Web of Lies (2014–…): Season 4, Episode 7 - Playing Doctor - full transcript
24-year-old Jessika Rovell falls for Jeffrey Marsalis' charm and good looks but when she discovers his secret online life as Dr. Jeff, she realizes she's been dating a monster who stalks dating websites.
GOOD NIGHT, MAN.
WHEN A POPULAR
AND HANDSOME CHARMER...
- EVENING, DOCTOR.
- HEY.
...IS ALSO A RUTHLESS
ONLINE PREDATOR...
HEY, HOW ARE YOU?
...HOW FAR WILL HE GO
TO SATISFY HIS TWISTED DESIRES?
THAT WAS THE SCARIEST THING
THAT HAD EVER HAPPENED TO ME.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I DO
WHEN I'M NOT HERE?
AND HOW MANY WOMEN
WILL SUFFER...
THIS IS JUST THE TIP
OF THE ICEBERG.
...BEFORE HIS REIGN
OF TERROR...
DO YOU HAVE A
JEFFREY MARSALIS HERE?
...CAN BE STOPPED?
HE FELT THAT HE WAS
SMARTER THAN US.
WE WERE NOT GONNA
LET HIM GET AWAY.
I'VE LOOKED
INTO THE EYES OF A MONSTER,
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
JEFFREY MARSALIS IS WELL-KNOWN
AS AN ER PHYSICIAN
AT HAHNEMANN HOSPITAL
IN PHILADELPHIA.
HEY, BRIAN.
HEY.
NO MATTER HOW BUSY
HE IS ON THE WARDS,
HE ALWAYS HAS A SMILE
FOR THE SECURITY GUARDS.
AND COMING FROM
A WEALTHY FAMILY,
HE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE
IN ONE OF THE MOST
EXPENSIVE PARTS OF TOWN.
JEFFREY ISN'T JUST POPULAR
WITH HIS COWORKERS.
HE TURNS THE HEAD
OF EVERY WOMAN HE MEETS.
HEY.
EVENING, DOCTOR.
HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY.
HE WAS EASY TO TALK TO.
HE WAS CHARMING.
HE WAS A GOOD-LOOKING MAN.
HE SPOKE WELL.
HE REALLY DID SEEM
LIKE A NICE GUY.
ON DATING WEBSITES,
WHERE HE CALLS HIMSELF
"DR. JEFF,"
HE DOESN'T SELL HIMSELF SHORT.
"IF YOU WANT TO BE MY COPILOT,
THAT MEANS NO STOP SIGNS,
NO STOPLIGHTS, AND THROTTLE UP."
DR. JEFF LIKES
INTELLIGENT, CAREER-DRIVEN WOMEN.
AND WITH HIS
ENTICING PROFILE,
HE CAN TAKE HIS PICK.
AND JEFF'S NOT JUST
LOOKING FOR LOVE ONLINE.
HE'S ALSO A WELL-KNOWN FACE
AT HIS LOCAL IRISH BAR,
TIR NA NOG, A 10-MINUTE WALK
FROM THE HOSPITAL.
HEY. WHY DON'T YOU
LET ME GET THAT FOR YOU.
OKAY.
TWO, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
I'M JEFF,
BY THE WAY.
MY FRIENDS CALL ME
"DR. JEFF."
OH.
RAZ,
MY FRIENDS CALL ME "RAZ."
SO, JUST RAZ, IS THAT
SHORT FOR SOMETHING?
THIS TIME, JEFF
DOESN'T GET LUCKY.
THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
RAZ ISN'T SINGLE.
BUT SHE KNOWS
SOMEONE WHO IS --
ONE OF HER BEST FRIENDS,
JESSIKA ROVELL.
BACK HOME, JEFFREY BROWSES
HIS DATING WEBSITE.
SOMEONE LIKES THE LOOK
OF HIS PROFILE.
