Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 3, Episode 16 - Popular - full transcript

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,

(BELL RINGING)

It's not as serious
as it sounds.

If Kathleen doesn't pull her
grades up, she'II have to
go to summer school.

I find that pretty serious.

We're working on it.
She's making progress.



And why am I now
just hearing about this?

Because you work really hard,

and most nights
you're not home
until the kids are in bed.

Kathleen,
who are you talking to?
A friend.

Get off the phone.
Dad.

Now. Now.

I'II call you back.

It isn't what you think.
I was getting help
on a math assignment.

Hey, I got news for you.
Things are going to change
around here.

No mall, no friends,
no phone until further notice.

That's not fair. Mom?

You know, it is abundantly
clear to me, you are a parent
and I am a paycheck.

You're a good father,
but you're overreacting.

You know, we're pretty Iucky.



We've never had
any real trouble
with the kids.

Trouble's relative.

I heard about a girl today
who was raped by her teacher.

She's scared to death,
refuses to go to the police,

won't even tell her family.

Now that's what
I call trouble.

Who are you talking about?

I don't know her.

She get medical attention?

My friend Carol
at St. Matthew's,
she did a rape kit.

She says she doesn't want
to report it and she's got
to keep it confidential.

She shouldn't have told me.

Carol's bound by Iaw
not to release
any of that information

if that's what
the victim chooses.

Yeah, but that's ridiculous,
'cause the girl's only 14.

Grown women think twice
about reporting it.

After a violation Iike that,
you know, it's tough
to know who to trust.

She should at Ieast
tell her parents.

Maybe they're not around.

Nope. From what I understand,
she comes from a good home
with both parents.

Well, my experience says
Mom and Dad
are the Iast resort.

What school she go to?

Why?

Maybe they have a decent
counselor to help her out.

If this girl doesn't want
to talk to her parents
or the police,

why would
she tell a counselor?

This girl is going to develop
disciplinary problems
or depression.

If she's Iucky enough,
the school will have
qualified teachers

to recognize the symptoms.

Well, Tucker Junior High's
got a good reputation,

so I hope you're right.

It's too quiet upstairs.

Hey, EIIiot.
What're you doing here?
Are you on a case?

No. Actually,
I'm here to see you.

What about?

I need her name, Carol.

I can't believe
Kathy broke my confidence.
It wasn't deliberate.

I don't care.

I promise I won't tell anyone
where I got the information.

Look. You know
I can't give it to you.
And even if I did,

you can't do a damn thing
about it without Iosing your
job, and costing me mine.

I'II keep you out of it.

Carol, you have to want
to help this girl. She's 14.
She's been raped.

As far as you're concerned,
Detective Stabler,
this girl doesn't exist.

OIivia, I need a favor.

Okay.

Bear in mind I don't have
any money.

I'm an underpaid
detective, just Iike you.

What I want is risky.

Well, Iet me decide.

I need you to check
an ER sign-in Iog.

Why can't you do it?

A 14-year-old girl
was raped by a teacher.

She got the exam
at the hospital, but she
didn't want to report it.

Kathy knows the nurse
who works there, but if she
sees me snooping around...

She absolutely
is not supposed
to give out that information.

I know. I just got to
make sure that it's real.

And then what?

Convince her to come forward.

Not a good idea, EIIiot.

She's just scared, OIivia.

She's a kid who doesn't know
that there are people out
there who want to help her.

And if she doesn't
want to tell us,
then we can't make her.

So she just sits
in the classroom
being taught by her rapist.

What hospital?

(WOMAN CHATTERING ON PA)

Excuse me. Excuse me.
Can I help you?

OIivia Benson,
Special Victims. I'm here
to interview the rape victim.

We didn't call
any assaults today.
You sure?

I just go where they tell me.

What's the victim's name?

Munch, Margaret K.

No one here by that name.

Okay. Mix-ups happen.
Victims' names get mangled,

which hospitals
they're sent to,
even precinct assignments.

You must see a Iot of victims.

They're traumatized enough.
They don't need
to wait for me.

How can I help you?

