeah, it's kind of
the same, you know?
It's Iike a game.
"Will she? Won't she?"
And if she says no?
PIenty of fish in the sea.
What about on duty?
What do you do when you
meet a woman on the job?
Department regs
say stay away,
but I can't help it
if these girls
call the command
and they come
Iooking for me.
You do all this
great work on the street,
and they won't
give you a gold shield.
That must frustrate you.
You know what frustrates me?
Everybody is so concerned
about my personal Iife.
You can't make detective,
you break a few rules.
You can't get a woman
to sleep with you,
what do you do?
You are so wrong.
I don't need to rape.
You think I did this?
Give me a chance
to clear myself.
You bring in your victims.
I'II stand in a Iineup.
How's Francesca going to
pick Marcosi out of a Iineup
when she couldn't
even give us a sketch?
What the hell's
going on over here?
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
BENSON: Hey, what's up?
If you're Iooking
for Franny, you're too Iate.
Francesca Jesner?
That girl sure knows
how to party.
Your buddy
got her in the car
without your help.
A cop?
They've arrested her
before.
Thought she was going
to claw his eyes out
before he got
the cuffs on her,
yelling he raped her.
Perp must have seen
a news story
and snatched Francesca up
so she couldn't ID him.
Neighbors get a make
on the car, or a plate?
AII they gave us
was a dark sedan,
red Iight on the dash.
Marcosi's still here.
Rule him out.
How much time we got, Doc?
He chose not to kill her
in the apartment
because he wanted
the thrill of arresting her.
I'd guess
he'd keep her for a while,
until he got tired of her.
Anything?
I checked Communications.
No cars called in on a job
or a response anywhere
near Francesca's apartment.
Maybe Fin's right
and our guy isn't a cop.
You said that the badge
makes our perp feel
Iike a real man.
Ted Bundy and how many
other serial killers
did the exact same thing?
What if our guy's
just some schmuck
playing dress up?
Men impersonate cops
for the same reason
that they rape and kill.
It's a Iack of confidence
combined with the need for
the ultimate power trip.
Not to mention
the perfect disguise.
Nobody's going to question
a cop pulling them over.
Or making a collar.
Francesca's neighbors
didn't think twice
when they saw our guy
take her away.
AIso explains why he
was alone in the car.
No partner.
Your impersonator unit
help us out?
I'II pull the files,
see if anybody fits.
The night Paula Grace
was killed
Marcosi said he thought
he saw Lieutenant Urzi
following them.
Now if Urzi
and our perp both
drive a dark Crown Vic...
Then it could have been
our perp.
Get away from me.
Take it easy.
What, are you kidding me?
I know I'm not pure,
but you and your buddy
from rat squad,
they got me riding a desk.
For what?
You made yourself
Iook wrong,
and we were just
doing our jobs.
Had you been in our position,
you would have done
the exact same thing.
Now do yours
and help us out.
You got some nerve
asking me for help.
The perp snatched up
one of his previous victims.
You wasted your time
fingering me.
You're right.
So hate us
but don't Iet her die.
That happens, it's on you.
Go to hell.
TUCKER: We can rule out
these guys.
Interested in the toys,
but they don't play
with them.
Whoever this guy was,
he needed the gear.
You can't buy uniforms
without departmental ID.
How about vendors?
Only a dozen stores
in the Tri-State sell
NYPD equipment,
and we keep a pretty
tight watch on them.
I'II make a call.
I got all the violent ones.
They use the uniform
for bank robberies,
home invasions, rapes.
MUNCH: I ran the entire Iot
for prior sexual assaults,
with and without
impersonation as an M.O.
Came up with 13.
By the time
we get through these,
Francesca could be dead.
TUCKER: Thanks.
Three stores in the Iast year
caught selling NYPD gear
to anybody willing to pay.
We closed two of them down
before your attacks.
Third one's still open,
but on probation.
Let's go.
O'KEEFE:
We check ID on everyone.
Sure, now you do.
After you were
investigated Iast year
for selling phony
police shields.
They were replicas.
Came with a disclaimer.
And the Kevlar vests
IAB caught you selling
to drug dealers,
they replicas, too?
They had ID.
I checked. I swear.
IAB cleared me.
And now they're
foaming from the mouth
to de-authorize you.
AII those academy grads
spending $5,000 a pop
to buy their new gear,
taking their business
elsewhere.
Okay. Okay.
Everything over the counter
was Iegit.
There might be some guys
on the mailing Iist
who aren't.
Okay.
Let's have them now,
along with
your sales records
for the Iast six months.
Let's go. Let's go. Now!
A couple of these names
have already come up
in the impersonator files.
What do you expect?
That place is a police buff's
wet dream.
One of them bought
handcuffs and a gun belt.
Here's two uniform shirts,
a nightstick,
another one with full
highway patrol gear,
one red dashboard Iight.
You know how many
red dashboard Iights
are sold each year?
It'II take us a week
to track them down.
Look what just blew in.
What are you doing here?
You were going to ask me
whether or not I was sure
it was Lieutenant Urzi
that followed me the night
of Paula Grace's murder.
I got that right?
You going to ask questions
or answer them?
I only saw the car, not him.
But I wrote down a partial
Iicense plate number
to check against his car
back at the precinct.
It wasn't his.
It's got to be your perp's.
Give us the number.
We'II run it.
I already did.
It's not
a department vehicle,
and there's only one
dark blue Crown Vic
with anything Iike it
in the city.
It's registered
to a Jeffery Trapani.
819 West 88th Street.
That's right in the middle
of the crime zone.
Look, we don't have Trapani,
but I've got
a Jeffery Trapper.
One red dash Iight
and a set of uni blues.
He was a guest
of the state
for burglary two
until he made parole
about a half a year ago.