BUT SOMEBODY ELSE
IS ON HIS MIND --
JESSIKA ROVELL,
THE CONTACT HE WAS GIVEN
IN THE BAR.
YOUNG, PRETTY AND PROFESSIONAL,
SHE'S EXACTLY WHAT
HE'S LOOKING FOR.
WHILE I WAS OPTIMISTIC
ABOUT MY FUTURE,
THERE WAS ONE THING
THAT WAS MISSING.
YOU KNOW, I --
LIKE ANY YOUNG WOMAN,
I WAS INTERESTED
IN DATING AND --
AND FINDING THE ONE
THAT I WOULD SPEND
THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH.
- JESS.
- JEFF?
YEAH.
HI.
HI.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
HAVE A SEAT.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
SORRY IF I WAS
A LITTLE LATE.
BY MY SECOND YEAR
OF LAW SCHOOL,
I HAD PRETTY MUCH
COME TO THE CONCLUSION
THAT THERE WERE
NO GOOD MEN LEFT.
SO, YOU'RE A DOCTOR.
I AM, INDEED --
ER, EMERGENCY,
RIGHT ON
THE FRONT LINE.
DURING OUR FIRST DATE,
HE SEEMED LIKE A REALLY
INTERESTING, GOOD GUY.
I WOULDN'T SAY THAT I WAS
IMMEDIATELY ATTRACTED TO HIM.
BUT WE HAD SOME
GOOD CONVERSATION,
LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HIM.
THAT MUST BE SO STRESSFUL,
ALL THAT BLOOD.
I'M SO SQUEAMISH.
YEAH, FOR SURE,
IT CAN BE HARD SOMETIMES.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
I REALLY THRIVE
IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S JUST, BRINGING SOMEONE
BACK FROM THE BRINK.
THERE'S NOTHING
LIKE IT.
THOSE THINGS WERE ALL
PRETTY COMPELLING TO ME,
YOU KNOW, AS I WAS
ABOUT TO BECOME AN ATTORNEY.
IT WAS A GOOD FIRST DATE.
WELL, CHEERS
TO SAVING LIVES.
SO, AFTER THE FIRST DATE,
HE CALLED.
HE FOLLOWED UP AND SAID,
"WHY DON'T WE DO THIS AGAIN?"
FOR THEIR SECOND DATE,
THEY SPEND THE EVENING
AT JESSIKA'S APARTMENT,
RELAXING AND
GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
I'M GONNA GET US SOME WINE.
SOUNDS GOOD.
WE HAD SOME WINE.
AND AFTER
WE HAD FINISHED A BOTTLE,
I WENT TO MY KITCHEN TO GET
A SECOND BOTTLE, OPEN IT.
WANT ME TO
GIVE YOU A HAND?
I REMEMBER KISSING HIM
IN THE KITCHEN
WITH A BOTTLE OF WINE
HELD BETWEEN US.
AND THAT'S THE LAST THING
THAT I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT.
THE FORECAST,
MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES TODAY
WITH BRISK EASTERLY WINDS.
EXPECT A HIGHER...
WAKING UP,
REALIZING THAT I HAD HAD SEX WITH THIS MAN
THAT I HAD HAD NO INTENTION,
THE NIGHT BEFORE, OF
SLEEPING WITH WAS EMBARRASSING.
I -- I WAS DISAPPOINTED
IN MYSELF.
I WAS ANGRY WITH MYSELF
BECAUSE IT WASN'T MY INTENTION
FOR THE NIGHT TO GO
IN THAT DIRECTION.
MORNING.
MORNING.
YOU OKAY?
I'VE FELT BETTER.
YOU LOOK GREAT
TO ME.
I HAD A GOOD TIME
LAST NIGHT.
AND IF I REMEMBER
CORRECTLY, SO DID YOU.
WHEN HE WOKE UP,
HE WAS REALLY WONDERFUL.
HE DIDN'T SEEM
TO THINK LESS OF ME
FOR SLEEPING WITH HIM
ON THE SECOND DATE.
