Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 5, Episode 25 - Head - full transcript

When the team searches for a voyeur who placed video cams in toilets. Eventually they find the man who offers to tell them of a child being sexually assaulted. They eventually find the boy and at first decides to look at his mother who is an alcoholic. But they eventually learn it's the principal at his school. While being interrogated by Elliot she has a seizure and Elliot is accused of being rough with her. But the doctors reveal that she has a tumor. Casey wants to prosecute her but she is told that it was the tumor that made her do it. Which makes Casey wonder how she should proceed.

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.

Double chai latte,

half-caf, whip cream.
Bathroom this way?

( cell phone rings )

Hold on.



Hello.

The Quarterly Reports
aren't on your desk

because you asked me
to pick them up on my way in.

Not good.
They spiral bound them.

Yes, I know
that makes you crazy.

That's why they're redoing them
as we speak.

I told him, velo binding.

No, I can't hand him the phone.

He said it'd take 20 minutes,

so I ran next door
for a cup of...

Damn it!

Oh!

( groans )

What in the world?



What the hell is this?

MORALES:
Digital CCD,
waterproofed, pinhole lens.

A spy camera.

Taking some candid photos.

Video, actually.
High resolution.

Do you have any idea

how long it's
been in there?

These puppies burn batteries
pretty quickly.

Three, four hours tops.

30% power remaining.

It was set up
less than two hours ago.

So where's the video?

Camera was hooked up
to this micro-transmitter.

Could have been recording
as far as a block away.

Or as close
as the next room.

It's getting way too easy
to invade someone's privacy.

All our guy needed
to do was turn
on his computer

and pick up the signal.

Peeping Toms have gone
high-tech on us.

They used to have go outside
and hide in the bushes.

Now you can
violate somebody

by sitting in front
of a computer

enjoying a cup of coffee.

Which one of them's
a pervert?

Where are we
on the potty perv?

Lab got a thumbprint

off the bottom of the
transmitter, but no matches.

Any of the cafe patrons
looking good?

The ones who'd used the john
just looked freaked out.

TARU searched their
hard drives. Nothing.

Figure our guy
was watching it live,

high-tailed it out of there

when the complaining witness
found the camera.

Gives a whole new meaning
to "live streaming video."

You're either looking
for a urophiliac,

that's a sexual attraction
to urine,

or a coprophiliac, that's...

Okay, let's not go there.

This stuff I just don't get.

These aren't heavily studied
paraphilias,

but they're often the result
of an abusive childhood.

The outside world
is so hostile

that these kids turn
inward on themselves

and they become fixated
by their own bodily functions.

This guy dangerous?

Probably not.
But he's anti-social,

his crime was voyeuristic

and he didn't have any physical
contact with his victims.

We have more calls on this guy
than on the Midtown Rapist,

and I'd like to put him
out of commission.

Maybe we can track him down

through his spy-cam equipment.

MAN:
You name it,
we can put a camera in it.

Alarm clocks, buttons, shoes...

What the hell
would you need a camera

in your shoe for

unless you're going
to look up a girl's dress?

Hey, this is a legit business.
I sell a lot to the Department.

I'm a licensed P.I. myself.

MUNCH:
What's this?

Pedophiles must love this thing.

MAN:
There's a nanny cam
in the left eye.

Who knows how many young lives
this has saved.

We talked to one
of your competitors.

He said he thought
this looked like your work.

Could be. I don't do
the special orders myself.

MUNCH:
Who does?

Charlie. Works in the back.

Parts are from various kits.

No serial numbers,
really no way of tracing it.

Did you put it together?

I do so many custom jobs,

it's really hard
to keep it all straight.

Charlie, unless this is a
cleverly disguised camera,

that information should
be in here, right?

Let me try searching
for an order

using the same various
components, okay?

No... No.

FIN:
How many itty-bitty cameras
could you have made?

In the last year,
about 500.

This one was water-proofed,
so that's gotta narrow it down.

Hey, wait a minute.
This might be something.

Six months ago,
a customer came in

and he ordered five of them.

What's his name?

F.E. Tischman.

Fetish Man.

Are you in charge here?

I'm production manager.
Gil Tanner. Oh...

Your call was half an hour ago.
Get your asses in there.

Keep your pants on.
We're coming.

Gil, what exactly are you
shooting in there?

Porn. It's perfectly legal.

Broadcast live
over the Internet, 24-7.

Anything goes?

Long as no one gets hurt.

We supply the models,
you direct the action.

We got more positions
than the Kama Sutra.

You must have
a lot of cameras

to catch all
those angles.

Closed set.

Yeah. House has over a hundred.

Including five toilet cams

There's only one
in the bowl itself.

