Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 6, Episode 1 - Birthright - full transcript

In the criminal justice system,

sexually-based offenses are
considered especially heinous.

In New York City,

the dedicated detectives who investigate
these vicious felonies are members

of an elite squad known
as The Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

Daddy, daddy!

Hey.

What's the matter, baby?
Did you fall?

No, the boy!

What boy?



On the bike.

Well, what did he do to you, honey?

He grabbed me and pulled my ears
so that I would go with him.

Oh, god.

Hey, he hurt your daughter?

Yeah, he tried to kidnap her.

You got a cell phone? / Yeah.

All right. Call the cops.

It's okay, baby.

Patricia Branson, six years old.

Dad's reading the Times,

A perv tries to snatch her
in a park full of people.

Anybody see anything?

Only description we got is a white
guy wearing a baseball cap.



Bystander chased him, but perp
got away on his own bike.

What was he gonna do,
tie her to his handlebars?

Girl's father.

Mr. Branson.

I'm detective Benson.
This is detective Stabler.

Special victims unit.

The bastard tried to pull my daughter
over the fence by her hair.

Ripped it right out of her head.

I, I just took my eyes
off Patty for a second.

You know, the important thing
is that she's safe,

but we do need to talk to her.

- Well, I'll stay with her.
- Well, if it's okay, sir,

victims Patty's age are usually more
comfortable talking one on one.

And I need to get some
information from you.

Okay? Come on.

Hey, give us a minute?

Patty, my name is Olivia.

Hi. I'm a police officer.

How are you feeling?

My head hurts.

Because the man pulled your hair?

He wanted me to go with him.

Where did he want you to go?

To play with Dinky.

Who's Dinky?

His puppy.

He let me pet him the other time.

So you've seen this man before?

When he showed me his puppy.

Law & Order SVU
6x01 Birthright

ORIGINAL AIR DATE ON NBC: 2004/09/21

I talked to every kid, nanny,
and parent at that playground.

Nobody's ever seen the guy.

I checked with the local precinct.
No similar complaints.

The bike rules out a snatch attempt,
so we're talking perv.

A perv who's done his homework.
I think he knows Patty's movements.

He's tried that doggie lure
trick on her once before.

Okay, so he tries to lift her
over the fence and take her where?

A dozen places within 100 yards
of that playground,

where he could have taken
Patty to play doctor.

How is she?

Aside from that scalp injury, okay.

No signs of sexual assault.

Patty's his fantasy girl.

- He's not gonna give up.
- Family lives on the west side.

We're gonna get a tter
description out of Patty.

Canvass the neighborhood.

How's it going?

Olivia's just getting her warmed up.

Mr. and Mrs. Branson,

this is my boss, captain Cragen.

Patty's seen this man twice now.

She's scared to death
he's gonna come back.

We're doing everything
we can to find him.

Have either one of you
noticed anyone following you?

We never thought to look until today.

Any time besides when Patty's
at school that she's away from you?

I'm home, and we don't have a nanny.

Patty's always with one of us.

Olivia's about to start.

Can I have the brown, please?

Absolutely.
What's that for?

Her hair.

You know, Patty, I wanted to ask
you about the man in the park.

What color was his shirt?

Blue. / Yeah?

What color was his hat?

It was red.

Like Jimmy's.
My cousin.

He's a big boy. / Yeah?

Is the person that hurt you
a man, or is he a big boy?

A big boy.

Patty, will you tell me
about the big boy's dog?

Not a dog.

I told you, Dinky's a puppy.

Well, where were you
when you saw Dinky?

I was riding the horse.

That doesn't make any sense.

Patty's never been on a horse.

Did the big boy say anything to you?

He said he wanted to see my bracelet.

Yeah? May I see it?

Thanks. Who gave that to you?

The doctor.

It says I have diabetes.

May I have the green, please?

Sure.

Patty, when you were riding
the horse, was that in the park?

Not a real horse, silly.

Well, what kind of horse?

You know, the kind where
you put the money in.

Oh, god.

The ride in front of the supermarket.