SO,
THE EMBARRASSMENT LESSENED.
HE COMPLIMENTED ME A LOT.
HE THOUGHT I WAS BRILLIANT
AND HE THOUGHT
I WAS BEAUTIFUL.
MIRROR, MIRROR,
ON THE WALL.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS
MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST PLACE.
IS IT?
OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, THE PANCAKES
ARE TO DIE FOR.
AS THE RELATIONSHIP CONTINUED,
I REALLY GREW TO CARE FOR HIM.
WHOOPS, SYRUP'S SUPPOSED
TO GO INSIDE YOUR MOUTH.
THERE, PRETTY
AS A PICTURE.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS FUNNY.
HE WAS SMART.
HE WAS SUCCESSFUL.
AND IT SEEMED TO ME THAT WE --
WE REALLY COULD HAVE
A FUTURE TOGETHER.
BUT AS THEY SETTLE
INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
JESSIKA SOON DISCOVERS
ANOTHER SIDE
TO HER NEW BOYFRIEND.
WHOA, LITTLE LADY,
I HAVE BUSINESS GOING ON HERE.
YOU KNOW, DOORS,
KNOCKING, SIMPLE REQUEST.
WHAT'S SO TOP SECRET?
I GOT TO KNOCK
ON DOORS, NOW?
LOOK, JESS,
DO YOU TRUST ME?
OF COURSE
I TRUST YOU.
AT THAT POINT,
HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS
A NON-OFFICIAL COVER AGENT
FOR THE CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY,
THAT HE WORKED AT THE
HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
IT'S DANGEROUS
FOR BOTH OF US.
I'M DOING THIS
FOR YOUR PROTECTION.
ON SOME LEVEL,
HE WAS A PATRIOT.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS
FIGHTING TERRORISTS.
HE WAS FIGHTING A WAR.
HE WAS TRYING
TO KEEP PEOPLE LIKE ME
AND EVERY OTHER AMERICAN SAFE.
LESS THAN TWO MONTHS
AFTER THEY START DATING,
JEFFREY ORGANIZES
A ROMANTIC TRIP TO BERMUDA.
I WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO HAVING A VACATION IN A PLACE
THAT I HAD NEVER BEEN
BEFORE AND --
AND WITH HIM, BECAUSE WE WERE
HAVING A GOOD TIME.
EARLY ONE MORNING,
HE TAKES JESSIKA
TO A REMOTE PART OF THE ISLAND.
BUT THINGS CHANGED
WHILE WE WERE ON THE ISLAND.
HEY, JESS, WAIT.
HEY, I SAID WAIT.
HEY!
LOOK, LITTLE LADY,
I'M NOT THE GUY
YOU SHOULD BE MESSING WITH.
WHAT IS THIS?
HE TOLD ME A STORY
ABOUT HOW HE HAD BEATEN
SOMEONE TO DEATH
OUTSIDE A CLUB
IN FLORIDA WITH HIS BARE HANDS
RIGHT AFTER HE HAD COMPLETED
HIS TRAINING WITH THE CIA.
JEFFREY ALSO CLAIMS
HE WAS ARRESTED,
BUT ONLY HELD FOR TWO HOURS.
CASE GOT THROWN OUT
BECAUSE THEY TRAIN US
TO BE KILLERS.
AND THEY CLEAN UP
OUR MESS.
THAT'S THE DEAL.
I STARTED FEELING
UNSAFE WITH HIM.
YOU KNOW WHAT, JEFF?
I JUST WANT TO WALK
ALONG THE BEACH, OKAY?
SO, THERE WAS THIS ONE TIME
WHERE WE WERE STUCK
ON AN ISLAND.
AND WE WERE SURROUNDED...
WHEN THEY RETURN
TO PHILADELPHIA,
JEFFREY INTRODUCES JESSIKA
TO HIS FRIEND, GREG HARUBI.