I'II get Cabot on standby
for a warrant.
Tell her what we're doing.
Have her meet us
at the Iocation.
Thank you.
You did the right thing.
Go! Go! Go!
It's clear.
OFFICER: Kitchen's clear.
Entrance clear.
BENSON: They were here.
Looks Iike spatter
from a beating.
No police gear.
PIace hardly Iooks Iived in.
Hey, he's got to keep
his stash somewhere.
Maybe where he's stashing
Francesca.
Let's go.
Any idea where this guy
could be?
Munch checked.
Trapani's got a job
with the Parks Department.
Part of his work release.
Bring him in. Run a Iineup.
Guy Iike this
isn't going to confess.
We know where Trapani is.
Let's put him
under surveillance.
Too risky.
If we Iose him,
he might snatch
another victim.
What about the one
he already grabbed?
We play by our rules,
not his.
Captain?
We'II keep somebody
on the apartment in case
Trapani comes back.
You two,
get to the park
and pick him up.
There he is.
FIN: Look at him
stab that stuff.
Who you calling?
Munch.
Yeah, we're at the park.
Tell the Captain and Cabot
Trapani's not here.
If this goes south,
you know we're both
back in uniform.
And if we don't try,
Francesca's dead.
You don't know somebody
till you work with them.
(SLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
There he is.
Figures he'd drink
at a cop bar.
There's no guarantee
he's going anywhere
near Francesca.
Unless we give him
a reason.
FIN: Two beers.
BENSON: You hear about
this cluster over at the 22?
Not much out there.
IAB's got such
a tight Iid on it.
I know a Iot of guys
over there.
Can't figure on any of them
doing something Iike this.
Thanks.
Yeah, that guy's
got a set on him,
grabbing her up
in broad daylight Iike that.
BENSON: You think she's dead?
FIN: She's got to be.
Keeping her alive
is too high-risk.
She's a one-way ticket
to death row.
Hope,
for her sake, you're wrong.
They Iike anybody for this?
I got a friend in the DL
says they're real close.
Not soon enough for me.
I got to tell you,
even I'm freaked
to drive over there.
If Francesca's
not his next stop,
we got to pick him up.
We should have
followed him closer.
He would have made us.
Over here.
(FRANCESCA GROANING)
Police! Back away from her!
Put your hands on your head.
Okay, back away slowly.
Come down here.
Get on the floor.
Assume the position.
He said that we were
almost finished
and I was next.
Don't worry, Francesca.
He can't hurt you anymore.
Check this out.
(FRANCESCA SOBBING)
That's quite a trophy wall,
but you're not much of a cop,
are you?
Followed you straight to her,
and you didn't even spot us.
You're hurting me.
That's going to be the Ieast
of your problems, pal.
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,
WOMAN ON POLICE RADIO :
,,, 2 Edward, and 65 shows
no warrants, no warrants,
SORRE: 22 Edward, 1 0-4.
It ain't stolen.
ROBBINS: Someone could
afford a nice car Iike this,
you think
they'd get a room.
Yeah, but it's empty.
You're out of Iuck.
This is no
free show tonight.
Couldn't have
been here very Iong.
It's still in one piece.
Could have broken down
and the owner went for help.
With the keys
in the ignition?
Who's going to do that?
The guy that can't afford
the payments on his Iease.
I bet he Ieft the car here,
and he reports it stolen
in a day or two.
You bet, you Iose.
What?
What are you talking about?
(SIREN WAILING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
AII right. Nice dress.
Yeah. It was a nice date.
Where's Munch?
He banged in sick.
He's such a hypochondriac.
How many times has he had
anthrax this week?
Victim's name
is Paula Grace.
No driver's Iicense
in her wallet,
just cash
and credit cards.
Her car registration says
she Iived in the East 50s.
Nice dress.
What have we got?
Rape-homicide.
FIuid on her thighs,
perineal tears.
Lots of pre-mortem bruising.
Cause of death?
Massive head trauma.
Any signs of a weapon?
BIoody rock
underneath her head
when we rolled the body.
Won't know for sure
till we get her back
to the morgue.
Thanks.
We have any idea
what she was doing down here?
Cops say this is
Iike a Iovers' Iane.
Could have been
a romantic interlude
gone wrong.
What did you find
inside the car?
Nothing but her purse.
I haven't checked
the trunk yet.
(OFFICERS CHATTERING
ON POLICE RADIO)
Trunk release
isn't working.
FIN: Keys either.
You see this in Narcotics.
Drug dealer's too cheap
to put in a stash spot
so they re-key the Iocks,
then disable
the manual release.
Were you a car thief
in a former Iife?
Nah, baby.
Boy Scout. AIways prepared.
What the hell is Rytex?
Whatever it is,
she's got a pharmacy
back here.
Burning the midnight oil?
Just Iike you ordered.
What've we got?
Paula Grace.
She worked in
a pharmaceutical company
called Quantum,
up in Westchester.
She couldn't have
walked out of the office
with all those drugs
and nobody noticed.
She didn't. Her company
doesn't make Rytex.
Morning. Nice dress.
Don't start.
We find out
what this Rytex is yet?
Yeah. It's a hot
new cancer drug.
Doc Warner says
a 10-week course
costs about $25,000.
Which makes the supply
in the victim's trunk
worth a cool million.
Who knows
what on the black market?
Anybody who knew
those drugs were there
could have
driven off in her car.
Well, if the murder
isn't about the drugs,
what was she doing
under the West Side Highway?
Could be she was supposed
to meet a buyer there
and some random predator
got to her first.
Buyer shows up,
finds the body,
can't get the trunk open,
isn't going to risk driving
off in a murder victim's car.
CSU found the trunk key
hidden under the carpet.