Down the block from our apartment.

There was a teenager.
He showed her his dog.

Did you get a good look at him?

I think so.

But I can't describe him.

It's like he's following
her everywhere.

We'll put detectives in front
of your building

until we're sure Patty is safe.

May I have some apple juice,
please? / Sure.

She knows to ask
when her sugar is low.

I have a juice box in here.

You can take it to her.

Let's retrace Patty's steps
for the last week.

I'll have Munch and Fin
hit the supermarket.

Anybody ever use that thing?

Kids ride that horse all day long.

How about her?

Sorry. Be glad to ask my employees.

Could you ask them if they've
seen anybody strange

hanging around outside of here?

Does that include two guys
in a blue van?

What'd they look like?

Both white, middle-aged guy
behind the wheel.

Teenager riding shotgun.
Some mutt in his lap.

When was this? / Last week.

Parked right by the front door,
blocking all my deliveries.

- You ask him to move?
- Yeah.

The driver told me
to call the cops. I did.

I told them Arizona plates
and the number.

Nobody showed up.

You still got the license plate number?

On my desk in the store.

We got a pair of pedophiles.

With their very own perv mobile.

A molester doesn't usually share his
children till he's done with them.

Older guy could be paying the kid
to snatch his prey for him,

or the kid could be
dependent upon him.

Like an old kidnap victim
all grown up.

SVU mobile unit,
I have your plate.

Ready to copy, central.

Registered to a '96
Ford econoline van.

No warrants, but subject
of an intel report from the 22.

Filed by who?

School safety at PS 45.

That's Patty Branson's school.

I would have wrote him a summons
if I had the authority.

What did he do?

He parked in the teacher's zone.

Ignored me when I told him
to move the vehicle.

So you filed an intel report.

Yeah, because he sat there watching
the kiddies till after dismissal.

It didn't feel right.

Anybody else in the van?

No, not that I saw.

Give us a call if he
shows up again, okay?

Yeah, you got it.

Patty's school, her neighborhood,
the park.

Got her routine down cold.

A perv drives all the way
from Arizona to snatch a kid?

Maybe he got made.

Maybe he had to get
the hell out of dodge.

We should call the Arizona police.

Still, there's thousands
of little girls out there.

This guy wants Patty.
Why her?

He's obsessed?

He's here.

Blue van. Right on the corner.

Arizona plates.

Circle around.
Call for backup.

Plate matches the van
at the supermarket.

Any movement?

Not since we called you.

How many inside?

Driver's all we can make out. He's
a white guy reading the newspaper.

We can't see his face.

Heads up, back of the van.

The big boy, tried to snatch Patty.

Complete with red baseball cap.

We got 15 minutes until school lets out.

He's gonna mix with the mommies
waiting on their kids.

We gonna take him in the act?

No, there's too many
kids and parents around.

I don't want to spook him
or risk anybody getting hurt.

Here's what we're gonna do.

You gotta move this.

What? / This is board of ED parking.
You gotta move.

- Get lost, all right?
- I got one of those, too.

Where's your I.D. card?

Hey, you know what?

Gold shield doesn't mean
I answer to you, okay?

You answer to me.

It's an IAB caper, captain.

What's today's color?

Purple. / Wrong.

Turn off the engine and
step out of the vehicle.

Hey! Police!

We gotta talk to you.

You okay?

Fine.

Get out of the car!
Let me see your hands!

Let me see your hands!

Don't shoot!
Don't shoot!
Let me see your hands!

Don't shoot!
Don't shoot!

Coming out! Coming out.

I need an ambulance.

I have I.D.! Back pocket!

It's a private investigator's license.

Where'd you get this?

From the state of New York.

You're under arrest for attempted
kidnapping and reckless endangerment.

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.

$3,000 worth of damage to the car?

What can I tell you?
I zigged when I should have zagged.

What do we got on this perp?

He's a P.I. named Peter Carson
licensed in New York and Arizona.

Guy's got a reputation for rescuing
kids from all over the country,

and then reuniting them
with their custodial parent.