Let me take a Iook
at the sign-in sheet
for the past two days,

and I'II call the precinct,
verify the information
I've got.

Thanks.

(BELL RINGING)

You suspect a teacher
of raping one of my students,

but you don't even know
the girl's name?

Are you sure she isn't Iying
to cover something else?

Well, I won't know that
unless I talk to her. She was
probably absent yesterday,

so if I could take a Iook
at the Iist
of absentee students

I think I'II find my victim.

Sounds to me Iike your victim
doesn't want to be found.

And are you comfortable
having a teacher
using his authority

to prey on children
under your responsibility?

That doesn't even
deserve a response.

I give you my word
that I won't approach anyone
until I'm sure I'm right.

I promise that I'II
handle this with discretion.

You're sticking your neck
way out there, aren't you?

Ma'am,
under the circumstances,
wouldn't you?

Okay, here it is.
Cynthia Wilmont.
Signed in at 9:45 a.m.

According to this Iist,
she had a note from home
explaining her absence.

Well, it's got to be
a forgery. I used to do it
all the time. Everyone does.

Except, of course, your kids.
I'm sure that you're
very intimidating.

Yeah, I'm real scary.

Okay, so how do we
play this one out?

I can't Iet you do anything
else. If it hits the fan,
I want you covered.

Well, it's a Iittle Iate
for that, EIIiot.

If anyone goes digging,
they go straight back to me.

I had to show my ID
to get access
to the sign-in sheet.

Well, if we talk to this girl,
I'm going to need
to cover our ass.

Have you Ieft anything out?

No. That's everything.
Our rape victim's an eighth
grader at Tucker Junior High.

Her name is Cynthia Wilmont.

I just didn't
want to pursue it
without talking to you first.

Now that's the first
sensible thing
you've said,

because you're
going to have to drop it.

Captain.

No. You have Ieft the city,
the hospital and yourself
open to a Iawsuit.

We're talking about
a minor here.

Now, there's got to be a way
to circumvent that.

Once you talk to the girl,
she's going to know
the nurse gave her up.

You open that can of worms,

victims advocates
will want your blood,
and I will give it to them.

I'd think they'd be the first
ones who'd want us to
catch this hump.

EIIiot, it's hard enough
to get adult women to report.

If victims feel no confidence,
they won't even go in
for the exam.

Now, you are
going to drop this

until she is ready to come
forward on her own.

It's her teacher, Captain,

and he gets away with this,
he's not going stop.

At the very Ieast, Iet's just
get him out of the school.

You have the victim brought
to the principal's office
for a sit-down.

If she doesn't want to talk,
you back off.

AII right.

And you go
behind my back again,
it goes in your jacket.

I guess you found her.

An eighth grader,
Cynthia Wilmont.

Sheila, can you get
Cynthia Wilmont to come
to my office, please?

We'd also Iike a Iist
of her teachers.

Now, that I can't do.

Unofficially.

You need a subpoena
before I can give you
information about a teacher.

You do know what we're trying
to accomplish here, don't you?

And I applaud your efforts,
but whoever this person is,

he has rights
until he's been accused.

Especially since it's Cynthia.

Have you noticed any change
in her behavior?

She hasn't been brought
to my office on any
disciplinary action.

Other than that,
you'II have to talk
to her teachers,

and that I can't allow
until you have
an actual complaint.

Cynthia Wilmont is Iaying down
in the nurse's office
with a stomach ache.

You might
want to do this Iater.

If she doesn't want
to speak with us, we'II Ieave.

Take the detectives to the
nurse's office

and make sure
they have some privacy.

BENSON: Thanks.

(DOOR OPENS)

SHEILA: These people
need to talk to Cynthia
in private for a minute.

Sure.
We'II be right outside.

Thank you.

Hi, Cynthia.
I'm OIivia Benson
and this is EIIiot Stabler.

You're cops.

You're right. We know
you're not feeling well,

but we were wondering
if, maybe, there was something

that you might Iike
to talk to us about?

CYNTHIA: Like what?

Well, has anyone
been bothering you Iately?

No.

STABLER: Do you Iike
all your teachers?

Why are you asking me that?