Which means she didn't
want anybody to know
what was in there.
Let's find out why.
RAGOLIA: I can't believe
this happened to Paula.
We're all in shock.
This is where Paula worked,
on one of our drug research
teams.
What kind of research?
Squamous cell
esophageal cancer.
We're very close to testing
a promising new treatment.
Is that something
your company's
working on alone?
No. There's a drug
on the market called Rytex,
but we believe that ours
will be more efficacious.
When did you Iast see
Miss Grace?
Last night, around 8:00.
She said that
she was finishing up.
I assumed that she was
heading home from here.
It's a Iong commute
to Manhattan, Mr. Ragolia.
She always drive?
Paula always said
that it was the best
part of her day,
her chance to
clear her head.
That's why she would
never move up here.
Does she have any family,
a boyfriend?
Both her parents are dead.
She never mentioned
anyone special.
She mostly kept
to herself at work.
I insisted that she spend
the holidays with me,
my wife and my kids.
Sounds Iike you
really took her
under your wing.
In this business,
nurturing talent
can make you billions.
Paula was on her way
to a very bright future here.
What a waste.
Your victim
has vaginal bruising
and Iacerations from the rape.
No semen,
just Rough Rider.
I ID'd the brand
of condom Iubricant
using the FBI database.
What about the rock?
Embedded in the ground,
but definitely
what killed her.
The trauma is
to the Iower right quadrant,
but with an upward impact.
Fracture pattern of the skull
indicates one fatal blow,
probably while she was
trying to fight him off.
So if the perp
didn't hit her
with the rock,
he may not have realized
why she suddenly
stopped resisting.
She get a piece of him?
Just his clothes.
Navy blue fibers
under her fingernails.
AIready sent it to the Iab.
I'm running the fibers now.
No prints in the car
other than hers.
Too much time
on your hands?
My kid visits, always Ieaves
something behind in my office.
My son used to
Iove these, too.
Used them to make
a model of your crime scene.
Here's the car.
We found her clothes
over here.
Nothing but garbage
around the body.
Any idea
how the perp got there?
There were tire tracks
behind her car,
made by different tires.
Goodyear radials, very worn.
But what was in her trunk
is much more interesting.
FIN: The Rytex?
I tested it. It's fake.
A million dollars worth
of sugar pills? Why?
Drug counterfeiting
is a booming industry.
Huge amounts
of fake antibiotics have
been sold over the Internet
and at Mexican pharmacies.
What about these?
High grade knock-offs.
Look Iike the real deal,
worthless for treating cancer.
But worth a hell of a Iot
to Paula.
BENSON: Nice place.
I wonder how many
cancer patients had to die
so she could get these views.
How Iong had Miss Grace
Iived here?
AImost a year.
Nice Iady.
Good tipper
at the holidays.
What about boyfriends?
Visitors?
None that I ever saw.
But Miss Grace didn't
Iook Iike she had guys
knocking down her door.
How much Ionger
is this going to take?
You got a train to catch?
Some prospective tenants
are coming to see the place.
How about a Iittle respect?
The Iady's been dead
Iess than a day.
She said
she was moving out.
See for yourself.
You have any idea
where she was moving?
AII I know is the owners
called and said to start
showing the place.
Gucci, Prada, Chanel,
it's pretty pricey stuff
for a Iab tech.
Living above her means.
You Iadies are all alike.
Do you have a copy
of her Iease?
I don't think she had one.
She knew the owners.
BENSON: We're going
to need to talk to them.
I'II get you the number.
Name's Ragolia, Mr. and Mrs.
You seen either of them
around here recently?
Mr. Ragolia,
about once a week.
Said he was measuring
for renovations.
How much of this
do you think
Mrs. Ragolia knows?
It's terrible what happened
to Paula.
How well
did you know her?
She came for Thanksgiving
and Christmas
the past two years.
One of those introverted
science types.
But you felt you could
trust her in your apartment.
That was Kevin's idea.
I was more concerned with
finding someone who could
afford $7,500 a month.
That's a Iot on
a researcher's salary.
Kevin said Paula had
family money she inherited
when her parents died.
I think she went through
most of it.
BENSON: Is that why
she was moving out?
She told Kevin
she wanted to Iive
closer to the office.
She could rent
a place up here for
a third of what she paid us,
still have enough
Ieft over for a car.
I thought
she had a car already.
Didn't she drive to work?
No. Paula told me herself
she hated taking the train
every day.
We checked
Paula Grace's financials.
She never paid a nickel
in rent to Ragolia.
Or chipped in
on the car she Ieased.
Ragolia co-signed
and made all the payments.
So she gets tired
of being a kept woman,
he gets
jealous-soon-to-be-
ex-Iover's disease.
Ragolia's wife
is a knockout.
Why cheat on her with somebody
who Iooked Iike Paula Grace?
Maybe she had
something else he wanted.
Oh, I can't
wait to hear this.
Your sympathy's
overwhelming.
What happened to you?
Skydiving. Hard Ianding.
He said he wiped out
riding his friend's Harley.
Yeah, and the only thing
he's riding now is a desk.
Dump on the victim's
cell phone just came back.
Let's find out
who she called.
Sure, make the gimp
do the busywork.
How much Ionger
is the trial?
Couple more days of testimony.
You know, I got
a background check
on Paula Grace.
Got a Bachelor's
from the Pennsylvania
College of Pharmacy,
Master's in Biochemistry
from Cornell.
So, why are the drugs
in the trunk fake?
Industrial espionage?
Well, if she's
acting as a spy for
the makers of Rytex,
they're not paying her
too well.
She has a Iittle
under $2,000
in her combined
bank accounts.
She's a mole, all right,
but for the good guys.
Paula made two calls
Iast night.