With no thought for the psychological
damage he inflicts.

A baby bounty hunter.

50 grand a pop, plus expenses.
It's a lucrative gig.

What about baseball cap?

Well, P.I. ticket's legit.

His name's Kenneth Pratt.
23, also lives in Tucson.

So someone hired them
to snatch Patty.

Well, that makes sense,
but nobody's talking.

Mr. and Mrs. Branson?

Is this really necessary?
I could do it.

I might recognize him.

Your daughter is the only one who saw
the man who attacked her in the park.

We can't charge him or his partner
without Patty's I.D.

Okay.

Can't my mom come in?

You know, sweetie?
She's right outside.

And we're gonna call her in here
as soon as we're done. Okay?

You remember what to do?

What if he gets mad at me?

Can I pick you up?

I wanna show you something.
You see that window?

It's magic.

Because anyone who's
standing in here...

they can't see through, can they?

Okay.

Let's go, gentlemen,
stay on the line.

Number one, move down to the end.

Face the mirror, numbers up.

What's the matter, Patty?

I'm scared.

Why are you scared?

The boy with the four.

Honey, why are you
scared of number four?

He pulled my hair at the park.

She saw me in the park.
So what?

So you're looking at attempted
kidnapping and assault

unless you tell us who hired you.

I can't talk about an ongoing
investigation.

- I think he's lying.
- About what?

About what they were
really doing in the park.

Freelancing?

Freelancing?

You know, trying to pick up
a little girl for your own pleasure.

You calling me a pervert?

Come on, Pete, don't go
sensitive on us.

No, I got a job to do,
and it's no different than yours.

It's a lot different. We don't
go around abducting children.

Now, what I do is perfectly legitimate.

Why the stunt driving
when we show up.

Because you people think
I'm doing something illegal.

- I don't kidnap kids.
- That's right,

you rescue them
from custody cases.

Only this time, you went
after the wrong kid.

No. No, I didn't.

- You sure about that?
- Absolutely.

You better think again!

I don't have to.
The information is solid.

Well, then, let me
give you the 411.

Patty Branson's parents
have never been divorced.

I know. / This is not a custody case.

I never said it was.

Captain.

What's this, the heavy artillery?

or are you guys getting
bigfooted by the boss?

New York state is ready
to pull your P.I. ticket.

That happens, and Arizona
finds out, you're washed up.

Hope you got another skill, Kenny.

You're bluffing.

You willing to take that risk?

Pete's the brains. I get close
to the kids because I look young.

What's the job?

To return that girl to her real mother.

So Patty Branson was
already kidnapped? / Yeah.

Matt and Sarah Branson
aren't really her parents?

That's right. / That's crap.

No, that's the truth.

My client's daughter
disappeared four years ago.

These clients of yours,
they ever call the cops?

Sure, of course, you people
didn't do squat.

Well, I assume that an expert like yourself

would ask for some kind of proof.

I have the police reports,

pictures of my client's
daughter and Patty.

Same hair, same facial features.

Both kids diabetic.
They're the same girl.

And you couldn't have made a mistake?

No. / Well, this is what we know,

unless you tell us who hired you
to kidnap Patty Branson.

The only thing you're
gonna do is time.

Michele Osborne? / Yes.

Police.

You must be here about my daughter.

This is the last picture
of Anna before I lost her.

She was two. And...

this is what she
would look like now.

Who did this?

Peter Carson, my P.I.,

has a forensic artist who specializes
in age progression photography.

You know it's Anna, don't you?

That little girl in the park
is my baby.

Actually, Mrs. Osborne, we checked.

NYPD has no record of Anna
as missing or abducted.

The New Jersey state police do.

And how did this abduction happen?

Anna and my husband
Steve were on their way

to visit steve's parents in Morristown.

She was taken from a rest area
on the turnpike.

Can we talk to Steve?

He was killed in a car accident.

How did you find Patty Branson?

I saw her at the playground
about three weeks ago. I...

I used to take Anna there,

and so I go sometimes to see the kids.

You know, every day I have
prayed that I'd find Anna.