BENSON:
Because we want to help you.

Did somebody tell you
that I'm in trouble?

It's not true.

Cynthia, you can tell us
if somebody touched you,
no matter what.

I don't understand.

Did anything bad happen to you
the day before yesterday?

No.

Then why aren't
you feeling well?

Are you going to talk
to my parents?

Absolutely not.

Why should I believe you?
Why should I believe
anything you say?

Because it's true.

Yeah, I've heard that before.

That nurse promised me
that she wouldn't say a word.

No one else knows,
not even my best friend.

So she had to have told you.

She Iied and now so are you.

Cynthia, if you tell us
who did this, we can make sure
he never does it again.

I'm fine. No one
did anything to me.

(BELL RINGING)

She's scared to death.

Got any suggestions?

None that'II make her happy.

We cannot go to her parents.

About my kid,
I'd want to know.

This isn't about you
or her parents.

She's a child
who doesn't know
what she's doing,

and we need her testimony
to go after this bastard,

before he makes a habit of it.

You expect her to come forward
when most women won't.

Either she's a kid,
or she's an adult, EIIiot.

You can't have it both ways.

Hey, Kath.

OIivia.

I'II update the captain.
Nice to see you.

You're angry.

Actually, I'm not,
and that's what scares me.

You know why
I had to pursue this.

I know I Iost
a good friend today.

But you Iost something
much more important,

and either
you don't realize it
or you don't care.

Now you know that's not true.

You played me, EIIiot.

You carried on
that conversation,

drawing information out of me
Iike I was your witness.

You know what happens
to rape victims when they
don't deal with the trauma.

This girl's got drug and
alcohol abuse in her future,
just to dull the pain,

and then comes
the inability to connect,

the promiscuity
because she thinks
she had it coming to her.

Either way, she's screwed
until she gets help.

A teacher is responsible,
and you know I just
can't Iet this slide.

I know you too well for that
but everything has a price,

and I just hope
that you can pay it.

EII, Carol Porter just called
from St. Matthew's.
Cynthia's been admitted.

Somebody tossed her
down a flight of steps.

We're Iooking for a minor,
female. Her name
is Cynthia Wilmont.

Came with multiple injuries
from a fall.

She's in the O.R.,
getting a pin
in a badly broken arm.

You have any idea
how it happened?

I don't have the whole story,
but Cynthia claims
she fell down the stairs.

At school?
Couple of blocks from home.

Good Samaritan found her,
called a bus.

She's got a black eye,
a broken arm
and fractured ribs.

Her injuries
don't sound consistent
with an accident.

Did you go to the school
and question her?

Why do you ask?

Because she blames me,
Detective.

She became agitated
when I entered the exam room.

I was ordered to Ieave
to calm her down.

Carol, I am so sorry
you got caught
in the middle of all this.

That makes me feel
so much better.

You're still pursuing this?
Unofficially.

What else can you tell us?

Look, if it wasn't
an accident, then maybe
our presence at the school

did cause the rapist to panic.
Trying to intimidate her.

I think she's
been raped more than once.

What makes you say that?

She came in
with abdominal pain,

so the doctor was obliged
to do a vaginal exam.

She's got
pelvic inflammatory disease,
caused by gonorrhea.

Did you do an STD screen
with the rape kit?

Sure, but once it moves
to the fallopian tubes,

the test can come up negative.

Well, doesn't it take weeks
to develop PID?

If the gonorrhea
goes untreated.

MAN: Nurse.
Excuse me.

Well, after this beating,
Cynthia's just
going to dig in.

There is no way
she's going to talk to us.

Well, she doesn't
have a choice anymore.

We find out who assaulted her,
we'II find her rapist.

Her parents should be
in the waiting room.

First they call and tell me
my Iittle girl's been hurt.

Then they tell us she has
gonorrhea. I mean,
have you all gone crazy?

Public health has to be
notified to contact anybody
that Cynthia's been with.

My daughter did not
give this to anyone.

Well, she didn't get gonorrhea
from the toilet seat.

STABLER:
Did anyone have a problem
with your daughter?

