Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 5, Episode 17 - Mean - 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.

Hit it!

I'm just saying, it's
not real convenient

for me to pay a mil
for an alcove studio.

Got a doorman,
though, right?



Doorman can kiss my ass.

Keep the damn door shut,

unless you are paying
the electric bill.

( clanking )

Something break?

Uh, just ice off the trunk.

We good.

Look!

Look at this.

Is that blood?

It's coming from
the trunk.

Center, this is
tow truck one-one-four,

requesting police
assistance.

Caucasian female,
no I.D. or clothing.



Car's been sitting here
since at least 6:00 a.m.,

when Parking
Enforcement
ticketed it.

Thanks.

Notice how Warner always
sends out the assistants

when it drops below 20?

Cardillo, where is she?

Probably drinking coffee

and having a Danish
in her office.

She doesn't like the cold.

Yeah, who does?
What do we got?

She's between 15 and 21.

It's hard to say with the cold,

but I'd say she's been dead
at least five hours.

Stabbed and slashed
with a six-inch,

very dull straight blade.

I'm not sure what caused
the smaller cuts.

There's at least
a hundred of them.

These are
cigarette burns,

plus multiple contusions
and head trauma.

Everything inflicted
before she died?

Probably. Her hands
and feet were duct taped,

so that she
couldn't fight back.

( whistles )

From the amount of blood,
she was inside the trunk

for most of the attack.

Heat from the car
kept the trunk warm enough

so that she bled to death
before she froze to death.

How long did it
take for her to die?

Three or four hours.
Maybe more.

Detectives?

Missing persons report
just came in

from a Greg Sullivan
in Westchester.

His 16-year-old daughter
never showed up for school.

Think she's our victim?

This car's registered
to a Gregory Sullivan.

Daughter had it last.

Looks like we found her.

Captioning sponsored by
UNIVERSAL NETWORK TELEVISION

and NBC

My wife's out of
town on business.

She's trying to
get a flight back.

BENSON:
Why didn't you
call the police

when Emily didn't
come home last night?

I let her spend the night
at a friend's.

They have a history project
due next week.

I just don't understand

why she would've gone
into the city last night.

She doesn't even have
her night license.

Maybe this is a mistake.

Do you have

that friend's name?
Andrea Kent.
I've been calling

the Kents all morning,
but there's no answer.

And you're sure
that she was

at their house?

I assume so.
I left a message

on their answering machine
last night around 9:00,

to say good night to Emily.

And she called me back
15 minutes later.

Oh, God.

She was never at
the Kents', was she?

Mr. Sullivan, could we have
that number you called?

Elliot?

It's her, isn't it?

WOMAN:
Greg Sullivan said

Emily slept over
on a school night?

Not a chance.

But Emily told her
father that she was

spending the night
over at your house.

Well, then she's lying.

Did something happen
to her?

Mrs. Kent, Emily was murdered
last night.

Oh, my God.
How awful.

Andrea's going to be
so upset.

Can you tell us where your
daughter was last night?

Home. All evening.

Did her homework
and went to bed early.

You didn't, by any chance,
happen to get any messages

from the Sullivans today,
did you?

No.

Can you take a look
at that number?

You recognize
that one?

Doesn't even look familiar.

I'm sorry, I'm terribly late.
I wish I could help.

You know, we'd love
to talk to Andrea

about Emily's
whereabouts
last night.

Please do.

She's at school.

And I hope you scare
the hell out of her.

This is what happens
when kids lie to their parents.

MAN:
The whole school's in mourning.

Emily was well liked?

She was one of those kids who
was friends with everybody.

You know,
student body treasurer,

half a dozen clubs,
Homecoming Court.

She was a real shining star.

Were you able to
locate Andrea Kent?

Ah, I was able
to pull her and a few

of Emily's other close friends
from their classes.

You have the school's
full cooperation.

Paige Summerbee,
Brittany O'Malley,
Andrea Kent.

These are Detectives
Benson and Stabler.

Andrea, when's the
last time you saw Emily?

Yesterday, at school.

Do you know why
she told her parents

that she was sleeping over
at your house last night?

No.

We didn't plan that.

Do any of you girls recognize
this number?

It's the number
Emily's dad called last night.

Can I use your phone?

PRINCIPAL:
Of course.