Everywhere I go, I look for her.

I'd see a little girl with Anna's
smile or Anna's hair,

and I'd hold my breath.

It would never be her.

Until the second I saw that
little girl on the swing.

My heart stopped.

I knew I had found my baby.

With all due respect, Mrs. Osborne,
a feeling is not enough.

A mother knows her baby.

A mother always knows.

What did you do
when you saw Patty?

I called the police.

You people thought I was crazy.

So you hired Peter Carson.

He was the only one who believed me.

And you don't.

Let me show you something.

I always knew Anna
would come back to me.

She's a big girl now,
but I'm ready for her.

Mrs. Osborne, um...

I know you think you have proof
that Patty is your daughter.

I know that it's hard
for you to believe,

but you've seen the pictures,

and Anna is a diabetic, just
like the little girl at the park.

A coincidence doesn't give you
the right to hire someone to take her.

Mrs. Osborne, we're gonna have
to place you under arrest.

For what?

Conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

Go ahead.

You'll see I'm right.

How do your clients plead?

Not guilty.

Not guilty.

Not guilty.

Ms. Novak. The people request
high bail, your honor.

The defendants conspired to stalk
and kidnap a six-year-old girl.

She's my daughter.

That's not a matter
for this court, Mrs. Osborne.

Ms. Emmett, no more outbursts
from your client.

Yes, judge.

The people also request
an order of protection.

Granted.

Should you make bail,

you are not to come within 100 feet
of the minor Patricia Branson,

her parents, their home,
or the girl's school.

If you violate this order,
you'll be arrested and charged.

Are we clear?

$500,000 each defendant.
Ten minute recess.

I'm worried.

Did you get anything off Michele?

Her outburst tells me that she doesn't
think taking Patty was wrong.

So she is crazy.

No. Michele's having
a single, fixed delusion.

She knows kidnapping
is against the law,

but she's so convinced
that Patty is her daughter

that, in her mind, taking
her isn't a crime.

It doesn't mean that she's
not mentally ill.

Then if she plead insanity?

She'd lose.

Something else is bugging you.

It's what you told me about
how Michele keeps Anna's room.

That it's ready for a six-year-old.

Most missing children's
rooms become shrines,

frozen in time from the moment
the child vanished.

Michele updating Anna's
room tells me

that she's confident
that Anna's coming home.

You mean even if she has to steal
another Anna to make it so.

What do we know about Michele's past?

She's clean.

There's nothing suspicious.
Even her credit's perfect.

And the girls?

Well, I got two birth
certificates here.

Patty Branson was born
August, 1998 in Mount Sinai.

And Anna Osborne arrived
two weeks earlier,

100 miles away in Hartford.

So they weren't switched at birth.

State troopers should have
entered Anna's information

into the missing children's
center database.

- What, it's not there?
- If it is, I can't find it.

Well, there's gotta be someplace
else you can look, right?

FBI computer.

I'll enter her name
into our search engine.

Benson.

Where?

Thanks. / Olivia.

You were right.

Michele just violated
the protection order.

Did you find Anna?

Yes, but she wasn't kidnapped.

She's dead.

Call came via 911.

Woman ringing some resident's
buzzer repeatedly,

yelling something about
she had proof.

Wouldn't tell us for what.

- You're making a mistake.
- No, Michele.

The judge warned you,
and you wouldn't listen.

Get out of here!
Get away from us!

Why can't you leave us alone?

- She's my daughter!
- I gave birth to her!

Honey, the police are here.

She's, she's not gonna
bother you anymore

- because Michele is going to jail.
- She is wrong.

Michele, this has got to stop now.

Okay, we know everything.

Anna was on the police report
from your husband's accident.

She died in the car with him.

No. They never found her remains.

Michele, they were hit
by a gasoline tanker.

Now, there was nothing left.

I'm sorry.

But you know what I'm
telling you is the truth.

I know my daughter is alive!

Olivia! Yo.

Look what I found.

This guy doesn't give up.

Where'd you find him?

Around the corner.

That's not too smart, Pete.
Your bail's history.