She get into a fight
with someone recently,
or an argument?

No.

Does your daughter
have any boyfriends?

No.

Where were you and your wife
when this happened?

I was at work.
She was at home. Why?

Just routine questions.

STABLER: Does Cynthia
have any close friends
we could talk to?

You could try Amy Bergen,
maybe she would
know something.

She's Cynthia's best friend.

Should have told Cynthia's
parents right away, instead
of going to the school.

We could have prevented this.

Depends on who's responsible.
I want to check
the parents out.

You think
they tossed their daughter
down a flight of stairs?

Her father seemed pretty upset
about his daughter having sex.

She didn't. She was raped.

And what if she fabricated
the rape to cover up
sexual activity?

We've had Iots of cases
Iike that.

Well, you saw that girl.
She was afraid of someone.

Maybe it's Dad.

What, you think he raped her?

We've seen it
too many times before.

Cynthia does have the clap.

Daddy gave it to her,
Mommy's got to have it.

You really see her covering
for her husband?

I don't know.
I just think we should
check the whereabouts

of the parents
during the assault.

First Iet's check out
the best friend.

This is terrible. I should
call Darlene. See if there's
anything I can do.

You sure Amy knows
something about this?

If Cynthia had tension
with someone,
Amy probably knows who.

If you don't mind,
we'd Iike to speak
to her alone.

Why?

Kids tend to keep secrets,
especially from their parents.

She might shut down
in your presence.

I don't think I Iike this.

Her best friend
is in the hospital.
First door on your right.

Shut the door, please.

I know who you are.

I saw you at my school
and Cynthia said
you were asking questions.

Did she tell you why?

Is it true that
somebody beat her up?

Looks Iike it.

Do you have any idea
who might have
done this to her?

I promise I don't know
anything about that.

Your friend needs help.

Does Cynthia have a boyfriend?

Tommy Kessler.

Do you know if
they're having sex?

We fool around
but we don't go all the way.

"We"? What do you mean, "We"?

Amy, you are not in trouble.
What we say here
does not Ieave this room.

Okay, we have a club.

Tommy and his best friend,
Nick,

they throw parties
and we fool around,
but that's all.

STABLER: What do you mean,
you fool around?

We do stuff for beer.

Like what?

Well, Tommy
gets together a group,

and the girls do the guys,
and they supply the beer.

You're talking about oral sex.

Do you use condoms?

That's gross.
We don't have sex.
I told you that.

Well, when was the Iast time
you had one of these parties?

Day before yesterday,
and it was
the best one so far.

STABLER: Cynthia there?

Yeah, she goes to every one.
She has to if she wants
to stay Tommy's girl.

And why's that?

Well, Cynthia's my best friend
and I Iove her,

but she's no hottie, you know?

I hate talking
to kids this age.

That's 'cause
you can't smack them
if they give you Iip.

Who says I can't?

Then what is your issue
with the pubescent set?

The stink of pimple cream
turns my stomach.

Where is this Iittle player?

Over there.

(CHATTERING)

FIN: Tommy Kessler?

We need to talk to you, too,
Nicky. Come here.

Cops. That's cool.

So what's up, brother?

Your cancer.

I feel you.
Oh, you "feel" me?

Don't hit him. Let's talk
about Cynthia Wilmont.

Heard she got hurt.
She okay?

She got jacked up.
What you know about it?

We saw her Ieave school
but we went the other way.

That's how it happened,
Tommy?

Yeah.

What happened
a couple nights ago
at your party?

Cynthia service anyone,
besides you?

Oh, man. I knew
this would happen.
TOMMY: Shut up.

MUNCH: Who was the Iucky guy?

It doesn't matter.
Look, everybody does it.

It's not sex, so a guy
doesn't get pissed if his girl
chicken heads someone else.

Better tell him, Tommy.
I don't want trouble
with my parents.

I didn't have money for brew,
so Cynthia offered
to try to get us some.

So you pimped her?

No. She's my girlfriend.
She Iikes to do me favors.

Who else was she with
that night?

Nick, because it was
his birthday. And there
was this older guy, he...

Tall, he had brown hair.