( clears throat )

( phone ringing )

( cell phone beeps )

( sniffles )

You know what? Why don't we let
that go to voicemail?

GIRL:
Hi, you've reached the Kents.
Please leave a message.

( beep )

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.
She asked me to do it.

Just tell us what happened.

Emily was afraid
she'd get caught if
she tried to sneak out.

So, when Emily's parents
called your cell phone,

you call Emily
and she calls home?

It's all my fault.

STABLER:
What was so important

that Emily had to
get out of the house?

She was supposed to have
some big romantic date.

BENSON:
You know
the date's name?

Just that he was, like, 23.

Now, Brittany,
you must've talked

to Emily last night,
when her parents called you.

For like a second.

But I don't know
where she was.

And I shouldn't have done it.

Okay, maybe she'd be alive.

I'm so...

( sobbing )

Oh, my God!

PRINCIPAL:
Is there anything
else you need?

The combination
to Emily's locker.

This girl was living
the perfect high school life.

Gotta throw it all away

by dating
some 20-something skeve.

It's her day-planner.
Let's see...

Nothing for yesterday.

Got plenty
of numbers, though.

You know, Brittany
called Emily on her
cell phone last night.

But CSU never found
it in the car.

Well, killer
could've taken it.

Let's hope he's dumb enough
to use it.

Hey, look! She's got a bunch of
photos on this digital camera.

I think I just found
our 20-something skeve.

So did I.

That's him.
Lukas Ian Croft.

What is he,
an actor?

( sprightly music playing )

MAN:
For God's sake!

It's an energy drink!

Banana, apple,
you're happy,
you're peppy.

Come on!

We're shooting
here, folks.

You're gonna have to
walk around.

We need to talk
to the grapes.

Copy that.
Lukas? Visitors.

Police.
Come on down.

We need you to answer
a few questions for us.

Uh, what's this about?

Emily Sullivan.
Your underaged girlfriend.

Look, we had
a couple of dates.

I didn't know
she was only 16.

As soon as I found out,
I broke it off.

I bet all the young girls love
that you're a... an actor.

I don't date girls,
usually.

I mean, on purpose.

Come on, have you seen Emily?

She looks like... 20.

Now she looks dead.

Know anything
about that?

No... God.
What happened?

She came into the city
last night to meet you.

She got murdered.

No, I swear, we broke up.

I was on a movie set last night.

You're in a movie?

I'm an extra.

I was there
till 4:00 in the morning.

Little fruit's alibi checks out.

I want to know where the hell
this girl was last night.

There's no activity
on her ATM

or her credit card.

Nobody saw her,
and if she wasn't

meeting Lukas,
then why sneak out?

TARU's checking out
her computer now.

Maybe she met
someone online.

HUANG:
Look at the
neck wounds.

Too shallow to kill
her outright, but
she bleeds enough

to make her too
weak to fight back.

BENSON:
He wanted to watch
her suffer.

I'll check with VICAP
to see if any other
murders match this M.O.

Emily Sullivan's
cellular company
just reported

an outgoing call on her
phone to a 900 sex line.

GPS tracked it to within
a hundred yards.

Closest possibility
is a comic book shop.

Psychos...

they always love comics.

MAN:
So, you look like
Kathleen Turner, huh?

Like, when she was skinny?
Oh, yeah, that's so hot.

So, uh, what do you...?

This is a nice
pink cell phone.

You're under arrest
there, Emily.

For what?

For the murder
of Emily Sullivan.

No, wait, wait, wait.
I found that phone.

I was out of town
till this morning.

Yeah? Where?

Uh, Cosmicon,
Grand Rapids.

Plane ticket stub's
in my back pocket.

Please, I'll pay for the calls,
but I didn't kill anybody.

Where did you pick up
the cell phone?

In the street,
couple blocks away.

Oh, hey, this is
a murder case!

You tell me
what's going down?

No.

That's cool.
Police business. I dig.

This is not far
from where the body was found.

Text message
from yesterday--

"C U later, Brit."

You know, my daughter
text messages

her friends 20
times a day.

I wonder how long
the phone company
keeps those records.

You're in luck.

They archive text
messages 14 days.

There's gotta be
thousands of them here.

How did she have time
to do anything else?

Hmm. Trick is
to memorize the keypad,

so you can text message
during class

without looking
at your phone.

My niece is 14.

Right. This stuff
is very deep.