Piece of paper in my pocket.

Read it and weep.

What is it?

It's a lab report.

Well, they tested the hair
from Patty Branson for DNA.

So what does it say?

Patty's Michele Osborne's daughter.

Patty's our child.

I have the scar from the C-section.

There's home video of her delivery.

Uh, why are we having to prove
that our child is ours?

We just need both of you
to take a DNA test.

We'll do anything you want,
but, please.

You have to believe us.

Sorry to interrupt, detectives.

It's urgent.

What's so urgent?

I just found out that

Patty Branson and Anna Osborne
are not the same child.

How do you know?

I ran another test on a lock of
Anna's hair that Michele gave me.

Patty and Anna don't
have identical DNA,

but their mitochondrial
DNA is the same.

And mitochondrial DNA
is only passed from the mother.

Yes.

That makes Patty and Anna sisters.

How is that possible?

I checked Anna osborne's
birth records.

Anna was conceived through
in vitro fertilization.

So was Patty Branson.

So you think some fertility
doctor made a mistake

and put the Osborne's embryo
into Sarah Branson.

It's the only way to
explain any of this.

And I need that doctor's name.

Dr. Stanley Norton.

He was my doctor, too.

Both women had the same doctor.

Both girls born within
weeks of each other.

Somehow, Sarah got
Michele's embryos.

Oh, my god.

How could this have happened?

Dr. Warner says it could be as simple

as somebody mislabeling a petri dish.

I'm so sorry for what I did.

Ms. Novak, is it possible to have
the order of protection removed?

We don't want Mrs. Osborne to suffer

any more than she already has.

You can petition the judge
if that's what you want.

I'd like you to reconsider
the attempted kidnap charge.

Your client was ordered
to stay away from Patty Branson,

and she ignored that order.

She broke the law.

I have to take her to trial.

Casey, you gotta plead her out.

Why would I do that?

Because what happened was a mistake.

Michele is uncontrollably driven
to kidnap someone else's little girl.

Her little girl, biologically.

But not legally.

I can't let Michele off the hook

just because you feel guilty
you didn't believe her.

Well, then, give her a break,
because she's also a victim.

What that fertility doctor did to
those two women is genetic rape.

And don't tell me that that doesn't
bother you on some level.

Talk to the doctor.

Confirm what Michele and the
Bransons say, and I'll consider a deal.

Sarah and Michele both sent
me pictures of their little girls

when they were born.

Horrible what happened to Michele's
daughter and husband.

So you remember them?

I remember all of my success stories.

I wouldn't exactly call them that.

Two previously childless couples
gave birth to beautiful kids.

What would you call them?

Sisters.

Excuse me?

You heard me.

The medical examiner tested their DNA.

Anna Osborne and Patty Branson
both have the same mother.

Michele osborne.

That could never have happened here.

It did, and we need you
to tell us how.

I don't know how.

We have safeguards in place.

Apparently someone screwed up
and made a mistake.

The only explanation I can think of
is that Michele Osborne must

have donated her unused embryos.

And how would she do that?

Michele would have filled
out a form, signed it,

countersigned by a witness.

Well, if we can see that form,
we can clear this up quickly.

I'll have a file clerk
make a copy for you.

I don't believe this.

This is my signature, but I never
consented to donating my embryos.

Then why did you sign it?

Because I consented to ICSI.

What's that?

Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection,

where they injected
Steve's sperm into my eggs.

See? It's on the same form.

I checked the ICSI box,
but not the donation box.

Michele, this was seven years ago.

You sure about this?

Of course, I'm sure.

Dr. Norton asked us and Steve
and I said that

we didn't want someone else
having our child.

What happened to your extra embryos?

Dr. Norton said there weren't any.

I had six eggs,
four of them fertilized.

He put them all back into me.

He obviously lied about that.

And he's lying about this form.

Both Xs look the same to me.

It's a legal document.
Forgery's a crime.

You don't know that doctor
forged anything.

Look, maybe it's buyer's remorse.

Michele did consent to
donate her embryos,

and now she's sorry she did.