GREG WAS SOMEONE THAT JEFF
HAD RECRUITED TO THE CIA
TO DO THE SAME JOB HE DID.
- YEAH.
- OH, MY GOODNESS.
HE SEEMED LIKE
A LOVELY MAN.
HE WAS NICE.
HE WAS FUN.
THERE WERE GUYS
WITH GUNS EVERYWHERE.
WE JUST HAD TO GET REALLY
AGGRESSIVE, MAKE A MOVE.
KILL OR BE KILLED, RIGHT,
JUST LIKE THEY TRAINED US.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF THAT, JESS?
YEAH, JEFF,
JUST LIKE THAT.
YEAH.
AFTER HEARING JEFFREY
TELL YET ANOTHER VIOLENT STORY,
JESSIKA IS BEGINNING
TO HAVE DOUBTS
ABOUT HER NEW BOYFRIEND.
JESSIKA NOTICES THAT JEFFREY
IS SPENDING MORE
AND MORE TIME ON HIS COMPUTER.
BUT HE MAKES CERTAIN THAT
SHE NEVER SEES WHAT HE'S DOING.
HE BEGAN, AFTER HE
TOLD ME ABOUT THE CIA JOB,
TELLING ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE
THERE WAS CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
ALL OVER THE PLACE
THAT I JUST COULDN'T LOOK AT.
AND HE JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE
THAT HE COULD SEE ME
AT ALL TIMES,
SO THAT HE COULD BE
CONFIDENT THAT I --
I WASN'T SNOOPING.
THEN, JEFFREY
STARTS TO DISAPPEAR,
SOMETIMES FOR WEEKS ON END.
AFTER ONE UNEXPLAINED TRIP,
JESSIKA PRESSES HIM
FOR AN EXPLANATION.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I DO
WHEN I'M NOT HERE?
HE PLAYS HER A RECORDING
OF SOMEONE BEING TORTURED.
I DON'T KNOW!
THAT'S WHAT I DO.
PLEASE!
I JUST DON'T KNOW!
I ACTUALLY DON'T!
IT WAS REALLY TERRIFYING.
I DON'T --
I DON'T KNOW!
HOW DO YOU TURN THIS OFF?
TURN IT OFF!
HOW DO YOU
TURN IT OFF?
THE WHOLE IDEA OF TORTURE
AND SCREAMING AND --
AND PEOPLE BEING HURT AND THAT
HE WAS THE PERSON DOING THIS,
IT -- IT WAS JUST HORRIFYING.
IN MY MIND,
I HAD MADE A DETERMINATION
THAT I DIDN'T THINK
THIS RELATIONSHIP
WAS GOING TO WORK OUT.
SO, I STARTED TRYING
TO DISTANCE MYSELF FROM HIM.
THE MINUTE THAT I STARTED TRYING
TO DISTANCE MYSELF FROM HIM,
HE STARTED MAKING THREATS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT,
ONCE THEY TEACH YOU
HOW TO START A HEART,
IT BECOMES VERY EASY
TO STOP ON?
HE MANIPULATED ME.
HE DEMORALIZED ME.
HE DEVALUED ME TO THE POINT THAT
I HAD NO SELF LEFT.
THERE WAS NO
ARGUING WITH HIM.
IT WAS JUST WHATEVER
HIS WILL WAS, I HAD TO DO.
I CAN DO IT
JUST LIKE THAT.
IT WAS JUST WHATEVER
HIS WILL WAS, I HAD TO DO.
WHEN LAW STUDENT
JESSIKA ROVELL
FIRST MEETS JEFFREY MARSALIS,
HE SEEMS LIKE THE GOOD GUY
SHE'S BEEN LOOKING FOR.
BUT SHE SOON DISCOVERS
A VERY DARK SIDE
TO HER NEW BOYFRIEND.
TURN IT OFF!
ONCE THEY TEACH YOU
HOW TO START A HEART,
IT BECOMES VERY EASY
TO STOP ONE.