Our heavy hits are in
the showers and the hot tubs.

WOMAN ( over radio ):
Gil, we got a situation

with the Chinese
spinning basket.

Copy, I'm on it.
Gotta go.

Hey, Gil,
you ever shoot on location?

Like, say
a coffee house?

Why? We've got a one-stop fetish
shop right here.

It's an effin' cash cow.

So all of your toilet cam's
are accounted for, huh?

Believe me,

I'd be the first to know
if that website went dark.

Feel free to check it out.

Can you believe this?

Casey says we don't have enough
to subpoena

their subscriber list.

No, ma'am, we haven't recovered
any videos yet.

To be honest with you,
I have no idea

how we're gonna identify
the victims.

Liv, Mr. Carson here saw
the video voyeur on the news.

He needs to talk
to somebody about it.

I take it you used
the facility

at the cafe
yesterday.

No. I work in the
building next door.

He believes he might
have run into our perp.

A gentleman with a laptop.

Where?
On the sidewalk.

I was getting out of a taxi

and this guy practically knocked
me over getting into it.

What time?
8:30.

How do you know
he was coming from the cafe?

I recognized their logo
on the coffee cup

which he spilled
all over me.

Okay. Can you describe him?

White, late 20s,

dark hair, about my height,
wore glasses.

Are you on an
expense account?

Yeah, why?

Your receipt
can tell us
the cab number.

The dispatcher
should be able
to tell us

where he dropped him off.

BENSON:
We're looking for a geek.

He carries a laptop.

I don't know his name,

It sounds like someone
I've seen in the building.

Do you know
which apartment?

First door on the right.
That'd be 1-A.

1-A is Donato.

Do you know
anything else about him?

Just that he creeps me out.
Never makes eye contact.

Just stares at people's asses.

Mr. Donato!

TV's on. Somebody's home.

If there's any
poetic justice,

we caught him
in the bathroom.

Hey, if it isn't Charlie
the spy girl.

You know her?

She's the technician
from the camera shop.

What do you want now?

Let's take another crack

at who you made
that toilet cam for.

Here's a clue:
he lives in this apartment.

It's my baby brother, Wade.

You live together?

Actually, he has trouble
holding down a job

and he asked if he
could spend a few
weeks on my couch

and it turned
into two years.

Now there's sisterly love.

Free room and board
and surveillance equipment.

Look, you guys.
This is my fault.

I should never have
made it for him.

You knew that
he was a pervert.

He's not.
He's just troubled.

I've always had
to look out for him.

We didn't have a pleasant
childhood, all right?

You seem to be
high-functioning.

Wade took the brunt
of the abuse.

He's a very sensitive boy.

I think the people
he caught

with their pants down
might disagree.

This where the
little peeper
keeps his stuff?

Please don't.
Wade doesn't want anyone
touching his things.

Just a peek.

No!
Charlie...

your brother is sick.

You're not doing him any favors.

Help us stop him

so we can get him
the counseling he needs.

BENSON:
"Ur-ine Luck"?

MUNCH:
Must've been good,
they're sequels.

What are you doing?

Admiring your
video collection.

Wade, these are
detectives. They know.

I didn't break any laws.

BENSON:
You did if you
took any of these

without the subject's consent.

Now, uh, these look
homemade, Wade.

I can explain.

MUNCH:
Let's come back
to our place.

You're going
to love our facilities.

Seriously, Wade,
just tell me.

What do you get out of it?

I really don't feel
like discussing it.

Wade, I've gotta commend you
on your fine penmanship.

Our friend here's been keeping
a journal

detailing his toilet tour
of Manhattan.

You had no right
to read that.

You had no right
to shoot the crap.

The witness you ran over
fleeing from the scene

of the crime
positively I.D.'d you.

That's how we got
our search warrant.

I can't stand people
touching my things.

You get anything
off his computer?

Footage from the cafe, yeah.

Oh. Did he write about it
in his journal?

Try May second,
8:05 A.M.

Please don't do this.

"Female subject,
fat butt, urination,
33-second duration,

Marigold yellow."

I wasn't hurting anyone.

You violated hundreds of people.

The videos
were for my own private use.

No one else
was ever going to see them.

Just let me pay the fine
so I can go.

Doesn't work
that way anymore.

They passed
Stephanie's Law in August.

Video voyeurism
is now an "E" Felony.

You're looking
at one to four years.

Per count.
No way.

Oh, yeah. You serve those
consecutively,

you're looking
at a life sentence.

I wanna make a deal.

Unfortunately,
you don't have
anything we want.

No, I do. A real crime.

Yeah? What is it?

If you catch the guy,
will you reduce
my sentence?