That doctor pulled that story
out of his ass. Come on, Elliot.

He was making it up as he
was telling it to us.

So you think he's lying?

Michele Osborne hired private
detectives to kidnap a child.

Why do you believe her?

Because Michele Osborne has never
lied to us about anything.

Patty is her biological daughter.

So let Michele and the Bransons
sue Norton for malpractice.

But if he intentionally put one woman's
eggs into another without consent,

we can't just let him
get away with it.

There's no law against that
in New York state.

And we can't charge him with larceny

because stolen property has to
have value, and body parts don't.

In vitro fertilization costs tens
of thousands of dollars a pop.

If Norton misrepresented what he did
and put that "X" on this form,

then we have him on fraud
and forgery.

If he did it once before,

you can bet that he's done
the same thing to other women.

Now all we have to do
is prove it. / Right.

This consent form is a copy.

You get us a warrant for
the original, and we will.

Well, we verified Michele Osborne's
signature on the form as authentic,

but the Xs are a different story.

Take a look.

Now, the one on the left
is from the ICSI box on the form.

The other is for donation.

Both have traces of formamide
in the ink,

which pen manufacturers use to
keep ball points from drying up.

But they don't look the same.

Yeah. See the striations?

See, ballpoint pen ink
is extremely viscous.

It sits on top of the paper.

But look at the "X" on the right.

No striations.

And the ink's been
absorbed into the paper.

So the "X" was written
with a different pen?

Not just a different pen,
a gel writer.

Those things are all over the place.

Except this manufacturer's only
been making them for five years.

Michele signed that form
seven years ago,

even before she got pregnant.

Which means our Dr. Baby maker's
a big, fat liar.

I did nothing wrong!

Say nothing else, Stanley.

My client made an error in judgment.

That's an understatement.

Miche Osborne gave
my client verbal permission

to donate her embryos
seven years ago.

Dr. Norton marked the "X" on the form

because he thought it
would help her remember.

Oh, she remembers all right.

She remembers that
she never consented.

And you believe her?

After she tried to have
a little girl kidnapped?

Because of what Dr. Norton did to her,
so we're dropping those charges.

Well, it's still Michele's word
against my client's.

And his own employees.

We have signed, sworn statements
saying that you

routinely implant one woman's
genetic material into another!

All I have ever done is help
infertile couples have children.

All you've ever done
is paid your bank account.

You can be sure we'll find out how
many other women he's victimized.

How? You can't subpoena my
client's privileged patient records.

Unless there's evidence of
an ongoing criminal conspiracy.

That forged "X" on the consent form

is all the ammunition I need
to go before a judge.

- We scored a clean sweep.
- Yeah?

What did we get?

Warrants and subpoenas for the records
of all of Dr. Norton's in vitro patients,

plus, all surgical and
cryopreservation logs.

Cryo what?

Where, egg, sperm, and embryos
are frozen and stored.

Any of this make an impression
on Dr. Norton?

No, that guy still thinks
he did a favor for the Bransons.

Anyway, Sarah's medical records
have a notation

that none of her eggs fertilized.

So Norton just slippeder one of
Michele Osborne's embryos
to keep up his batting average.

What a guy! / Okay, so we get him on
a couple of counts of fraud,

he loses his license,
and he does some time.

2-2 precinct just called.
They're mobilized.

For what? / Patty.

I don't know how it happened.

I counted the children
before we left the building.

Patty was in line.

When did you notice
she was missing?

When I counted again on the bus,
Patty wasn't there.

You see anyone following your
class into to the museum?

No. I don't know.

I, I was too busy keeping
an eye on the kids.

Hey, checked the whole
building. Nothing.

What about this woman?

Oh, god.

She was at the door
when the class was leaving.

Anything?

Beds made, drawers and
closets are full.

Doesn't look like Michele
packed in a hurry.

The suitcases in here
are covered with cobwebs.

Haven't been touched in a while.

She knew that this is
the first place we'd look.

She grabbed Patty, took off,
and left everything behind.

Not easy for a mother to turn
off a natural bond with her child.