A short one to Ragolia,
and a very Iong one
to an unlisted number.
I called the number.
It's our friends at the FBI.
She's blowing the whistle
on her own company.
Quantum's about to test
their version of Rytex.
MUNCH: So they conspire
to undermine the competition.
They sell fake Rytex
under the table
at half price to
pharmacies around the country,
knowing that
when the drug fails,
doctors are going to
Iook for an alternative.
They didn't count
on Paula Grace
going to the Feds
with her trunk
full of evidence.
Which gives Ragolia
a couple hundred million
reasons to shut her up.
Bring him in.
Thank you for coming in.
We just got a few things
we need to clear up.
Anything I can do to help.
It was...really
admirable of you,
making Paula
a part of your family.
Well, my wife's
just as responsible
for that as I am.
She Iiked Paula a Iot.
Really?
Then how come
she didn't know
that you paid for
her apartment and her car?
How dare you talk to
my wife behind my back?
FIN: We don't need
your permission.
We found enough fake Rytex
in the back of Paula's car
to stock about
two dozen pharmacies.
RAGOLIA: Fake Rytex?
Yeah.
Why would I know
anything about that?
No, you're not that smart,
are you?
But Paula was.
That's why you seduced her.
Big executive Iike yourself
interested in the mousy,
shy Iittle girl,
paying for her apartment,
paying for her car,
and she helps you out
with your Iittle scheme.
What scheme?
FIN: Quantum's stock
is taking a dive
while your promising
competition to Rytex
is 18 months behind schedule.
BENSON: So you flood
the market with fake Rytex
to damage its reputation.
Then, when your product
comes out, your company
rakes in all the profits.
You were set to cash in,
till you find out
she was working for the Feds.
What?
She was on her way
to bring the fake Rytex,
and you, to the FBI
when she was killed.
I didn't kill her.
I needed her.
Till you were done with her.
She wanted me
to Ieave my wife.
I said, "No way."
Later, she called me.
Said she was going
to make me sorry.
I didn't think
she'd go to the Feds.
That's it
until I get my Iawyer.
I wouldn't get
too comfortable.
He Iawyered up.
We're handing Ragolia
off to the FBI.
Paula Grace
was in the wrong place
at the wrong time.
Another victim?
Same area, same M.O.,
but this one
is still breathing.
(SIGHING)
Victim made the 911
from her cell phone.
Couldn't get a word
out of her.
Okay. We got it
from here. Thank you.
Thanks.
Hi, I'm detective Benson.
I'd Iike to ask you
a few questions.
What's your name?
Francesca Jesner.
Can you tell me
what happened?
He made me
get out of the car.
I thought
he was going to kill me.
Did you see his face?
Not really.
How about
what he was wearing?
It was a blue uniform.
He was a cop.
A client of mine
had a party at Lucio's.
I was driving home
when the cop pulled me over.
Tell me
what happened next.
He walked up to my window
and shined a Iight in my eyes,
so I couldn't see him.
He said I was weaving
and asked for my Iicense.
Then he made me get out
and take a breathalyzer.
Had you been drinking?
No.
He said that if I would
have sex with him,
he wouldn't arrest me.
When I refused, he got angry.
So I pretended to pass out.
(SOBBING)
He dragged me from the car
and said that
he knew I was faking,
and that he was going
to kill me.
So I Iet him.
During the attack,
did he say anything?
Nothing.
What did the car Iook Iike?
Unmarked.
Had a red Iight
on the dashboard.
It was a dark color.
Dark blue or black.
Francesca, is there
anything else that you can
remember? Anything at all?
He used a condom.
This is really,
really important.
Do you remember
what he did with the wrapper?
He put it in his pocket.
I remember thinking,
"Why would he keep that?"
Oh, my God. He kept
my driver's Iicense, too.
He knows where I Iive.
How's Francesca's rape kit?
It Iooked clean,
but we got a problem
with her blood alcohol.
Over the Iimit?
Way over.
Doc says she would
have blew about 0.12.
She said she never
had a drink.
Well, that's a good way
to get out of a DWI.
Accuse the cop of rape.
Well, he sure thinks
Iike a cop.
Took the condom wrapper
so now we can't get prints.
If there was a condom.
You think Francesca's
Iying about the rape?
She Iied about being drunk.
Maybe it's just a habit.
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
Francesca Jesner
has two prior DWIs.
The Iast one,
she got belligerent
with the arresting officer
and was charged
with resisting.
So this time she figured
she'd Iie her way out of it.
Or maybe
she's telling the truth.
These cases have
too much in common.
Same area,
same time of night...
Paula Grace's homicide
was front page news.
Enough details
for Francesca
to fake her story.
There is no way
that she could have
faked that traumatized.
I'm telling you, Captain,
this woman was raped.
I just don't want to
send the rat squad
on some witch hunt
and screw
some innocent cop.
Neither do I.
Could've been
anybody in a uniform.
Didn't have to be a real cop.
It doesn't matter.
This woman is a rape victim
until we prove otherwise.
Nobody is jumping
to any conclusions
until we investigate
this case, okay?
Two DWIs and she's still
behind the wheel?
Her Iicense was revoked
once before.
She just got it back.
She is one moving violation
away from Iosing it for good.
Which gives her
the motive to Iie
when she got
pulled over Iast night.
I'II have Munch
pull all citations
and radio runs
from that precinct.
You two check out
the victim's story,
and not a word to anybody.
It was a big party.
Some hip artiste rented
the whole place out.
Open bar, top-shelf booze,
everybody off the A-Iist.
Must've been
300 people here.
Was she one of them?
Vodka-coke, no ice.
Three hundred guests
and you remember her
that quick?
She must've been
chained to the bar.
She was knocking them back
pretty steady.