It depends.
What have you got?

Check out DVD 62,
about an hour in.

MUNCH:
This is from two weeks ago.

STABLER:
Saturday, 1:00 P.M.

I'll spare you the details.

Next one's three minutes
after this.

It's marked "N.S."

What's N.S.?

No specimen.

Here we go.

FIN:
Oh, no.

Not a kid.

BENSON:
Check out his right eye.

Looks like he's been attacked.

CRAGEN:
Recently.

Maybe he ran in there
to hide.

Look, the door's shaking.

Someone must've followed him in.

FIN:
Don't open the door.

Camera's going out.

Toilet Perv caught
a sexual assault.

And didn't do a thing
to stop it.

You watched that boy
being molested.

What are you doing?

Where were you?
Where were you?

( gagging ):
I don't know what
you're talking about.

You were standing
right outside--
No.

Watching.
No, no, I
saw it later.

Wade, don't lie to me.
That's not your M.O.

You like a live show.

You saw that whole thing
go down--

you didn't even help?

What was I supposed to do?

Help him!

Yeah, and tell the cops

that I caught the whole thing
on my toilet cam?

Where did it happen?

Central Park.

The camera didn't catch
the guy's face.

Describe him.

I was on a bench

50 yards away.
I never saw him.

MAN:
Can't get what's not there.

All we have is the perp's blue
sweatshirt and jeans.

FIN:
What about the boy?

We'll never get an ID,
it's too grainy.

We have some new technology
on loan from NASA.

Let's see what it can do.

Software's a video image
stabilization system

called VISAR.

MUNCH:
That's what they used to solve
that car wash abduction

down in Florida.

FIN:
That's amazing.

You can see just how fresh
the cut over his eye is.

Not to mention eye color--
blue.

I'll print it
out for you.

Hold on, hold on.
Pull back out.

There's a section that we
kept replaying.

We couldn't quite
make it out.

Right there.

Go back a few frames.

Zoom in.

There's something
in the perp's hand.

Can you enhance it?

FIN:
That's an athletic cup.

He must have been playing
some kind of sport in the park.

He's wearing
a soccer jersey.

That explains the cut
over his eye.

Probably got injured
during the game.

Which the pedophile
may have been watching.

Guys, we've got
something else.

What?

The nails are
manicured.

Tips are white.

Our molester's a woman.

Well, that certainly narrows
the suspect pool.

Only ten percent of all
pedophiles are female.

MUNCH:
That we know of.

It's definitely understudied

and probably under-reported.

Patrol had a walk
in the park that day.

No one reported
so much as a mugging.

Which bathroom
are we talking about?

Wade says it was close
to the Boathouse Cafe.

Nearest facility is
Mid-Town here.

There's a lot of practice
fields in that area.

His journal says the attack
occurred around 1:03 p.m.

I checked
the team schedules.

Closest field reserved
for a soccer

was Vipers versus Bulldogs.

The boy's jersey was
red and black.

It's the Bulldogs.

Talk to their coach.

MAN:
That's Shane Madden--
our star forward.

Anything unusual happen
at that game?

Yeah, we were actually
winning for once.

Till Shane
got thrown out.

For what?

Fighting with the
other team's sweeper.

Any adults
get involved?

Shane's mom ran
onto the field.

Real piece of work.

How so?

She's got a little
too much team spirit...

in the liquid form.

So she was drunk?

She wasn't feeling
any pain.

Not even when she
fell on her ass.

Trying to break up
the fight?

No, joining in.

She assaulted
a kid?

Verbally.

She slipped in the mud

before she could reach him.

Then she teetered off
to clean herself up.

I assume to the
nearest restroom.

How long after
all of that

did Shane leave?

Right away.
Never came back.

BENSON:
Any other women leave the game
around that time?

Not that I noticed.

What school
does Shane go to?

( playing marching music )

Trumpet section,
last chair on the right.

You notice any behavioral
changes in the last two weeks?

I don't have that much
interaction with him.

Shane's a good student.
Only the problem cases

get sent to
the principal's office.

We're going to need to speak
to his homeroom teacher.

Fred Moynihan.
Room 109.

BENSON:
Is there a place
where we can speak

to Shane privately?

You're welcome
to use my office.

Go ahead and pull
him out, please.

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

Shane, it was
caught on tape.

There was a hidden camera
in the bathroom.

It wasn't me.

Someone who looks
just like you.

Even wearing
your jersey.

Who was it?

Was it a stranger,
or was it someone you know?

A stranger.

BENSON:
Can you describe her?

Why? I thought you had
a picture of her.

STABLER:
We do.

We just need you to tell us

anything you can
remember about her.

You know what, I really
don't want to do this.