"Danny is sooooo--"
ten o's-- "ooooo cute."

Listen to this.

"Keep your fat mouth shut."

And then later that day--

"We're all just waiting
for you to kill yourself."

There's pages of this.

Who sent them?

Emily. To somebody else.

Is there any way to find out

who she sent
these messages to?

Yeah.

( knocking )

Help you?

Mr. Linsky,
I'm Detective Benson.

This is
Detective Stabler.

Do you have a daughter
named Agnes?

Yeah.

Is she friends
with an Emily Sullivan?

You guys know damn well

that bitch is not
my daughter's friend.

Go bother her parents.
They deserve it.

Uh, Mr. Linsky,
just hold on a second.

We're from
Manhattan Special Victims.

Emily Sullivan was murdered.

Now, why don't you
explain to us

what you're
talking about?

Troy, get lost.

We've been trying to get
a restraining order

against that girl
for over a year.

And nobody cared.

Now someone kills her,

and you're acting like
it's some kind of tragedy?

She made my daughter's
life miserable.

And God help me,
I'm not sorry she's dead.

Why didn't you tell us
that Agnes Linsky's father

tried to get a restraining order

against Emily two months ago?

I'm sorry, I didn't think
it was relevant.

Allegations
of phone harassment,

persistent verbal abuse--
that's not relevant?

The judge didn't find
any merits to the claims;
neither did I.

And now that Emily's
dead, you think there
might be some merit?

You think we might've
wanted to hear about it?
No.

No?
This was just
an overprotective father

getting involved
in a misunderstanding

between two teenagers--
not murder.

Did you bother to investigate
the allegations?

We set up a mediation

between Emily and Agnes.

Both girls agreed to try harder
to understand each other

Detectives, Agnes
Linsky may be delayed,
academically

and socially, but she
couldn't kill anyone.

We're gonna need
to talk to her.

We'll get her father
down here.

That's not necessary.
Agnes is 18.

I'll pull her out of class.

No use in both of us
tag-teaming her.

Just take it.

Hey, Agnes.

I'm Detective Benson.

I know. You were
at my house last night.

Mm-hmm.
I don't know what
happened to Emily--
we're not friends.

Well, your principal said
that you two don't get along.

Yeah. Well, he spends

most of his time kissing
Emily and her friends' asses.

I know you don't believe me.
Nobody does.

You know, Agnes,
I want to help you.

Right.

You're gonna be my friend.

And if you and I
were in school together,

you'd be just as
much of a bitch as
the rest of them.

Well, actually,
when I was in school,

I pretty much kept to myself.

I didn't want anybody
to find out about my mom.

She, uh, used to drink a lot.

It's easier not
having friends,

but it doesn't make it
any less lonely.

My mom died... when I was nine.

When I was 12,
Emily started the rumor

that my mom left us because she
couldn't stand how ugly I was.

Funny, right?

People still
believe that.

So you've known Emily
a long time.

When we were little,
we were all friends.

I don't really know
why it changed.

In seventh grade,
Emily got a fake screen name

and pretended to be
a boy I liked, e-mailed me.

The next day I talked to him,

and he didn't know
what the hell I was saying.

He pushed me into the mud.

Emily and her friends
thought it was hilarious.

So her friends
were in on it, too?

Brittany and the rest of them
are pretty terrible,

but I was Emily's
special project.

She used to pretend
to be my friend for a week,

and then use it against me.

I gave her my cell phone number,

and she started sending
all these awful messages to me--

how fat I was,

how I should just kill myself
because nobody liked me.

My dad saved up
to buy me that phone,

and I hardly use it anymore.

It's not worth it.

Your dad seems pretty angry
about this.

It's like

I'm disappointing him.

That's the worst part, you know?

( sniffles ):
It sounds stupid.

My brother says
I should ignore it...

but it just builds up.

Every day it's something else.

And you start to feel
like you don't even want

to get out of bed
in the morning.

I know it sounds awful, but...
I'm happy.

I'm happy she's dead.

Yep.

Pat Linsky was bartending
from 8:00 until 4:00

the night of Emily's murder.

Agnes says that
she was home alone.

We really think
she's capable of
something like that?

If pushed hard enough.

The sadistic nature
of the attack

could also be explained
by the fury

of someone who doesn't
know how to kill.

Look, the school knew exactly
what was happening to that girl.