AIone?
No, she was all over a guy,
hot and heavy.
When she started
getting sloppy, I think
he walked her out.
What did this guy
Iook Iike?
I don't know.
BIonde, tall.
You know,
every woman's dream.
I didn't Ieave with anyone.
Bartender says otherwise.
Parking attendant says
he saw both of you
Ieave in your car.
I say a cop raped me,
and you stick up
for your own.
Francesca, you Iied
about being drunk.
I want to believe you.
I do.
But you're not making it
easy for me.
I didn't tell you
about the drinking
because I knew
you would think
I made up the rape.
FIN: What about the guy
you Ieft with?
I used to work with him.
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
He's married.
I don't want him involved.
Well he's going to be,
unless you start
telling the truth.
Excuse me.
We parked and had sex.
When we finished,
he caught a cab.
I started to drive home
and the cop pulled me over.
You should've told me that
from the beginning.
We'II be back.
What's up?
CSU wants us back
at the crime scene.
So what's here
that you couldn't
tell us on the phone?
A picture's worth
a thousand words.
Take me through
your victim's account
of what happened.
Francesca said that
the perp walked through
the alcohol field test here
and as she was coming back
is when he grabbed her.
See these drag marks?
They match the shoes
your victim was wearing.
We found gravel inside them.
These are
your perp's footprints,
and the tire tracks
match the ones
from across the way,
where Paula Grace
was found.
Shoe prints
tell us anything
about our mystery man?
Based on the depths
of the shoe impressions
and their size,
I'd say he's about
six foot, 200 pounds.
Are there any cops
on your Iist of suspects?
What makes you think
it's a cop?
The blue fibers from under
Paula Grace's fingernails
are consistent
with NYPD issue
uniform pants.
MUNCH:
If Francesca Jesner
was pulled over by a cop,
he did not write a summons.
In fact, there were no
traffic stops or checkpoints
anywhere near the area,
either night.
CRAGEN: What about radio runs?
AII cars accounted
for in the 22 both nights.
Except one.
Unmarked?
Anticrime.
The cops worked in uniform.
Both nights,
MIA during the time
of the attacks.
Missing for how Iong?
Forty-nine minutes
unaccounted for
at the time
of Paula Grace's homicide,
and 36 Iast night.
CRAGEN: We have names?
Yeah.
AI Marcosi and Roger Graves.
Marcosi's got
more than 10 years on,
most of it on midnights.
Graves got out
of the academy
Iast spring.
Victim says
it was a white guy,
so Graves gets a pass.
Unless he knew
what his partner was
doing on traffic stops.
We got to get
their car down to CSU,
see if the tire tracks match.
Which means we're gonna
have to involve IAB.
I'II call the action desk,
have their jackets pulled,
see if either one's
been a target before.
Captain, before you do that,
Iet us take a run over
at the 22.
If this Marcosi
is a wrong cop,
I don't want him wise
that we Iike him for this.
Yeah. Lieutenant over there
is my old boss who works
midnights, Phil Urzi.
I'II finesse him.
URZI: That strip under
the West Side Highway,
worst spot
in the whole precinct.
Car strippers,
prostitution, narcotics.
But this is the first homicide
down there in years.
We're thinking
that something
scared our perp off,
that's why
we're checking
all police presence
in that sector
at the time of the attack.
We Iistened
to the division radio-tapes.
Two of your guys,
we can't figure out
where they were.
Marcosi and Graves.
How'd you know?
My problem children.
Two gold shield wannabes
who don't play by the rules.
We can't account for them
for about a half-hour.
Well, Iast night,
they were still
marked at a job,
but they'd been gone
40 minutes.
CIeared the job quick
when they heard
I was out Iooking for them.
But why haven't you
ripped them yet?
Because Marcosi and Graves
bring in the big collars.
Guns, drugs.
Stopped a robbery in progress
three nights ago.
You mind if we have
a Iittle chat with them?
Not to bust their chops,
but we're thinking
maybe they saw something
that can help us out
with our case.
URZI: I don't mind.
But I guarantee Marcosi will.
Probably wants
the collar himself.
Man, can you believe it?
BENSON:
Hey, guys, got a minute?
You are?
OIivia Benson,
Special Victims.
This is Fin Tutuola.
We caught the two cases
under the West Side Highway.
How can we help you?
We thought maybe you saw
something if you guys were
down there the other night.
MARCOSI: Usually it's
the first place we check
at the top
of the tour because
that's where
most of the crimes
are committed in the precinct.
But both times
we were someplace else.
I wish we were there.
We've been
searching for the vehicle
in the bulletin ever since.
Can we call you
if we need anything?
MARCOSI: Sure, you know
where you can find us.
Thank you.
They were probably off
handling some investigation
they didn't want
your Iieutenant friend
to know about.
Yeah, well,
maybe you should
have asked them.
What, you got a problem?
Yeah, I do.
You softballing them
Iike that.
I'm not going to go hard
on two good cops unless
I think they done something.
What side are you on?
The victim's, where
we're supposed to be.
Yeah, well,
what about the truth?
Your victim's
definitely not
telling that.
Oh, and your cops are?
You didn't even ask them.
You sounded more Iike
their union rep
than anything else.
I just call it
how I see it.
Yeah? We just
blew our chance.
And now it's IAB's call.
Your detectives
went against policy.
They were following
my orders on our case.
For which a cop
may be a suspect.
We investigate cops.
And we investigate
sex crimes.
Look, it's not Iike
we were trying to hide
anything from you.
You spoke to a target
without us.
You of all people
should know better, Captain.
Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
You knew about Marcosi
before we called you?
He's been under investigation
for six months.
Having sex
with a prostitute
in exchange
for a reduced charge.
And you didn't nail him?
Oh, we tried.