BENSON:
Shane...

You have nothing
to be ashamed of.

You didn't do
anything wrong.

You guys suck.

What happened?

We're going to need
to talk to his parents.

Well, there's just a mother.

I use the term loosely.

STABLER:
So you know about
her problem.

She came to speak
to the kids on Career Day.

It was horrible.

Great lesson on the perils
of drinking, though.

What exactly is
Mrs. Madden's career?

A beautician.

She works at a place

called Creme De La Crop.

The little girls just love him.
They call him all the time.

Ma'am, do you understand
what happened to your son?

He's a gorgeous kid,
just like his father.

Girls couldn't keep their
hands off him either.

We're talking
about an adult.

Who would do
something like that?

We understand that you
had a little mishap at the game.

Some idiot knocked me
in a mud puddle.

Where's you go
to clean yourself up?

Bathroom.

Happen to run
into your son there?

No.

Would you mind if we took
a look at your nails?

Why?

What the hell
are you implying?

Just that you both were in
the restroom at the same time.

I used the one at
the Boathouse Cafe

and then stayed for a drink.

How long were you there for?

Let's see,

I was just finishing
my second beverage

when Shane came
and pulled me out.

Did he say anything about
what had happened?

No, but who talks about
sex with their mother?

Did you notice any
female spectators

that didn't have
a son there?

Cindy Bellamy.

BENSON:
And who's that?

Shane's baby-sitter,
until about a month ago.

Used to just love her, but one
day ups and throws a fit.

Says he doesn't need
her anymore.

What was she doing there?

I have no idea.

I went to more of Shane's games
than his own mom.

While I was there,
I networked a little,

picked up three other gigs.

So you were baby-sitting
another kid that day.

Yeah, Davey Auerbach.

Come on, Alex, Dylan,

five-minute time out.
Separate rooms.

Come on.

MUNCH:
Got quite a way
with the boys there.

Yeah, I'm strict, but I always
make sure they have fun.

And $12.50 an hour
is nothing to sneeze at.

Shame you were fired
from that Madden gig.

Shane said he was too old
for a baby-sitter.

FIN:
But too young
for a girlfriend.

I'd never do that
to a kid.

I'm dating one
of my professors.

I like 'em older.

Now if you'll
excuse me.

Did you talk
to Shane at that game?

Yeah.

I asked if things had gotten
any better with him mom.

MUNCH:
There was a problem?

She's a total alchie.

Heard she was really knockin'
'em back at that game.

I can't tell you how many times
I was baby-sitting,

she showed up hours late,
blotto.

Lot of times with a younger guy
than the one she left with.

Must be rough on Shane.

God knows what
he's seen.

When she's drunk, Mrs. Madden
has no idea what she's doing.

We're seriously looking
at the mother?

She was in the vicinity
at the time of the attack.

Witnesses say
she was drunk.

And when she drinks she gets
horny for younger guys.

When I was on the bottle,

I woke up with my share
of regrettable bedmates,

but her own son?

The more you drink,
the blinder you get.

And her alcoholic
blackouts are legend.

We canvassed the building--
Everybody had a horror story.

Like the time she woke up
so drunk

she couldn't find her
own bathroom.

Ended up pounding
on a neighbor's door

at 3:00 a.m. asking
to use his.

Naked.

So at the very least,

we're looking at
an unfit mother.

Where's the father?

Baby-sitter said
he split years ago.

Apparently, Shane took over
some of his duties.

Okay, but in the bedroom?

You know how big
a role alcohol plays

in sexual assaults.

Before we stagger
down this road,

let's not rule out
other possibilities.

Shane's team has
a game tomorrow.

Well, it should be
the same crowd.

Chat up the cheering section,
see if anybody saw anything.

Check out the redhead--
blue sweatshirt and jeans.

Just like the perp
in the video.

Ma'am?

Yes?

"Soccer Mom."

That's what it says.

You got a boy
on the team?

Do you?

No, but we'd like to talk
to you about your outfit.

What about it?

Did you wear it
to the game
two weeks ago?

I wear it
to all the games.

The booster club pushes them
to pay for the pizza parties.

Every mom in the league's
got one.

Of course I bought a shirt.

Got to support
my little man!

Hey-ya!

Probably appreciate it
a little more if
you were sober.

Screw you.

Ma'am, have you
been drinking?

No.

No? Mind if I examine
your travel cup?

Oops.

Mrs. Madden, you're in
violation of Code 10-125,

and we could arrest
you right now.

MRS. MADDEN:
What do you want from me?

Is this a school team?

No, it's sponsored
through the city.

Shane's principal,
Ms. Rice--

she have a son
on the team?

MRS. MADDEN:
No.