They didn't do anything
about it.

Victims of bullying are
often social outcasts.

It's human nature for
the school authorities

to identify with
the "normal" kids.

Meaning the teachers
believe the bully's story

and think the victims are being
a little too sensitive.

I don't know.
Agnes had every reason

to hate Emily
and want her dead.

I just don't think
she killed her.

We're sure the father's
in the clear?

Well, we'll check the bar.

Maybe he took
a long lunch break.

STABLER:
We'll be right there.

Brittany O'Malley was just
attacked at Tanner Day.

She's on her way to the E.R.

Security's holding
the guy who did it.

Olivia, hit the hospital.

Get to the school.

MAN:
Here's the tough guy.

STABLER:
Ah... you're
Agnes Linsky's brother.

Troy Linsky.
Expelled three years ago

for bringing a knife
into school.

Also likes to beat up
little girls.

I didn't
beat her up.
Shut up.

I'll let you two
get acquainted.

I pushed her,
that's it.

Hard enough to send her
to the hospital.

She hit her head
against the locker.

It was an accident.
I was mad.

You've got some
anger management
problems there, pal.

Yeah, do you know what
they did to my sister?

Yeah, Emily Sullivan tortured
your sister-- I know that.

And someone taught
that bitch a lesson, right?

It wasn't me.
I didn't touch Emily.

I'm not saying
you did, but...

why are you beating up
Brittany?

Look, I want Brittany to admit
what she did.

What's that?

She took pictures...

while Agnes was changing
in the locker room.

She sent them to anyone
with a camera phone.

Look for yourself.

On my cell,
in the bag on the desk.

You know,
those girls...

they've got everybody snowed.

They're evil.

How do you know
Brittany did this?

She's in the same
class with Agnes.

You know,
Brittany sent that

to, like, 20 different people.

My buddy's sister got it.
He sent it to me.

And you think this is enough
to hurt someone, huh?

Hey, look,
nobody's protecting my sister.

Okay? Not the school
and not the cops.

I'm trying to help your sister.

Okay? I'm trying to help Agnes.

Well, taking
naked pictures

of someone,
well, that's illegal, right?

So when are you gonna
do something about that?

BENSON:
I'll wait for it.

That was my partner.

He's with Troy Linsky now.

I want him arrested--
assault and battery.

No, forget it.
Brit...

Shut up!
Find the plastic surgeon--

I want to get out of here.

MRS. O'MALLEY:
Of course, sweetheart.

They were never
anything but nice
to that Agnes girl,

and this is what they get.

Is your head feeling all right?

No, it kills.

I just don't
want a scar.

I think it's gonna be
just fine.

Oh, well, thank you, Doctor.

You can leave now.

You know what, honey, I will.

But not before I ask you
a couple of questions.

Why do you think
Troy Linsky attacked you?

Because he's psycho.

'Cause his whole family
is crazy.

Did you see Agnes today?

She's kind of hard to miss.

Did you talk to her?
Why would I?

Well, you know what,
Brittany?

I'm starting to wonder why it is

you girls do any of the things
that you do.

Did you take this picture
of Agnes

and send it around
to your friends?

Keep in mind that
we can trace it back
to the sender--

in case you're thinking
about lying to me again.

Look at it.

( crying ):
I'm sorry I did it.

Why would you do that, Brittany?

To get back at Agnes!

To back at her for what?

Everybody knows that
you spoke to her today.

Because she did it,
didn't she?

She did it.
She killed Emily.

She killed my best friend!

SIPER:
Why the rush, Detectives?

We've got a bunch
of teenagers trying
to kill each other.

I'd like to, uh,
arrest one of them.

It would help
if we could at least

narrow down
the killer's gender.

Well, the small wounds
on the body

were wider at the deepest point,
narrower at the entry point.

Best guess is they came from
manicure scissors like these,

shoved in and then opened up.

Combine that with this,

found inside
some of the scratch wounds.

It's nail polish

in Boy Crush Blush,
also known as

light pink.

I'd say your killer's a female.

Or metrosexual.

Once you've got a suspect,
I'm gonna make you really happy.

We've got hair-- couple strands
stuck in the duct tape.

It's been color-treated.

Know any bottle blondes?

Three.

Question for you, Doc.

Under what circumstances
would Miss Teen USA

commit a violent murder
with sexual undertones?

Well, that depends.