But we couldn't find her.
She's been missing ever since.
You're getting pretty good
with those.
Better than Iifting weights.
Best workout I've had
in a Iong time.
When you going to tell me
how you really got hurt?
Why should I give that up
when you never even
once mentioned that
you have offspring?
My son? What,
OIivia told you that?
I bare my soul to you,
and you can't even share
that there's
a Iittle Tutuola
running around?
He's not Iittle. He's 18.
What did you find out?
Prostitute's name
is Raquel Stephens.
Missing Persons
has no record of a report.
How did IAB get onto him?
Anonymous tip.
Well, maybe
there's something
in her previous collars.
I already
cross-referenced them
with other prostitutes
picked up at the same time.
Raquel was joined
quite regularly by
a Miss Mandy Mangum.
Including the night
of the alleged incident.
MANDY:
You come to remind me
of my right to remain silent?
You're Raquel's friend.
And Marcosi's yours.
And if he made
Raquel disappear,
he's no friend of ours.
Why the hell
should I trust you?
Because cops Iike Marcosi
make the rest of us Iook bad.
If he did
something to Raquel,
he's going down.
You got our word on it.
I used to share a place
with Raquel.
She disappeared about
a week after we got busted.
We know you two
were collared together
that night. What happened?
We were cuffed to
a bench in the precinct,
and Marcosi came by.
Raquel bummed a cigarette,
and he took her into
a break room to smoke it.
FIN:
She tell you what he said?
She give him a freebie,
and he'II get
our case dropped.
So she did it right there
in the precinct.
Marcosi offer you
the same deal?
No, but he had
a real woody for Raquel.
Next day he called her,
asked her for a date.
She was excited.
Thought she might have
a permanent
get-out-of-jail-free card.
When I Ieft for the weekend
she had plans with him.
Did you tell any other cops
about this?
Some guy from Internal Affairs
came by about
six months ago.
I played dumb.
I don't want
to disappear, too.
If you think of anything else,
give us a call.
You convinced now?
Not on the word
of some hooker.
Those fibers under
Paula Grace's fingernails
could have come
from any one of 40,000 cops.
But the tire tracks
on the perp's car didn't.
BENSON: When did these
go on?
TREVOR: Yesterday,
according to Motor Pool.
At whose request?
The cops who drive it.
Said someone
stuck an ice pick
in two of the tires.
Guess Motor Pool figured,
might as well
replace them all.
Even if we find them
on some pile,
the chain
of custody's broken.
Looks kind of clean
for an anticrime car.
Someone had
the undercarriage washed.
So we're screwed?
Not totally.
Gravel.
From all four wheel wells.
Consistent with what we found
in Francesca Jesner's shoes.
Your captain called.
You got to get back.
What's going on?
Trouble.
News is running a story
on a rapist cop
in the morning edition.
How did it Ieak?
Hopefully not from here.
You're Iooking at four
of the five people
who know about this,
and nobody wants the media
badmouthing the job.
Well, now that it's out,
we're running on
borrowed time.
The paper won't
hold the story
to safeguard
the investigation?
They feel public safety
overrides.
What about the safety
of the roads?
Story breaks,
nobody stops for the police.
And Marcosi gets
rid of his evidence.
We need a warrant
for his Iocker.
Well, my bosses
are going to want
more than
a couple rocks and fibers
before they go after a cop.
Then put a spin on it
as a necessary step to clear
Marcosi if he's not involved.
AIex, we don't move fast
on this, we Iose them.
Okay.
Thanks.
OFFICER 1: I smell a rat.
OFFICER 2: Make that three.
Come on, fellows.
Here we go. 157.
(OFFICERS CHATTERING)
BENSON:
He's quite the Iadies' man.
Let's bag everything.
Bingo.
Rough Riders.
Our favorite brand.
Hey, that's private property.
Yeah?
These private property, too?
Locker belongs to the city.
The contents are mine.
You can't do this.
Well, this says we can.
You got to talk to us.
BENSON: Have your union
delegate meet you over
at SVU.
I don't need a union delegate.
I got nothing to hide.
You think
that I killed a girl
under the West Side Highway?
Are you nuts?
You fit the description
of the suspect.
AIong with 100 other guys
in my command.
But the only one
unaccounted for
at the time
of both crimes is you.
I bend the rules
a Iittle, so what?
Well, then
there's your vehicle,
matches what the perp drove,
and Forensics places you
at the crime scene.
AIong with a dozen
other cars.
We're constantly
checking the area.
Why'd you take it
to the car wash?
It was caked in mud.
Is that
why you conveniently
had the tires replaced?
We came out
and found two flats,
courtesy of an ice pick.
CRAGEN: You got an out
for everything, don't you?
I don't have to explain
how I work to you.
Nobody in that precinct
brings in more collars
than me.
Really?
Well, how many cops
in the precinct date hookers?
Oh, I get a Iittle
bit on the side.
I don't pay for it.
That's not a crime.
It is when you
make them disappear.
(PAGER BEEPING)
What are you talking about?
IAB is investigating you
for Raquel Stephens.
Excuse me.
Raquel?
BENSON: Yeah, Raquel.
You collared her Iast year.
She gave you a freebie.
You Iet her walk,
then she just disappears
after her Iittle date
with you.
She went to an alcohol rehab
somewhere upstate.
FIN: You remember where?
She didn't say.
I swear, I didn't
do anything to her.
You want to go down
for this?
I am not going down.
I didn't rape those girls.
I break the rules
a Iittle bit,
but I get results.
We're trying
to help you here, AI.
Why should I believe you?
You just got to
take my word for it.
We're talking
rape-homicide here.
If you didn't do it,
worst thing IAB can do
to you is a five-day rip.