What's she doing here?

Awful close
to the student body.

She's awful popular
around here.

Looks like she has a thing
for young boys in uniform.

Principal Rice.

Hey, good to
see you again.

Detectives.

STABLER:
Who's this young man?

Jason.

My son.

Really? You look
way too young

to have a son this age.

Stepson.

His team just won.

Congratulations.
Does he play in the same
league as Shane?

Jason's 14.
He's in an older division.

But the same league.

Where's your
"Soccer Mom" shirt?

I'm not big on sweatshirts.

What are you
talking about?

You wear that stupid
thing all the time.

Yeah? Your mom come
to all your games?

Oh, yeah.

She's a die-hard soccer fan.
Must be.

We saw you hanging out
at the peewee league.

I ran into a student.

BENSON:
Shane Madden.

You run into him two weeks ago?

No. I'm sorry.

We're late
for a pizza party.

CRAGEN:
What do we know

about the principal?

No criminal record.

Just a lifetime of good deeds:

a stint in the Peace Corps,
volunteer work,

set up an adult literacy
program.

She was I.S. 41's Teacher
of the Year in '96, '98.

Promoted to principal
three years ago.

Nice gig for a pedophile.

Absolute power
over all those kids.

It's just odd that
there's never been so
much as an allegation.

What about her
personal life?

Married seven years
to an architect.
One stepson.

Who happens to be two years
older than the victim.

Most pedophiles
don't get caught
with their first victim.

Maybe she was fooling around
with her stepson.

Easy access.

That's assuming
that she's our perp.

Can we place her
at the game in question?

We just sat through
two riveting hours

of a soccer video
that I wrangled from some dad.

No signs of the principal,

but he did catch Shane's
mom falling on her ass.

The outfit's a crime,
but it's not a match.

Rules her out.

Principal Rice
had to have been there.

Her kid says that she goes
to all his games.

We checked out
where her stepson plays.

The restroom's directly between
the two fields.

That's circumstantial
at best.

Captain, you weren't
there today.

She couldn't get away
from us fast enough.

She never gave us a chance
to find out

what she and Shane
were talking about.

Ask him.

Check out the stepson.

FIN:
How do you get along
with Meredith?

BOY:
Great.

For a step-mom.

For any mom.
I really got lucky with her.

Sounds like you
two are pretty tight.

Well, I was a brat
when she first moved in,

but she's totally cool now.

How so?

She helps with homework,
comes to all my games,

boring school plays,
sappy stuff like that.

( playing scales )

Sounds good.

No, it doesn't.

What are you doing here?

Just checking in.

You always come to school early
to practice?

The noise, it gives
my mom headaches.

I don't think it's your playing
that gives her a headache.

You know, Shane,

I know you've got
a tough situation at home.

My mom, she, uh,

just needs extra help, you know?

She gets sick a lot.

Yeah.

When you feel like talking
to someone,

this is my business card.

You give these people a call.

"Alateen."

What's that?

It's a support group for
children of alcoholics.

Thanks.

Now let's talk about your
situation here at school.

There's no situation.

With Principal Rice.

What about her?

( school bell rings )

I have to get to class.

We have her on tape.

No, you don't.

In that restroom. Yeah, we do.

We talked to her.

Well, she wouldn't say
anything to you.

She has been getting
a little weird lately.

How so?

She and my dad
have been fighting.

That's what
married folks do.

Yeah, but not them.

They never fought before.

I mean, it was
getting really bad, too.

She even yelled at me.

So, what'd you get
from the stepson?

Nothing to indicate
he'd been molested.

What about Shane?
He give her up?

As good as.

I just couldn't get him
to say it.

Not enough to remove
a principal from school.

Which way's the
teacher's lounge?

Meredith Rice?

She's as straight-laced
as they come,

but the kids
still love her.

Do you ever see her interact
with Shane Madden?

Actually, she's pulled him
from my class

a couple of times recently.

For what?

I don't know.
Shane handed me a note
excusing him from gym class.

Tell you the truth,
I thought it was fake.

Why's that?

It looked like
a kid wrote it.

But I double-checked.

Mrs. Rice confirmed
it was her handwriting.

Hey, hey, hey!

( boys arguing )

If Shane Madden passed
through here,

odds are he was written up.

So he'd be there in the
Disciplinary Action File.

Principal Rice didn't write all
of these, did she?

Public school,
lot of at-risk kids.

I mean the handwriting.

Looks like different people
wrote these.

No, Meredith meets
with each one of them.

You're right, she is getting
a little sloppy.

Something weighing on her mind?

She has been
distracted lately,
but aren't we all?

It's so close to summer break.

Nothing on Shane.