She might have been sexually
abused herself, or psychotic.

That also explain
why she'd kill one
of her best friends?

It could.

Boys tend to get into conflicts
with acquaintances or strangers.

Girls typically attack within
tightly knit friendships.

Well, that's definitely been
my experience.

The people that have made me
feel the worst

were always my best friends.

It's called
relational aggression.

Boys are socialized
to express their anger.

Girls are socialized
to be nice--

and it's not nice
to start a fight.

Feelings got
to come out sometime.

HUANG:
Often as rumor-spreading,
ostracizing,

or secret-telling.

In other words,
don't tell your friend

you're mad at her,

just get everybody else
to hate her.

And in the extreme,

I can see how a betrayal
within the inner circle

could incite violence.

Question is,
what was the betrayal?

And which one did the deed?

BENSON:
Maybe it was
all of them.

Obviously none of these girls
have any qualms

about lying to the police.

We've got the hair
on the duct tape.

It's got to belong
to one of them.

We bring in all three now,

they'll just keep up the lie

or start pointing fingers.

We need ammo to shoot their
story down.

I love these little cliques.

They're like the Mafia...
nobody knows nothing.

Peer counselors might.

Those kids usually know
everybody.

Does the school have a
peer counseling program?

Yeah, I think I saw a sign
for something like that.

Good. Doc, why don't
you tag along,

see if you can't get in
these kids' heads.

Oh, yeah, I totally know
Brittany and all those girls.

Everybody does.

Has anyone had
any trouble with them?

Um... except this is like
therapy,

so I can't really
break a confidence.

Okay.

So what do you
think of them?

Actually, they're
really nice.

I can totally see
how somebody with, you know,

low self-esteem would have
a problem with them.

I don't.

But you know people who do.

Well, yeah.

But what I say
to them is,

hey, we're all insecure.

Brittany and Paige and Andrea
are just like you.

It's their defense mechanism.

Right. What's their
defense mechanism?

You know... being mean.

There's a lot of pressure
being popular.

Everyone always watching you,
waiting for you to screw up.

It was really hard on Emily.

Do you think that's an
excuse for bad behavior?

No.

I guess I just
understood Emily

better
than most people.

So you were friends?

Well, we lived
next door to each other
since nursery school.

We used to play together
all the time.

She got in with the popular
crowd in middle school

and I didn't see her
as much.

I guess we were home friends.

Sounds kind of lame.

Not at all, Terri.

Friendships are
always changing.

What's sad is,

she was really starting
to pull away from those girls.

She was thinking about college.

Meeting new people.

She didn't really like Brittany.

How do you know that?

She could see how
nasty Brittany was,

how manipulative.

And... Emily sort of hooked up
with Brittany's boyfriend.

Do you remember the boy's name?

Lukas, I think.

Brittany was so pissed off.

She likes people to be afraid
of her, but...

Emily wasn't afraid anymore.

Lukas Croft.
Police, open up.

What do you want?

You know something?

You gave us such
a great performance

last time we talked,
we're looking for an encore.

Sit down.

Brittany O'Malley--
that ring a bell?

She's 16.
That's statutory rape.

Hey, can you act like
a prison inmate?

We didn't have sex.

Brittany wouldn't do it.

You've got
about two seconds

to tell us everything,

or I make sure
you don't date again.

Brittany and I started
going out

last fall, and by the way,
she pursued me.

Then a couple months ago,

Brittany tells me
to hit on Emily.

BENSON:
Right. She wanted
you to cheat.

She said it was some
kind of friendship test.

So I did,
and Emily was into it.

What was I supposed
to do, say no?

You're too much
of a stud for that. Bye-bye.

Look, I'm sorry
I even did it.

Brittany freaked out on me.

She like psycho freaked out.
She's nuts.

Okay, so why lie for her?

I think she
poisoned Buttons.

My cat.

I can't prove it,
but I don't want
to cross that girl.

She's crazy.

I hadn't heard
from her in weeks,

until that night.

Said she was coming by
the set

and I better have
a case of beer for her.

Was Emily with her?

They were in Emily's car,
but Emily wasn't there.

When I tried to put
the beer in the trunk,
they freaked.

You think that's where
they put Emily?

Who are "they"?

You know--
her two best friends,

Andrea and Paige.

They do whatever Brittany says.

( cheerleaders chanting )

Come on you can do it.