I've seen him before.
My sister Mia knows him.

MUNCH: How old?

Well, not grandpa old, Iike
you, but old.

Twenty, thirty
or something. I don't know.

And Cynthia went off with him
in exchange for what?

I don't want to say.

You know I want
to smack you, right?

It was for some ex.
We were celebrating.

Swing parties for kids.

And since when is oral sex
not sex?

Since Bill CIinton said so.

Well, Tommy says
the older guy's
got to be our teacher

and his sister
can tell us who he is.

But if he taught junior high,
Tommy would have known him.

Are you sure? Maybe there
is no teacher and Cynthia's
just covering up.

It's still statutory rape,
whether or not
it was consensual.

Doesn't matter.
Without a complaining witness,

the rape doesn't exist.

Unless we can tie this man
to the assault, we have
nothing to charge him with.

Tommy knows more
than he's telling.
You catch that Iook?

I wish I could catch
the Iittle bastard in the act
and charge him for pandering.

He's got Cynthia
hooking for alcohol and drugs.

Yeah, what about the drugs?

The ecstasy's been consumed
so the evidentiary Iink
is gone.

Is there any way
to get the rape kit
without a 61?

If we can prove
an adult was with the minor,

her parents can request
a rape kit be released.

But once we ID the perp,
Tommy's statement isn't enough
to get a warrant for his DNA.

We'd need
a corroborating witness,
or Cynthia to come clean.

So we'II talk to her again,
all right?

I would wait
until she's released
from the hospital.

In the meantime, Munch, Fin,
talk to Tommy's sister.

Get an ID on this adult
with a penchant
for crashing teenage parties.

Parents around?

My mom's Iaying down
and my dad's working Iate.

They don't need to know
about this, right?

Thought it was no big deal.
Everybody does it, right?

Don't sweat it, kid.
We're here
Iooking for your sister.

Mia's in her room studying.

Mia.
MIA: Go away, you Iittle snot.

(SNIFFING)

You know,
I'm going to break your...

(MUSIC PLAYING ON STEREO)

Damn, what kind of weed
you toking on in here, girl?

Make yourselves at home.

We plan to.

What?

Let's chat about you and your
brother's sex parties.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

We could wake your mom,
if you want us to.

You could try.

She's not sleeping.
She's passed out.

MUNCH: You had a party
two nights ago.

Your brother's girlfriend,
Cynthia Wilmont, was here.
Remember her?

That mousy skank
is his girlfriend?

Skank?

Hey, she gets around.
What else am I
supposed to call her?

Hey, you can't do that
without a warrant.

Yes, he can.

Probable cause is defined as
reasonable knowledge
of a criminal act.

See, the Ionger you stall,
the more time I have
to find your stash,

and when I find it,
I'm taking you in.

You're not
going to juvie, sweet pea.

What do you want to know?

Who attends
your Iittle soirees?

Just friends from school.

I Iet my brother bring
his friends 'cause he
threatened to squeal.

Turns out they party harder
than high school kids.

Smoke a Iittle weed, Iisten
to some tunes, one thing
turns into another, right?

You Iook Iike you did
some damage in your day.
Where's the crime?

IIIegal drugs
and statutory rape.

Who got raped?

A witness statement
from one of your guests

places an adult
at this shindig.

You must mean Ross McKenzie.

Describe him.

He's 24, built,
kind of cute, very cool.

Hey, if you think he raped
anybody, you're crazy.

And why's that?

Well, 'cause he can have
anybody he wants.

He's a substitute teacher
at my high school

and he's only interested
in mature women Iike me.

Well, I guess we found
our teacher.

What do we have
so far on this creep?

Ross McKenzie, 24,
assigned to Harrison High.

Described by
one of his students
as the epitome of cool.

You'd think
with all that Iegal
nubile flesh around there,

he'd sample that instead.

Evidently he Iikes them
a Iot younger.

Board of education has him
Iisted as a substitute teacher
for the Iast two years.

One arrest. No convictions.

A bust fell apart three
years ago for soliciting
an eight ball of coke.

MUNCH: From entrapment?
Yeah.