Is Principal Rice
available?

Oh, I'm sorry,
she's not back yet.

Where is she?

Home. Family emergency.

STABLER:
Mr. Rice, have you had any
contact with your wife?

Just tell me;
is she in some kind of danger?

One of her problem students?

Mr. Rice, how's
your marriage?

What?
What are you talking about?

We heard you were fighting.

That's none of your business.

Well, actually,
it might be.

At the time that your wife left
school, a young man,

a student also went missing.

You think he kidnapped her?

We think she kidnapped him.

What are you talking about?

Your wife's been molesting
that boy.

That's a lie.

We have it on tape.
I'm sorry.

Have you noticed any
inappropriate behavior

between Meredith
and your son?

Now I've got
a 12-year-old boy

that's in danger
out there

and I need you to tell me
what is going on with your wife.

What is going on
with her?

I don't know.

She's changed.
She's changed, hasn't she?

Yes. Yes.

Please, let me go.

Relax.

She's changed.

She hasn't been
herself lately.

She's preoccupied.

She snaps
at any little thing.

She's...

And in the bedroom...

she's insatiable.

Are you telling me
that she's screw...?

She's not getting enough,

so she's screwing
a little boy on the side?

We just need to find her.

Now do you have any idea
where she might go?

No.

Does she have access
to a car?

We have a car.
We don't use it very often.

Could you check
with the garage?

I got 911'd out
of my VICAP meeting.

We got a cluster?

Shane Madden went missing.

As did Principal Rice.

We're thinking
they're together.

Yeah, and getting the
hell out of Dodge.

Husband hasn't heard from her,
and she took his car.

Long gone by now.

You get out an APB?

And an Amber alert.

And unfortunately,
the blue Ford Taurus

is a very popular make
and model.

We're getting possible sightings
from every highway

in the tri-state area.

She's gotta stop for food
and gas at some point.

You tracking her ATM
and credit cards?

So far, no pops.

She's either using cash
or Shane's piggy bank.

Husband said the tank
was near empty.

We got a sighting.

Where?
Edgewater, New Jersey.

Trucker's right behind them
on the exit.

That's just outside
the city.

How sure is he it's them?

He gave me
the full plate number.

Get moving.

Out of the vehicle!
Move in!

Shane!

Backseat!

Shane!

Help! Help!

Mrs. Rice,
exit the vehicle.

Hands where
we can see 'em!

Go away!

You need to comply now.

You okay?

I'm fine, but she's not.
She's been throwing up.

Please don't let
them hurt her.

Come on.
Let's go.

She's sick! She's sick!

You're under arrest
for sexual assault

and kidnapping
of a minor.

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.

My head is splitting.

I think I need a doctor.

STABLER:
We've got a great company
shrink you can see.

You got to be
out of your mind

to be running off
with a sixth-grader.

I am not crazy.
I know it's wrong.

Good.
Taking responsibility--

it's the first step
to setting it right.

Look, you don't
understand.

That day at
the soccer field

was the first time.

So help me understand
what happened.

He was crying.

I followed him in there
to make sure he was okay.

The next thing I know
we're having sex.

And that seems like

a perfectly natural segue
for you?

Yes.

You didn't notice that Shane
was fighting

to get away from you?

The first time.

But after that
he couldn't get enough.

It was his idea to run.

You always take orders
from sixth-graders?

My life is falling apart
and I don't know why.

Look, what are you
going to do?

You're obviously attracted
to young boys.

This is a nightmare.

I swear, I have never
done anything like this before.

What, been caught?
Well, you have-- on tape,

and now you got
to deal with it.

I am not a pedophile.

I love my husband.
I love my job.

I bet you do.

A lot of young boys
to choose from.

Stop it.

Tell me what you did
to the child.

That's a bad idea.

Come on, let's get it on.

Are you crazy?
You're out of your mind.

Is there a problem here?

No problem.

I think she's going for
an insanity defense.

( gasping )

She's having a seizure.

Call an ambulance.

BENSON:
The tox screen is clean.

They're still waiting
for the head CT.

Olivia, I don't even know
what the hell happened.

It was an accident.
She assaulted you

and you have
witnesses, Elliot.

Rat squad IAB
at two o'clock.

Sergeant Tucker.

Detective Stabler.

Sorry to interrupt
your beauty sleep,

but I'll be waiting
for my union rep.

Smart move.
If you got
something to hide.

He was sexually
assaulted.

What a surprise, the partner's
going to back him up.

Yeah? How
would you feel

if some perp had your boys
in a vice grip?

Cuff her.
Not bash her brains in.

I thought I used
appropriate force.

I was just reading up
about your thoughts.