It does look like they
had a place at the beach.

I found a picture like this upstairs
from before they had the baby.

Michele picked up her car from the
garage down the street this morning.

Attendant say where they were going?

Yeah, Queens.

Why Queens?

Says she goes there
every weekend.

To her beach house.

Belle Harbor.

You can't take her.
She's my daughter.

- No, she's not!
- She belongs to me!

Put your hands behind your back.

I never gave Dr. Norton
permission to take my eggs!

Michele Osborne, you're
under arrest for kidnapping.

- Please don't do this.
- Where's Patty?

It doesn't matter
who gave birth to her.

You know she's mine. / Michele,

she's six years old,
and I'm taking her home.
Now, where is she?

Patty?

In here.

Olivia!

Are you okay, Patty?

- I don't wanna stay here.
- You don't have to, sweetie.

I came to take you back
to your mommy and your daddy.

They still want me?

Of course they do, honey?
Why would you think they don't?

Because Michele said
she's my real mommy.

It's not true, is it, olivia?

Is it?

Come here, sweetie.

Let's get you back to your
mommy and daddy, okay?

Patty!

Oh! Patty! Baby! / Mommy!

I missed you, Patty.

You can't let Michele Osborne
come near us again.

Michele is being arraigned right now.

ADA Novak is going to make sure
that she's held without bail.

That's not gonna stop her.

The judge is gonna keep her in jail.

Until she gets out and comes back.

And comes back again.

Nothing is gonna stop this woman.
She's never gonna give up!

You can't kidnap your own daughter.

The law says she isn't yours.

Well, the law is wrong!

Well, we should just forget about
the law and focus on what's right.

What's right is for your client to
accept that she has no claim to Patty.

I can't do that.
I'm Patty's mother.

You're a victim, Michele.
We'll take that into consideration.

How much consideration?

We're still willing to make an offer.

Michele will have to serve three to
five years and get counseling.

No, thank you.

If you go to trial and get convicted,
you're looking at 15 years in prison.

I'll be acquitted, and then
I'll sue for custody of Patty.

You kidding me?

This isn't your idea, is it?

The jury has plenty of evidence
to convict Michele,

so if they find her not guilty,

it's because they've decided
Patty is her child.

That's not binding on any
other court, and you know it.

We can use it to argue
the next logical step,

which is to award Michele
custody of Patty,

and get a judge to hear the case.

It'll never work.

I have to try.

You can't.

Why did you bring her here?

Because she wanted to come.

I know you lost your daughter.

But can't you see what
you're doing to Patty?

She's my flesh and blood.

But she came from inside me.

She kicked in my belly.

She nursed from my breast.

She has my genes.

And my husband's genes.

Because of a mistake!

It wasn't a mistake.

My daughter died.

And now god has given me
a second chance.

Please.

Please.

A mother wouldn't do this
to any child.

A mother would fight for her child.

I'm sorry.

But I'm not gonna give up...

until that jury looks me in the eye

and tells me that I am guilty
of stealing my own child.

No one here will try and tell you

that Michele osborne is violent or evil.

She was driven to kidnap
Patty Branson

because she believes Patty
is her little girl.

And, biologically,

Patty is her daughter.

But you must remember
the law says

the birth mother is the child's mother,

so Patty is not and can never
legally be Michele's daughter.

Now, Michele kidnapped Patty
from the mother who gave her life,

and from the parents who've
raised her since birth.

So no matter how much you may be
moved by Michele Osborne's pain,

you cannot ignore the fact
she broke the law.

The moment that Michele Osborne
laid eyes on Patty Branson

at a playground in Riverside park,

she felt drawn to her.

A powerful, uncontrollable,
biological attachment to her.

She knew Patty was her child.

And DNA proves she was right.

That maternal instinct
brought out the truth

that Michele and Patty's birth parents
are all victims of

an unscrupulous fertility doctor

who stole an embryo from Michele

and then planted it in Sarah branson
without anyone's consent.

Now, to find Michele Osborne
guilty of kidnapping,

the people must prove that she
had intent to commit a crime.