Paige Summerbee,
you're under arrest

for the murder
of Emily Sullivan.

Brittany O'Malley
and Andrea Kent,

step down please.

Why?

We can drag you out if you want.

Brittany O'Malley,
Andrea Kent,

you're under arrest
for the murder of
Emily Sullivan.

You have the right
to remain silent.

If you give up that right,
anything you say

can and will be used
against you in a
court of law.

You have the right
to an attorney.

If you cannot afford one,
one will be appointed.

Do you understand
these rights...?

Where are the parents?

Napa Valley.

Mr. and Mrs. Kent are
on a plane as we speak.

They've agreed to allow Andrea
to answer questions

in my presence as a gesture
of cooperation.

I hope you want
to cooperate too, Andrea.

It will make things
a whole lot easier.

I didn't kill Emily.

Who did?

I don't know.
I'm telling the truth.

You told the detectives
you didn't see Emily

the night she of her murder,

but Lukas Croft saw you
in her car.

So that was
a lie, wasn't it?

I did go out with
Emily that night...

but she wanted us to drop her
off at some bar,

and then take her car home.

The car where
her body was found?

Yeah.

We'd all been drinking,

so we parked
the car

and took the train.

I called Emily and told her
where she could pick it up.

Great. Then we can
check your cell

to make sure that's true.

I called from a pay phone.

Okay. Then we can
check Emily's cell

for the incoming call.

Unless that's
not the truth either.

Why are you being so mean to me?

Because you're lying to me,
Paige,

and you've been lying
about this all along.

Quit hounding her.

We're through if
you don't stop trying
to upset my client.

Where was Brittany
this whole time?

With us.

If Brittany did
something wrong,

you're not responsible
for that.

You understand that?

You can't control
what other people do.

Go on, honey,

tell him the truth.

She didn't do anything.

Right, and you know this
because you were with her

the whole time,
right?

She's answered the question,
Detective.

Well, maybe she can answer
this question now.

We found a blonde hair
in the duct tape used

to bind Emily's arms
and legs.

DNA says that hair belongs
to Brittany.

Now, if you were
with her the whole night,

you must have been
during that, too,
right, Paige?

It was a joke.

BENSON:
Tying somebody up
and throwing them

into the back
of the trunk

and then beating them
to death is a joke?

We didn't hurt her.

I mean, we just had her
in the trunk, that's it.

I don't know how all
the other stuff happened.

Do you expect me to believe
that you taped her up,

but somebody else killed her?

Yes.

This is a dangerous city,
Detective.

Look, all we were trying to do
is teach her a lesson.

What lesson?

That you can't just do whatever
you want.

There are rules.

What rules?

You can't steal
somebody's boyfriend.

So you guys just
drove around with Emily
in the trunk all night,

and then what, left her there,
alive, perfectly fine?

Ms. Novak, I think we're through

answering questions
for a while.

I just want
to make sure

your client understands
the situation she's in.

No one is going

to believe
that, Andrea.

This lie, you and your
little friends cooked up,
it's a bad one.

So if you've got anything
you want to say to me

before I walk out that door,
you better say it now.

Brittany went crazy!

She just lost it.

It was awful,
she started punching Emily,

and then she lit some cigarettes

and she started burning her
her with them.

She had these little scissors...

And Brittany was
cutting her...

and then she took out a knife
and started stabbing her,

and there was so much blood.

I didn't know what to do,
and...

I never wanted to hurt Emily.

What were you doing
during all of this?

Me and Paige were just
standing there.

We couldn't believe it.

And you didn't
help Brittany?

You didn't hold Emily down,
maybe take a few shots yourself?

No. I swear.
Brittany did everything.

No, they didn't do anything.

CRAGEN:
I'm glad you're
saying that Brittany.

Because it's consistent
with your friends' stories,

that they're innocent
and you killed Emily
all by yourself.

They're not saying that.

You better believe they are,
little girl.

Okay, I think that wraps it up
for today.

No. What are they saying?

That you killed Emily because
she stole your boyfriend.

Oh, and that you're nuts.

WOMAN:
They're clearly
lying.

Shut up!

You're not
helping!

Brittany, sit down.

No. Where are they?

I want them to say this
to my face.

Huh?! Bitches!
Say it to my face!

That's enough.

Buy you lunch, counselor?