IT'S JUST LIKE
A HUSBAND AND WIFE
THAT ARE GOING THROUGH
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THEY STAY FOR A REASON.
BUT THEM, AS A PERSON,
IS BROKEN.
JEFFREY ORGANIZES ANOTHER
TRIP WITH JESSIKA TO FLORIDA.
AT THE NASA SPACE CENTER,
HE'S DETERMINED TO GET
A SOUVENIR PHOTOGRAPH
OF HIMSELF.
HEY, JESS, WHAT DO YOU THINK,
ONE GIANT STEP FOR MANKIND?
DURING THE COURSE
OF OUR RELATIONSHIP,
I CAN'T SAY THAT IT
WAS ALWAYS HORRIBLE.
IT WASN'T.
THERE WERE TIMES
WHEN WE LAUGD.
THERE WERE TIMES THAT
WE HAD FUN.
YOU NEED THIS.
OH, THANKS, BABE.
TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,
THEY LOOKED LIKE A NORMAL,
HAPPY COUPLE.
BUT IN PRIVATE,
IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT STORY.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN,
GET DOWN!
YOU'RE GONNA DIE!
GET DOWN!
OH, MY GOD.
THAT WAS, BAR NONE,
THE SCARIEST THING
THAT HAD EVER HAPPENED
TO ME IN MY LIFE.
YOU'RE GONNA DIE!
OH, MY GOD,
PLEASE, PLEASE!
I REALLY THOUGHT
I WAS GONNA DIE.
PLEASE GET OUT
OF HERE!
GET OUT!
WHO DO YOU TELL?
YOU CAN'T GO TO YOUR COWORKER
AND SAY, "LISTEN."
'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA SAY TO YOU,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT FOR?"
'CAUSE WE'VE ALL HEARD
THAT PERSON SAY,
"IF IT WAS ME, I'D BE GONE."
YOU DON'T KNOW TILL YOU'RE
IN THAT SITUATION.
AND EVERYONE WORK--
REACTS DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK THE LONGER YOU'RE IN IT,
THE LESS LIKELY YOU ARE
TO TELL SOMEONE.
EVEN THOUGH HE HAS
TERRIFIED JESSIKA,
IT ISN'T ENOUGH FOR MARSALIS.
HIS APPETITE FOR CONTROL
IS INSATIABLE.
JESSIKA DOESN'T KNOW IT,
BUT HE'S STILL TRAWLING
DATING WEBSITES
TO FIND NEW CONQUESTS.
40 MILES AWAY,
IN NEW JERSEY,
JOANN BUTTARO,
A SUCCESSFUL CAREER WOMAN,
IS DABBLING IN ONLINE DATING.
SHE'S EVERYTHING MARSALIS
IS LOOKING FOR.
YOU KNOW, MY JOB WAS BUSY
AND THINGS WERE GOING WELL.
BUT I DIDN'T HAVE --
I DIDN'T -- I WASN'T
IN A RELATIONSHIP.
AND THAT WAS THE ONE THING
THAT I WAS DEFINITELY
STILL WANTING IN MY LIFE.
AND I RECEIVED
AN E-MAIL CONTACT
FROM DR. JEFF,
AND IT LINKED ME
TO HIS PAGE.
LIKING WHAT SHE SEES,
JOANN MESSAGES BACK.
OKAY.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, "LET'S MEET
AND WE'LL WALK TO A BAR.
AND WE'LL HAVE A DRINK,
AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT WENT."
HEY, HOW ARE YOU?
OH, JEFF!
YEAH.
EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL
IN THE FLESH.
THANK YOU.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE
A SEAT AT MY TABLE?
OH.
MY FIRST IMPRESSION
WHEN I SAW HIM --
HE WAS TALL, GOOD-LOOKING.
HE LOOKED LIKE HIS PICTURE,
WHICH WAS NICE.
OKAY.