So, as you hear evidence,
you must consider.

Did Michele Osborne intend
to break the law?

Or was she driven by a more
powerful law...

the law of nature?

The love of a mother for her child.

Pass it, Dickie!

Pass it!

Dad, I was wide open.

Why didn't you give the shot
to your sister?

Elizabeth can't shoot
as good as I do.

But you didn't have the shot.
She did.

If you would have passed it,
I would have scored, dope-O.

Who's that lady staring at us, dad?

Afternoon.

Yeah, your wife said I
could find you here.

Dickie, Elizabeth,
this is Ms. Novak.

We work together.

You guys look like a couple
of pros out there.

Yeah, so go practice.

And you don't hog the ball.

Let me guess, you just happened to
find yourself in the ass end of queens?

Michele Osborne trial prep.
I need a reality check.

Okay, for what?

There's no way to win it.

You've got her cold on the evidence.

Well, the defense has
already won the jury.

Once they hear about
what happened to Michele,

no one's gonna care about evidence.

Are you worried
about losing this case,

or are you having second thoughts?

I don't think the law can do
anyone justice in this case.

Are you just figuring that out now?

Michele gets convicted,
she goes to prison.

If Michele gets acquitted,

she'll never let go of Patty,
and there'll be no end to this.

Either way, somebody loses.

Right.

What's the question?

If you found out you had another kid
out there, would you want it?

You're damn right I would.

So you know why
she's so obsessed.

It's not an obsession.
It's a love.

It's a connection that transcends
everything and anything. It's...

I would die for my children.

And there's nothing in the world
that would ever change that.

Ever.

So Michele and Sarah will never
stop fighting over Patty.

And king Solomon said,
"bring me a sword.

Divide the living child in two."

"Give half to the one
and half to the other."

Except I can't split the baby.

Solomon didn't have to.

Patty, do you see the person
who took you from the museum?

Yes.

She's over there.

Let the record show that she's indicated

the defendant, Michele osborne.

So why did you go with her, Patty?

She said she had to
take me to my mommy.

Where did she take you?

To her house.

Mommy wasn't there.

Did you ask her where mommy was?

Yes.

Michele said she's my real mommy.

My egg mommy.

Did she tell you what that means?

She said I came out
of mommy's tummy,

but the egg that I came from
was from her tummy.

What did you do while you were
at Michele's house, Patty?

Watched TV.

Played with toys.

Do you think Michele is nice?

She's okay.

You know what Michele said about
being your egg mommy is true, right?

Your honor.

Could you please answer
the question, Patty?

No. It's not true!

Yes, it is, Patty.

Michele's not my mommy!

You came from her egg.
That is true.

- I want to go now.
- No, you can't until we're finished.

I don't wanna go with Michele!

Your honor, she's just
a little girl.

Is this line of questioning necessary?

Patty, do you understand?

I don't want to go with Michele!

You don't have to, Patty, not yet.

I want my mommy and daddy.

No, you have to stay here.

Please! Don't take me away.

Please.

Stop it! Just stop it!

Sit down now, Ms. Osborne.

Patty...

I'm sorry.

I won't ever bother you again.

Mommy! Mommy!

I've changed my mind.
I just want this to stop.

I'll plead guilty
if that's what it takes.

Just leave Patty alone.

Michele pled to custodial interference.

Suspended sentence.
Said she's moving out of state.

It's too painful to be
near Patty and not see her.

She did the motherly thing,

loving her by letting her go.

Damage is already done.

Patty's relationship with her parents
will never be the same

now that everybody knows the truth.

Law has to catch up with technology.

Yeah, but both mothers
love that one child.

How you gonna make a law
to deal with that?

When Patty's 18,

she can make her own choice whether
or not she wants to contact Michele,

like in an open adoption.

I finished the audit
on Dr. Norton's clinic.

And what's wrong?

Michele didn't have four embryos.

She had sixteen, ten of which were
implanted in other women.

How many live births?

Besides Patty, Michele has
two daughters
and a son out there somewhere.