I'll even let you
talk me

into a plea deal.

In exchange, you get
my client's testimony.

The sworn statement
of a murderer.

That's tempting.

No jury's going
to convict

Andrea and Paige
without direct evidence.

You'll need Brittany
to testify against them.

Look, you've got

two so-called
normal girls who sat back

and allowed Emily Sullivan
to be murdered.

My client's off her nut.

What's their excuse?

That's why they're being charged
for their crimes.

You've got
a weak case at best.

One sympathetic juror
will tank it.

They're us, Casey--

our sisters, our daughters,
our high school girlfriends.

No one wants to believe.

No. They're monsters.

They're mean,
vicious little girls

who think they can do
whatever they want.

And up until now
they've gotten away with it.

But not anymore. No deal.

( knocking )

Well, maybe these two will
change your mind.

I'll be at my regular table.

Motion to sever,
I assume.

We're happy with
one trial for
both our clients.

And since you can't prove
intent, it'll be a short trial.

Andrea and Paige were part
of a group

that was under the spell

of Brittany O'Malley.

They didn't have
the mental state
to form intent.

I've seen this movie.

It's the one about
the zombies, right?

Actually, Ms. Novak,
you're not far off.

If you're going with
an affirmative defense,

Mr. Kressler, I've yet
to receive notification.

We're not arguing
diminished capacity.

This is about free will,

and the People can't prove
that our clients had it.

Well, what exactly did these
girls intend

when they held Emily Sullivan
in a trunk of a car all night?

They had no intent.

They were under the control
of Brittany O'Malley,

a charismatic,
anti-social leader.

Your Honor,
the mob-mentality
defense was used

in the Reginald Denny trial
after the L.A. riots,

the civil rights trial after
the Crown Heights riots.

Where is the mob?

These were three teenaged girls.

We have expert

testimony that will
amply illustrate

the profound effect

that small groups have
on the individual.

A defense like this is dangerous
because if the jury buys it,

personal responsibility
goes out the window.

That's a matter of opinion.

This is a matter of fact
for the jury to decide.

I'll allow it.

Drop kidnapping,

my client pleads guilty
to man one

and testifies against
Barbie and Skipper.

See? Reasonable.

I don't know why I even bother.

The jury's gonna take
one look at Andrea
and Paige

and jump on any excuse

not to throw them in jail.

That's certainly
a possibility.

It's also possible a jury will
send your client

to prison
for the rest of her life.

Murder two,

kidnapping one,

sentences to be served
concurrently

with the possibility of parole.

This is your client's
only chance at a future.

She should take it
and thank me.

So, I testify against Andrea
and Paige.

You tell the truth
to the jury,

or the deal's gone
and I add perjury.

Oh, I'll tell them everything.

I really don't care.

BRITTANY:
Andrea told Emily that
we were going out all night.

She made up the
sleepover so that

Emily's parents
wouldn't be looking for her.

Because Andrea didn't want
you guys getting caught.

Objection.
Calls for speculation.

JUDGE:
Sustained.

Emily's arms and legs

were bound with duct tape.

She ever get loose?

Oh, yeah, a couple times.

She kicked me in the face once.

What did the defendants
do when she freed herself?

The first time,

Paige grabbed
her by the hair

so I could fix the tape.

And then when
she kicked me,

she almost got out of the trunk,

and then Andrea pushed
her back in.

Were the defendants ever left
alone with the victim?

Oh, yeah, for five
or ten minutes

when I went
to go buy cigarettes.

NOVAK:
When it was over
when Emily was dead,

what did you guys do?

Paige was hungry,

so we went to go get waffles.

And then we just took
the train home.

Did Andrea or Paige,
at any point

during that night,
ask you to stop?

No. They were having fun.

Nothing further.

Your witness.

So you say Andrea and Paige
never asked you to stop.

Let me ask you this--
did Emily?

I guess.

You guess?

Didn't she beg you to stop.

Didn't she offer you money,
her diamond earrings,

anything you wanted?

Yes.

Didn't she cry out
for her mother?

And you thought
that was funny.

Yes.

Who was it that cut Emily skin
with scissors

over a hundred times?

I did.

And who brought a knife,

then later used it
to cut Emily's throat?

Me.

And the cigarettes
you went out to buy,

you used those
to burn Emily's skin, right?

Right.