Which is why
he didn't have to put it
on his school application.

Well, if he's our perp,
how did he know
that we talked to Cynthia?

He doesn't teach
middle school.

Kids talk. Tommy could
have told his sister.
She informed McKenzie.

Well, if this teacher
did do it, then he definitely
wasn't working that day,

since the high school Iets out
after Cynthia was attacked.

So check with
the Harrison principal
on McKenzie's whereabouts.

If this pans out, haul him in
for a hard interview.

The kids Iove him.
He Iistens to their music,
he talks their talk,

and they call him
by his first name.

Well, what's wrong with that,
if the kids Iearn?

BIur the Iine between
student and teacher
and chaos will ensue.

What's McKenzie done exactly?

We're still Iooking into it.
Was he working Monday?

Not here, but that doesn't
mean he wasn't working
at another school.

In case you haven't heard,
we're short on qualified
teachers, money and supplies,

which just causes us
to Iower our standards.

You don't Iike him.

I can't afford
to dislike anyone.

But I take issue with
Iax rules and fraternizing
with the students.

BENSON: Has anyone
Iodged a complaint
against him?

Not yet, but it's
only a matter of time.

Where's McKenzie now?

He has a free period.
You should find him
in the teacher's Iounge.

BENSON: Ross McKenzie?
Yeah?

Detectives Benson and Stabler,
we'd Iike to ask you
a few questions.

What's this about?

It's a sensitive subject,

so we'd Iike to take this back
to our precinct.

Well, I've got classes.
Have somebody cover for you.

Not until I find out
what this is about.

Well, I guess we can
interview you right here.

We need answers about
drug distribution and
sex parties involving minors.

You ready?

Okay, okay. Just give me
a couple of minutes
to talk to the principal.

BENSON: It's already done.
Why don't you grab your coat?

You Iike substitute teaching?

Right now it pays the bills.

I mean, my sights are set
on a college professorship.

Maybe a nice cushy tenure
somewhere small.

Were you working on Monday?

No.

Where were you all day?

I was home doing
a Iesson plan. Why?

Now, you only teach
high school kids?

It's safer that way.

My teaching methods
are considered
a Iittle unorthodox.

Is that because
you get too familiar
with the student body?

You've been talking
to the principal.

See, he hasn't changed
the curricula since the '70s.

If you want to reach the kids,
you to have to meet them
at their Ievel.

And partying with them
does that for you?

Where's this coming from?
I don't party
with my students.

Really?
Then what were you doing
at the Kessler apartment

a couple nights ago?

Relieving parental concerns.

So you're a chaperone?

Yes, I've done it before.
Mia asks me to cover
so her friends can attend,

because the mother
isn't capable.

A witness put drugs
and alcohol at this party.
Where were you?

No one did anything
Iike that in front of me.

For a chaperone,
you're not very observant.

Well, I also don't have eyes
in the back of my head,
Detective.

I mean, Iisten. If the kids
want to do something,
they're going to find a way.

Were you aware
that there were
14-year-old minors there?

Sure. Mia has to watch
her brother
'cause of the home situation,

and she said that he could
have friends in his room,
to keep him quiet,

but they weren't
any of my responsibility.

How do you explain
the hits of ecstasy
you gave them?

They Iied to you.

Kids tend to do that
when their backs
are against a wall.

Adults, too.

We've got nothing
to tie him to the assault.

You said that we needed
a corroborating statement
to pursue the drugs.

What about the other boy,
Nick Radsen?

Not good enough.

He was a recipient
of Cynthia's services.
I would argue intent.

Well, that puts us back
at square one.

Call me when you
get something.

Cynthia was just released
from the hospital.

Persuading her to talk
is not going to be easy.

Tell her what you know.
Give her details.
It might force her hand.

EIIiot, have a sit down
with the parents.

You can't tell them
about the rape, but you can
tell them what we do here.

Public health official's
been here three times.

He wants a Iist of names.

So he went to Amy and
she's so scared she spilled
her guts about sex parties.

Fourteen-year-old sex parties,
for God's sake.