Suspended four years ago
for telling the company shrink

you dreamed about
killing pedophiles.

Thought about it,
never did it.

You're getting closer
and closer.

MAN:
Detectives?

How is she?

Not good.

We found something
on her CT.

They're rushing her
into surgery right now.

From a blow to the head?

No. This was
a preexisting
condition.

Brain tumor the size
of a baseball.

We were in there eight hours.

Looks like we got it all.

Great. Now here's my problem.

The law says she needs
to be arraigned

within 24 hours
of her arrest.

I just opened up
this woman's skull

and excised a malignant lesion
nine centimeters long.

I'm afraid you're going
to miss that deadline.

I've gotten an abeyance,

but I still need
to proceed in a timely manner.

She'll be in the hospital
five, six days.

That's fine.

I can get a judge and clerk
down here

for a bedside arraignment.

I wasn't aware
that judges made house calls.

Just tell me when she'll
be lucid enough
to be swearable.

May I ask what exactly
is she charged with?

She molested a 12-year-old,

whom she subsequently kidnapped.

You do know that
frontal lobe damage

can diminish impulse control.

This woman knew what
she was doing was wrong.

That's right.

The area of the brain that
stores moral knowledge

is not affected,

but look at this.

This is Meredith's head CT.

The tumor is here in the right
orbitofrontal cortex,

which controls behavior.

That's fascinating,

but I'm not performing
brain surgery here.

I'm just trying to get
a pedophile off the streets.

Without the tumor,
she might not be one anymore.

So what, give her
a doctor's note?

"Please excuse Meredith
for molesting boys,

she had a bad tumor."

To tell you the truth,

this looks like a textbook
case of acquired sociopathy.

How do I know
the tumor caused it?

Maybe she's been
a predator all along,

and the tumor
just made her sloppy.

I doubt it.
Shane is our only known victim.

Not as of
this morning.

Three additional boys
have come forward.

Raped?

One boy sent to her office
was hugged and kissed.

The other two
were fondled.

When?

All in the last month.

She committed multiple
felonies, she has to
pay for them.

Not if she lacked the mens rea.

It's obvious the lesion
disinhibited her.

The question you have
to answer is,

did she act on those pedophilic
tendencies before the tumor?

And are those tendencies
still there?

Understand, this test
is still in the
experimental stages.

So we'll be viewing
her PET Scan in here

while she's viewing
the erotic videos
on those goggles.

Yeah, brain mapping is not
an exact science yet,

but we do know
the areas of the brain

that respond to arousal
and pleasure.

And we'll be able
to view activity on
the anterior cingulate.

Trust me, you won't.

I no longer have those feelings.

What is that, exactly?

It's a very tiny amount
of radiation...

the same exposure you'd get
flying across country
five times.

We're good to go.

How are you feeling?

Like my old self again.

Well, we really appreciate
your cooperation.

I want to do this.

Hopefully, this test
will give us
some answers.

Please...

believe me, I tried to stop.

Did you?

I knew it was wrong,

but the urges were so strong,

that they just took over
my mind, my body...

I couldn't control myself.

Every day it got worse.

I am the last person
who would ever do
anything like this.

Why?

I know the damage it can cause.

When did it happen
to you?

It started when I was eight.

Lasted four years.

With someone
that you knew?

Someone I loved.

My grandfather.

DOCTOR:
Ready?

STABLER:
So that's a pedophile's
brain, huh?

No, this is.

One who's
currently incarcerated.

According to Meredith Rice's
PET Scan,

she's no longer a threat
to society.

She showed no reaction

to the pedophilic
stimuli.

If she had, the area
right in here would be red.

Unless it meets the Daubert test
for scientific reliability,

it's not admissible in court.

Well, look at the handwriting.

I mean, it went right back
to normal

as soon as the tumor
was removed.

So what do we do?
We let her go?

No, if we let her off,

it opens the door for every
rapist and violent criminal

to find some medical excuse.

Yeah, tomorrow
there'll be a run
on the PET Scan lab.

Wouldn't it be great
if that was true?

If they could isolate the part
of the brain

that makes somebody a pedophile?

And they could be fixed.

STABLER:
How? Mandatory
screenings at birth

to zap some part
of the brain we
don't know exists?

A tumor changed her behavior,

but that alone didn't
make her a pedophile.

She had a lower set point
to begin with.

NOVAK:
What the hell's
that supposed to mean?

She was molested
as a child.

And like having
any predisposition

to high blood pressure
or cholesterol,

she had a higher risk
of becoming an offender.

But she never acted on it

until the tumor wiped out
her impulse control.

I found a similar case
in Virginia.

Upstanding citizen,
loving husband and father,

became a pedophile
out of the blue.