I was down there
the night of the murder,
under the West Side Highway.
FIN: Doing what?
I had a date in the car.
Where was your partner?
Looking out for me,
and it's a good thing
he was.
He see anything?
Yeah.
Our boss, Lieutenant Urzi,
came driving towards us.
So Graves comes up,
knocks on the window.
We got out of there,
no Iights,
before Urzi caught us.
Who was the girl?
Some random citizen
picked me up. She offered.
I don't even know her name.
Give us a second.
FIN: Marcosi's talking.
Put himself
at the scene the night
of Paula Grace's murder.
We got another victim.
Marcosi's been with us
for hours.
No, no, no.
It could still be him.
This is six weeks old.
And she's just
reporting it now?
She was afraid
to accuse a cop,
came forward after
she saw it on the news.
Where is she?
Interview.
Fin, I want you
on the phone to IAB.
They're sweating
Marcosi's partner
Graves now.
I want to know
everything they got.
OIivia, I'm calling in Huang.
I want you and him
in with the victim.
I came off
the West Side Highway,
took a shortcut.
He stopped me,
said that I was speeding.
He told me
to get out of the car.
Then he told me
to take off my clothes.
I just obeyed.
I kept staring at
the gun on his belt.
BENSON: You didn't
have a choice, Stacia.
Maybe I should have
screamed, fought back.
A cop with a gun
stopped you.
You made the right decision.
You survived.
Stacia, can I ask you
a question?
During the rape,
did he experience
any sexual difficulties?
He was on top of me,
and then he stopped,
and at first I thought
that he'd finished,
but then I realized
that he Iost his, you know...
His erection.
Yeah.
So then,
how did he react to that?
I opened my eyes
and he slapped me
across the face so hard
that I cried out.
And then he started again.
Stacia,
do you recognize
any of these men?
It was dark
and my eyes were closed.
I never saw his face.
Thank you. Excuse me.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
I called IAB.
Graves isn't talking.
CRAGEN: Where was Marcosi?
I checked the roll call.
He wasn't working that day.
He's got everything else
covered.
What do you want
to bet he's got an alibi?
Doc, can you help us
out here?
The badge, the uniform
and the gun all bolster
your perp's sense of power,
which enhances
his masculinity
and his control.
That's probably why
he became a cop
in the first place.
He keeps their driver's
Iicenses as trophies.
Strong possibility.
Every time
he Iooks at them again,
he relives the thrill.
She didn't resist,
he couldn't perform,
so he hits her.
I mean, this guy
gets off on violence.
And killing the first victim
probably gave him an appetite
for more.
If that car hadn't come by,
he would have killed
Francesca Jesner, too.
Marcosi fit your profile?
Well, I'd Iike to spend
some time with him.
Do it.
I've seen your arrest record.
It's very impressive.
Ever since
I was a Iittle boy,
all I wanted to be
was a detective.
Thrill of the chase?
I make a collar,
I get a real rush.
The same rush you get
when a beautiful woman
comes on to you?
Yeah.
Yeah, it's kind of
the same, you know?
It's Iike a game.
"Will she? Won't she?"
And if she says no?
PIenty of fish in the sea.
What about on duty?
What do you do when you
meet a woman on the job?
Department regs
say stay away,
but I can't help it
if these girls
call the command
and they come
Iooking for me.
You do all this
great work on the street,
and they won't
give you a gold shield.
That must frustrate you.
You know what frustrates me?
Everybody is so concerned
about my personal Iife.
You can't make detective,
you break a few rules.
You can't get a woman
to sleep with you,
what do you do?
You are so wrong.
I don't need to rape.
You think I did this?
Give me a chance
to clear myself.
You bring in your victims.
I'II stand in a Iineup.
How's Francesca going to
pick Marcosi out of a Iineup
when she couldn't
even give us a sketch?
What the hell's
going on over here?
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
BENSON: Hey, what's up?
If you're Iooking
for Franny, you're too Iate.
Francesca Jesner?
That girl sure knows
how to party.
Your buddy
got her in the car
without your help.
A cop?
They've arrested her
before.
Thought she was going
to claw his eyes out
before he got
the cuffs on her,
yelling he raped her.
Perp must have seen
a news story
and snatched Francesca up
so she couldn't ID him.
Neighbors get a make
on the car, or a plate?
AII they gave us
was a dark sedan,
red Iight on the dash.
Marcosi's still here.
Rule him out.
How much time we got, Doc?
He chose not to kill her
in the apartment
because he wanted
the thrill of arresting her.
I'd guess
he'd keep her for a while,
until he got tired of her.
Anything?
I checked Communications.
No cars called in on a job
or a response anywhere
near Francesca's apartment.
Maybe Fin's right
and our guy isn't a cop.
You said that the badge
makes our perp feel
Iike a real man.
Ted Bundy and how many
other serial killers
did the exact same thing?
What if our guy's
just some schmuck
playing dress up?
Men impersonate cops
for the same reason
that they rape and kill.
It's a Iack of confidence
combined with the need for
the ultimate power trip.
Not to mention
the perfect disguise.
Nobody's going to question
a cop pulling them over.
Or making a collar.
Francesca's neighbors
didn't think twice
when they saw our guy
take her away.
AIso explains why he
was alone in the car.
No partner.
Your impersonator unit
help us out?
I'II pull the files,
see if anybody fits.
The night Paula Grace
was killed
Marcosi said he thought
he saw Lieutenant Urzi
following them.
Now if Urzi
and our perp both
drive a dark Crown Vic...
Then it could have been
our perp.
Get away from me.
Take it easy.
What, are you kidding me?
I know I'm not pure,
but you and your buddy
from rat squad,
they got me riding a desk.
For what?
You made yourself
Iook wrong,
and we were just
doing our jobs.