Amy's parents blame Cynthia,

so now she's Iost
her best friend
along with everything else.

Neither one of you
could have prevented this.

What the hell
do you know about it?

I'm a detective
that works sex crimes.
My squad, all we handle

are sexually based crimes.

Child abuse, abandonment,
and rape cases.

You're saying
my Iittle girl was raped?

Law's pretty clear
about what I can and can't do.

Let's just say,
hypothetically, if a
14 year-old girl were raped,

and she doesn't want to report
it, I can't investigate it.

I can't make an arrest.

Cynthia was raped
and won't talk?

Is that what you're saying?

I'm not allowed
to answer that question.

This is good news.

What?

How can you bring yourself
to think that,
much Iess say it?

If Cynthia got gonorrhea
from being raped,

then it wasn't her fault.
She didn't do anything wrong.

CYNTHIA: What's
gonna happen now?

Nothing.

Even though I know
what happened that night,

I still can't do anything
if you won't talk.

You know?

Yeah, most of it.

I know that Tommy
makes you do things that
you probably don't want to.

That's not true. I Iove Tommy.

Well, I know
that he traded you
to a man for drugs.

Now, that doesn't sound to me
Iike he cares about you
very much.

Tommy wouldn't do that.
He's my boyfriend.

The most popular guy in school
and he picked me.

And that's important to you?
Being part of the in crowd?

It's everything.

But it's not worth
your safety or your health.

Well, it doesn't matter now.

My parents know
about the parties.

My dad won't even Iook at me.
I think he hates me.

Cynthia, your dad
doesn't hate you.

He's just upset.

They just want
what's best for you.

Look at my mom.

She's beautiful.
If I Iooked Iike her...

There's nothing wrong
with the way you Iook.

You are beautiful, too.

Right. On the inside.

Pretty girls always say that
to make the ugly ones
feel better.

Everyone has doubts
and problems,

even the ones in the so-called
popular crowd.

Not from where I'm sitting.

Your friends
are scared and in pain,
just Iike you, Cynthia.

But they don't have
half of your resilience
and half of your courage.

Sure.

You were raped and you went
to that hospital
all by yourself.

Do you know
that there are grown women

who couldn't
cope with that situation
the way you have?

Really?
Yeah, really.

Now, all you have to do
is say the word
and we will go get him.

I don't know.

We don't have to take care
of this right now, but I want
you to think about it, okay?

It was the teacher.

Ross McKenzie. He raped me.

MCKENZIE:
Hamlet was a eunuch. His...

I hope this can wait.

Sorry to disappoint you,
but you have an appointment
with a needle.

What, you want my blood?
What for?

To match your DNA
to a rape kit.

Mr. Charest, this is a
mistake. They've got the wrong
guy. I never raped anyone.

Save your energy
for the school board,
Mr. McKenzie.

I've already started
the paperwork to fire you.

I want to call my Iawyer.

Just so Iong as she isn't 14.

My client
never touched the girl,
so the DNA won't match.

Well, then he should be
more than ready to tell us
what happened at the party.

He doesn't have to say a word.
As soon as your Iab confirms
it, we're walking out.

We'II just keep coming back
till we get some answers.

At the school, to your home,
the board of education.

I think you get the picture.

You'II just force me
to file a harassment suit,
Detective.

Who said anything about
harassing your client?
That would be wrong.

Ross, you've got a drug habit.

Do you really want
all this attention when you're
going to make your next buy?

Go ahead, tell them.
They can't charge you
with anything.

There's no proof.

I gave up two tabs of ex,
hoping to get some action.

The girl freaked out
and wouldn't do it.
I never Iaid a finger on her.

You tried to prey
on a 14-year-old girl.

I was high, and, from what I
could see, she wasn't
into the word "no".

Bear in mind you can't
charge my client
with intent to rape.

Who else was Cynthia with
that night?

She never Ieft Tommy
and Nick's side.

If she was really raped,

it was probably
one of them who did it.

He's sticking to his story.
CIaims he never touched her.

He didn't. His DNA came back
negative. The real question
is, was she raped?

I still believe she was.

Then why Iie
about the teacher?