SO, YOUR PROFILE SAYS
YOU'RE A DOCTOR.
NOT JUST ANY DOCTOR --
I'M AN ER DOCTOR.
AND HE WAS FRIENDLY
RIGHT AWAY.
WE CONNECTED,
I THOUGHT, IMMEDIATELY.
AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED
FOR OUR DATE.
THE OTHER DAY,
THIS LADY CAME IN --
NO DOCTOR,
NO INSURANCE,
AND SHE WAS GONNA GIVE BIRTH
IN THE BACK OF THE AMBULANCE.
BUT ISN'T THAT, LIKE, SCARY
'CAUSE YOU HAVE TWO LIVES?
THAT'S AMAZING.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T PAY ME
TO BE SCARED, RIGHT?
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT,
YOU KNOW, THAT --
THAT SOMEONE, YOU KNOW,
A DOCTOR WOULD BE THAT CARING
AND TAKING CARE OF SOMEBODY
WHO NEEDED IT.
THE EVENING GOES WELL.
CONFIDENT THAT MARSALIS
IS ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS,
JOANN AGREES TO DROP HIM OFF
AT HIS APARTMENT.
SO, ONE DRINK?
JUST JUICE OR WATER,
IT'S KIND OF A LONG DRIVE.
HE GOT ME SOMETHING
TO DRINK, NON-ALCOHOLIC.
JEFF, THIS IS
A REALLY NICE APARTMENT.
THANK YOU.
OH, THANKS.
CHEERS.
THE NEXT MORNING,
WHEN JOANN WAKES UP,
SHE REMEMBERS NOTHING
AFTER THE DRINK
THAT MARSALIS GAVE HER
THE NIGHT BEFORE.
BUT SHE IS CERTAIN
OF ONE THING --
SHE HAS HAD SEX.
I KNEW I DIDN'T DRINK
ENOUGH TO BLACK OUT.
AND I KNEW THAT I HAD NO PLANS
OF STAYING THERE
AND HAVING SEX
WITH HIM THAT NIGHT.
SO, I KNEW THAT
SOMETHING WAS WRONG,
I JUST COULDN'T
EXPLAIN IT TO MYSELF.
ALTHOUGH MARSALIS HAS
BEEN CHEATING ON JESSIKA ROVELL
WITH JOANN
AND OTHER WOMEN,
HE'S STILL STRINGING
JESSIKA ALONG.
THREE YEARS INTO
THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
MARSALIS DOESN'T LIVE
WITH JESSIKA,
BUT HE STILL CONTROLS
EVERY ASPECT OF HER LIFE.
WHAT ARE YOU
COOKING, BABE?
IT'S A SURPRISE.
YOU KNOW I
DON'T LIKE SURPRISES.
WHAT ARE YOU COOKING?
STOP IT.
GRADUALLY, DURING THE COURSE
OF THE RELATIONSHIP,
THE ABUSE BECAME MORE
THAN JUST PSYCHOLOGICAL.
OKAY, JEFF,
NOT FUNNY.
NOT JOKING.
SERIOUSLY,
BACK OFF.
SERIOUSLY,
BACK OFF.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN,
GET DOWN!
YOU'RE GONNA DIE!
GET DOWN!
JESSIKA ROVELL HAS
BEEN IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH JEFFREY MARSALIS
FOR OVER THREE YEARS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP HIM
FROM CHEATING ON HER
WITH ANOTHER WOMAN
WHO HE'S MET ONLINE.
I WASN'T HAPPY.
I WASN'T SAD.
I JUST EXISTED IN --
IN A STATE OF CONSTANT NOTHING.
IT'S NOT A JOKE,
JESS.
I WANT TO KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE COOKING.
GET BACK!
I REMEMBER SCREAMING.
I'M BLEEDING.
IT'S OKAY.
AND HE WENT INTO,
WHAT I GUESS
I WOULD CALL "DOCTOR MODE"...