Had you been in our position,
you would have done
the exact same thing.
Now do yours
and help us out.
You got some nerve
asking me for help.
The perp snatched up
one of his previous victims.
You wasted your time
fingering me.
You're right.
So hate us
but don't Iet her die.
That happens, it's on you.
Go to hell.
TUCKER: We can rule out
these guys.
Interested in the toys,
but they don't play
with them.
Whoever this guy was,
he needed the gear.
You can't buy uniforms
without departmental ID.
How about vendors?
Only a dozen stores
in the Tri-State sell
NYPD equipment,
and we keep a pretty
tight watch on them.
I'II make a call.
I got all the violent ones.
They use the uniform
for bank robberies,
home invasions, rapes.
MUNCH: I ran the entire Iot
for prior sexual assaults,
with and without
impersonation as an M.O.
Came up with 13.
By the time
we get through these,
Francesca could be dead.
TUCKER: Thanks.
Three stores in the Iast year
caught selling NYPD gear
to anybody willing to pay.
We closed two of them down
before your attacks.
Third one's still open,
but on probation.
Let's go.
O'KEEFE:
We check ID on everyone.
Sure, now you do.
After you were
investigated Iast year
for selling phony
police shields.
They were replicas.
Came with a disclaimer.
And the Kevlar vests
IAB caught you selling
to drug dealers,
they replicas, too?
They had ID.
I checked. I swear.
IAB cleared me.
And now they're
foaming from the mouth
to de-authorize you.
AII those academy grads
spending $5,000 a pop
to buy their new gear,
taking their business
elsewhere.
Okay. Okay.
Everything over the counter
was Iegit.
There might be some guys
on the mailing Iist
who aren't.
Okay.
Let's have them now,
along with
your sales records
for the Iast six months.
Let's go. Let's go. Now!
A couple of these names
have already come up
in the impersonator files.
What do you expect?
That place is a police buff's
wet dream.
One of them bought
handcuffs and a gun belt.
Here's two uniform shirts,
a nightstick,
another one with full
highway patrol gear,
one red dashboard Iight.
You know how many
red dashboard Iights
are sold each year?
It'II take us a week
to track them down.
Look what just blew in.
What are you doing here?
You were going to ask me
whether or not I was sure
it was Lieutenant Urzi
that followed me the night
of Paula Grace's murder.
I got that right?
You going to ask questions
or answer them?
I only saw the car, not him.
But I wrote down a partial
Iicense plate number
to check against his car
back at the precinct.
It wasn't his.
It's got to be your perp's.
Give us the number.
We'II run it.
I already did.
It's not
a department vehicle,
and there's only one
dark blue Crown Vic
with anything Iike it
in the city.
It's registered
to a Jeffery Trapani.
819 West 88th Street.
That's right in the middle
of the crime zone.
Look, we don't have Trapani,
but I've got
a Jeffery Trapper.
One red dash Iight
and a set of uni blues.
He was a guest
of the state
for burglary two
until he made parole
about a half a year ago.
I'II get Cabot on standby
for a warrant.
Tell her what we're doing.
Have her meet us
at the Iocation.
Thank you.
You did the right thing.
Go! Go! Go!
It's clear.
OFFICER: Kitchen's clear.
Entrance clear.
BENSON: They were here.
Looks Iike spatter
from a beating.
No police gear.
PIace hardly Iooks Iived in.
Hey, he's got to keep
his stash somewhere.
Maybe where he's stashing
Francesca.
Let's go.
Any idea where this guy
could be?
Munch checked.
Trapani's got a job
with the Parks Department.
Part of his work release.
Bring him in. Run a Iineup.
Guy Iike this
isn't going to confess.
We know where Trapani is.
Let's put him
under surveillance.
Too risky.
If we Iose him,
he might snatch
another victim.
What about the one
he already grabbed?
We play by our rules,
not his.
Captain?
We'II keep somebody
on the apartment in case
Trapani comes back.
You two,
get to the park
and pick him up.
There he is.
FIN: Look at him
stab that stuff.
Who you calling?
Munch.
Yeah, we're at the park.
Tell the Captain and Cabot
Trapani's not here.
If this goes south,
you know we're both
back in uniform.
And if we don't try,
Francesca's dead.
You don't know somebody
till you work with them.
(SLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
(PEOPLE CHATTERING)
There he is.
Figures he'd drink
at a cop bar.
There's no guarantee
he's going anywhere
near Francesca.
Unless we give him
a reason.
FIN: Two beers.
BENSON: You hear about
this cluster over at the 22?
Not much out there.
IAB's got such
a tight Iid on it.
I know a Iot of guys
over there.
Can't figure on any of them
doing something Iike this.
Thanks.
Yeah, that guy's
got a set on him,
grabbing her up
in broad daylight Iike that.
BENSON: You think she's dead?
FIN: She's got to be.
Keeping her alive
is too high-risk.
She's a one-way ticket
to death row.
Hope,
for her sake, you're wrong.
They Iike anybody for this?
I got a friend in the DL
says they're real close.
Not soon enough for me.
I got to tell you,
even I'm freaked
to drive over there.
If Francesca's
not his next stop,
we got to pick him up.
We should have
followed him closer.
He would have made us.
Over here.
(FRANCESCA GROANING)
Police! Back away from her!
Put your hands on your head.
Okay, back away slowly.
Come down here.
Get on the floor.
Assume the position.
He said that we were
almost finished
and I was next.
Don't worry, Francesca.
He can't hurt you anymore.
Check this out.
(FRANCESCA SOBBING)
That's quite a trophy wall,
but you're not much of a cop,
are you?
Followed you straight to her,
and you didn't even spot us.
You're hurting me.
That's going to be the Ieast
of your problems, pal.