So the truth is,

you didn't want Andrea and Paige
to help you torture

and kill Emily.

You just wanted an audience.

Objection.

Withdrawn.

Nothing further.

Dr. Sopher, in your study

of neurology of behavior,
you also studied

how environment influences
behavior, right?

Of course.

And when an
environment
consists

of a small group

influencing an individual,
what is that called?

Small group dynamics:

an individual's identity
fuses with the group.

You see it with soldiers
or cult members.

How does it happen?

Intense situations
create intense solidarity.

Adolescents are arguably
under years of stress--

physiologically,
emotionally, hormonally.

Solidarity makes the urge
to conform irresistible.

And you think this
explains two girls

watching and even participating
in the murder of another?

The urge to conform
explains far more
heinous acts.

Look at Nazi Germany,
Rwanda.

Thank you, Dr. Sopher.

Your witness.

Wow. To hear you talk,

we'd expect to see packs
of teenaged girls

roaming the streets
killing people.

No. The group was under
the influence of one girl

intent on murder.

So you're saying
it's impossible

for a teenager
to have free will in a group?

If she has
a strong will,

she can withstand
the desire to conform.

Then the defendants
are just weak.

That's perhaps
a simple explanation.

Well, last time I checked,

being weak isn't an excuse
for murder.

It's just pathetic.

Objection.
Argumentative.

Sustained.

Nothing further.

I feel so bad
about everything.

I haven't been able to sleep.

Brittany said you planned
a lot of it, Andrea.

You got Emily
to leave her
house that night.

I thought that we were
just going to talk to her

about how she wasn't being
a good friend.

The only reason I set it up
was because it was my birthday.

I told her we were going out
to celebrate.

So you never suspected

that Brittany wanted
to kill Emily?

No way.

I wouldn't have gone.

Why didn't you stop her?

I couldn't.

You don't say no to Brittany.

You have to go along with her.

I'm so sorry.

You feel bad now

for everything
that happened to Emily.

Yes.

When I got home
that morning,
I threw up.

But I was afraid.

Of getting caught?

Of Brittany?

No.

I was afraid if I told,
Brittany wouldn't be my friend.

You said your

cover story was going out

to celebrate your birthday.

January.

That makes you a Capricorn,
right?

Yeah.

What's your birthstone?

Objection. Relevance?

I'm getting to it,
Your Honor.

Hurry it up, Ms. Novak.

The witness will answer
the question.

My birthstone's garnet.

That's what I thought.

I see you're wearing
your class ring.

That's my birthstone--
sapphire.

September birthday.

You know who else who had
a September birthday, Andrea?

Objection!

Relevance?

Overruled.

Didn't Emily have
a September birthday?

I don't know.

Emily had a class ring.

It was engraved with her name.

It was never found
with her body.

Your Honor, would you instruct
the defendant

to remove her ring?

Hand it to me, Ms. Kent.

Paige gave it to me.

She took it off of Emily
after she was dead!

You're a liar!
You took her Prada purse!

Sidebar, Your Honor.
She's got
Emily's clothes, too.

The ones with all
the blood on them.

If you felt so bad
about what happened,

then why are you wearing
a dead girl's ring?

Your Honor!

JUDGE:
Enough! Counsel, approach.

Move for a mistrial, Your Honor.

The defendant perjured herself.

Prove it.

May we have time
to confer?

You may not,

and your motion's denied,
Ms. Riff.

You'll have an opportunity

to impeach her statements
in redirect.

Please continue, Ms. Novak.

No further questions.

Guilty on all counts.

It's a 15-minute jury verdict.

( phone rings )

That's very impressive,
Counselor.
Yeah.

Remind me to give you
the names of all the girls
I hated in high school.

Takes you back,
doesn't it?

I hated it
the first time around.

Olivia, Westchester PD.

Shots fired
at Tanner Day.

The school wouldn't remove it
until they documented it.

It's been up all day.

STABLER:
Who is she?

BENSON:
I don't know.

She's a senior,
real popular.

Eh, it's a shame.

OFFICER:
You have the right
to have an attorney

present now and
in the future.

If you cannot afford
an attorney,

one will be appointed
to you by the court.

Do you understand
these rights as
I've read them to you?

Agnes, what happened?

They went to jail

and it didn't even make
any difference.

It was never gonna stop.

No matter what anybody did,
it was never gonna stop.

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( wolf howling )