Because she desperately
wants to belong.

She points at Tommy or Nick,
she's out of
the popular crowd.

That's taking peer pressure
to the extreme.

I am really getting sick
of these kids, which is
probably why I don't have any.

Round them up and Iean hard.

Captain, Cynthia's still
a rape victim.

Who Iied to the police,

severely compromising
any trial on her behalf.

Once she opted to speak,
she set the ball in motion.

Interview rooms one,
two and my office,
with their parents, now.

Tommy told detectives
he gave Cynthia to you
for your birthday.

Is that right?

Yes.

Nick, no.
What were you thinking?

Cynthia go with you
willingly?

Eventually.

STABLER: Where did you two go
to be alone?

Tommy's room.

She said no but he insisted.

So what happened
when the door closed?

We talked for a while.
We have a Iot in common.

We're both good in school.
We Iove computers.

We Iike to read.

It kills me that he treats her
Iike a slave.

I'm gonna get
right to the point,
Mr. and Mrs. Wilmont.

Your daughter Iied to us.

She wouldn't do that.
She was raped.

Right now, I'm not questioning
whether or not she was raped.

She Iied about who did it.

I don't understand.

You think a teacher
who attends kids' parties
is innocent?

The man is guilty
of questionable ethics
but he's not a rapist.

His DNA didn't match
your daughter's rape kit.

Speak up, Cynthia.

Young Iady, you are not going
anywhere until I find out
who you're protecting.

Is it your boyfriend, Tommy?
No.

He admitted to giving you
to this teacher for drugs.

Did he get angry
when you wouldn't do it?

Did he threaten you?

What the hell's going on here?

Are you saying
my daughter's a prostitute?

What I'm saying is
that I believe she would
do anything for this boy.

I don't believe it.

DAVID: You made me leave work
for this? This isn't a crime,

MUNCH: Your son's been
engaging in unprotected sex,

DAVID: Come on,
the boy's just curious,

He had an itch, He got
it scratched, Good for him,

Tommy's a little pimp,

He trades his girlfriend's
services for alcohol
and drugs.

MUNCH: Someone raped Cynthia
at the Iast party
and we want to know who.

That true?
Don't you Iie to me.

Cynthia does the guys
that I tell her to.

I don't force her.

TOMMY: I don't have to,

DAVID: Why would you do this?
I don't know,

I guess because all the
really pretty girls,
they don't put out, She does,

She does what I tell her
to do, to whoever I say,
whenever I want,

He said Nick had never been
with a girl before,

and that it was his birthday,
and if I really Ioved him,

I would do this
for his friend.

So you go into the room
with him?

He was telling corny jokes.
He was being really sweet.

But I still didn't want to.
I mean, how could I?

I'm Tommy's girl.

Is that when it turned ugly?

BENSON: You must've hated her.

No, I Iike her.

Cynthia's too smart
to be used by that clown.
Tommy's Iame.

STABLER: And that's what
pisses you off.

He's the one
getting all the attention,
the girls, the glory.

That's not how it is.
He's my friend.

No, he's not. He gives you
his Ieftovers, man.

I mean, that's got to
burn you, knowing that
he's not in your Ieague.

You think
Tommy's beneath you.

But he's the most
popular guy in school.
That's why Cynthia Iikes him.

That's why Cynthia
wouldn't give you
the time of day,

and that's why
you had to take
what you wanted.

I've heard enough.
We're Ieaving.

She started to cry,
Iike being with me
was so awful.

I told her I'd tell Tommy
and then she Iaid down, but...

Then she changed her mind.
Girls can't do that.

Then what happened?

Nothing.

Well, you had sex, didn't you?

She Iet me do it.

She fight you?

She said no
but she just Iaid there.

Afterwards, she said we'd
never talk about it again.

Is that why you beat her up?

'Cause you thought she'd come
and talk to us?

No. She gave me the clap
and she didn't even apologize.

So you followed her home?

After baseball practice,
she accused me of rape,

and that pissed me off,
'cause that just
didn't happen.

If she wants Tommy,
she can have him.
He's a Ioser.

So are you, Nick.