Let me guess--
same brain tumor.

It was discovered in jail.

It was removed
and he was considered cured.

BENSON:
They release him?

Yeah.

A year later,
he molested again.

So it wasn't
the tumor at all.

No, it was the tumor.

It had just grown back.

So, it's not her fault
and she's perfectly cured.

But if the lesion recurs,
she'll do it again.

What are you going to do,
Counselor?

NOVAK:
She pleads to Rape Three,
five years probation,

and periodic psychiatric
and medical evaluations.

We might be amenable
to that.

I'm not done yet.

She's also not to have future
contact with her victims.

Of course not.

There are already
restraining orders
in place.

We're not
contesting them.

And she registers
as a sex offender.

What?

Come on, Casey, is that
really necessary?

NOVAK:
Yes.

The registry was set up
to protect the public

from sexual predators at risk
of offending again.

RICE:
But that's not me.

This only happened
because of the tumor.

NOVAK:
What are you going to do
if it grows back?

She gets branded
a sex offender,

she can never work in
the school system again.

She can never work
with kids.

Better safe than sorry.

Then I think we'll take
our chances at trial.

This is a noble woman
who suffered a freak
brain tumor.

Everyone fears the big C.

Once I remind
the jurors

it could happen to any one
of them, they'll acquit.

RICE:
No.

I'll take the plea.

Meredith, you don't need
to do that.

Yes, I do.
She's right.

The children have
to be protected.

It's a responsibility
I need to take.

( trumpet playing scales )

You're getting pretty good.

Doesn't matter.

I dropped out of band.

And soccer.

If I could,
I'd drop out of school.

Kids giving you a hard time?

Jason Rice slugged me
in the cafeteria.

Said he'd kick my ass
for busting up his family.

He said he'd kill me.

I'll talk to him, okay?

Why won't she talk to me?

I must've called her
a hundred times

and she never picked up.

Shane, she can't.

She goes to jail if she does.

She talked to me.

She cared about me.

I thought she loved me.

Shane, she
was very sick.

What she did is not your fault.

She's better now,

but I gotta to tell you
I'm more concerned about you.

I just wanna die.

( sobbing )

Then we're gonna
get you some help.

Trust me, you're going to get
over this.

The real damage
hasn't even begun
to set in for Shane.

This kid's gonna need
extensive therapy.

And a strong
support system.

Not gonna get that at home.
Not with his mother.

I think she's the reason
why Shane was susceptible

to a mother figure
in the first place.

This kid is so screwed up, he
doesn't even know he's a victim.

He still thinks he's in love
with Meredith.

It's unfortunate his
first sexual experience
was non-consensual,

but it's even worse that
he developed feelings
for his abuser.

BENSON:
What are the odds

that he's going to have
a healthy sex life?

Not good.

But they're ideal that he'll
become an offender himself.

The cycle of abuse
just keep's turning.

BENSON:
So when he grows up,

he's going to have
a low opinion of women

and be able to rationalize
having sex with a child.

How do you stop that
from happening?

HUANG:
I think the answer
lies in Meredith herself.

If she truly wants
to help Shane,

she'd let us study
her brain.

Maybe we really could locate

the part that creates
a pedophile, and then fix it.

Meredith Rice hasn't changed.

Patrol just responded
to an incident at her address.

OFFICER:
My partner's with the victim.

She took a pretty bad beating.

She gone after
another boy?

This one fought back.

You got it backwards.
There's no boy involved.

So who
attacked her?

You heard the woman.

she's not pressing charges;
I am.

Mrs. Madden,
what happened here?

That perverted bitch
is still chasing my little boy.

Is that true?
I can explain.

Tell it to the judge.
She broke her restraining order.
I want her arrested.

What did she do?
She called Shane

in my home.

Thank God, I happened
to pick up the extension.

What's wrong with you?

Everything.

And you think
the best person

to commiserate with is
your 12-year-old victim?

That's not why I called him.

MRS. MADDEN:
Tell them!

Tell them why
you called Shane!

It doesn't matter
why she called him.

You broke one
of the conditions
of your probation.

Which means
you're under arrest.

I thought he had a right
to know.

Know what?

I'm pregnant.

And I did agonize,

but I felt like
he needed to know.

He is the father.

She's having my baby's baby.

STABLER:
Let's go.

I want it terminated.

That's not your
decision, ma'am.

You have no say over
her reproductive rights.

You didn't need to lay this
on that little boy.

What were you doing?

I don't know.

My husband's
leaving me,

my stepson won't
even talk to me...

I've lost my home,
my job...

The irony is, all I've
ever wanted

is a baby of my own.

Be careful what you wish for,
huh?

( wolf howling )