YOU CUT ME.
IT'S JUST A SCRATCH.
...YOU KNOW,
LOOKING AT IT AND --
AND TELLING ME, "OH, IT --
IT'S NOT GONNA NEED STITCHES."
IT'S JUST A CUT.
LET ME TAKE A LOOK.
YOU'LL BE FINE.
IT'S A SCRATCH.
"IT'S -- IT'S OKAY.
IT DIDN'T GO
ALL THE WAY THROUGH,
YOU KNOW, INTO YOUR MOUTH."
I JUST DIDN'T CARE ANYMORE.
I --
I DIDN'T CARE
WHETHER HE KILLED ME.
I JUST COULDN'T LIVE
LIKE THIS ANYMORE.
FINALLY, JESSIKA MAKES
THE DECISION TO KICK MARSALIS
OUT OF HER HOME AND HER LIFE.
I HAD REINTRODUCED FRIENDS
AND FAMILY AND PEOPLE
WHO CARED ABOUT ME INTO MY LIFE
AND I WAS HEALING.
NOT QUICKLY,
BUT I WAS MOVING FORWARD.
UNBEKNOWNST TO JESSIKA,
JEFFREY MARSALIS'S LIFE
IS ABOUT TO TAKE
ANOTHER DRAMATIC TURN.
DETECTIVE MCDEVITT,
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT.
OKAY, YES, HI.
I'M THE MANAGER
OF THIS BLOCK.
DO YOU HAVE A
JEFFREY MARSALIS HERE?
MARSALIS IS NOW THE SUBJECT
OF A POLICE INVESTIGATION.
OUR FIRST VICTIM SAID
SHE WENT OUT WITH HIM
ON SEVERAL DATES.
AND IN THE COURSE
OF ONE OF THOSE DATES,
SHE WOKE UP WITH HIM
ON TOP OF HER.
SHE WAS UNCONSCIOUS.
AND SHE BELIEVED,
AT THAT TIME,
THAT IT WAS A SEXUAL ASSAULT.
WE HAVE A SEARCH WARRANT
FOR HIS APARTMENT.
AS WE WERE SHOWING HER
THE SEARCH WARRANT,
SHE'S READING IT.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE BLOOD,
LIKE, JUST LEAVING HER FACE
AND SHE'S TURNING WHITE.
OH, MY GOD.
THE WARRANT DETAILS
THE CHARGES AGAINST MARSALIS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT
HE DID TO ME.
SHE SAID, "I ACTUALLY
GOT HIM THIS APARTMENT."
SHE SAYS, "I'M STILL
FRIENDS WITH HIM,
BUT HE DID
THE SAME EXACT THING TO ME."
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE REALLY
MAKING A BIG MISTAKE, RIGHT?
MARSALIS'S LAPTOP
HAS A CIA SCREEN SAVER
AND ACCESS IS BLOCKED
BY A FINGERPRINT
SECURITY SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, OFFICER, I --
I'D REALLY RATHER YOU NOT.
THAT'S...
MR. MARSALIS,
YOU REALLY NEED
TO SIT DOWN.
WE FOUND SOME LIQUID BENADRYL
THAT WE BELIEVED WAS THE THING
THAT HE PROBABLY USED,
OR MAY HAVE USED,
TO RENDER HIS VICTIMS
UNCONSCIOUS.
THEY ALSO FIND SCRUBS
FROM THE LOCAL HOSPITAL.
WE DID CHECK WITH
THE HOSPITAL AND FOUND OUT
THAT HE WAS NOT A DOCTOR
AND HE WAS NOT AFFILIATED,
AT ALL, WITH THE HOSPITAL.
FAR FROM BEING
AN EMERGENCY-ROOM DOCTOR...
HEY, MAN.
...MARSALIS IS ACTUALLY
A DROPOUT FROM NURSING SCHOOL.
HE WOULD BREEZE PAST SECURITY
AND ROAM THE WARDS FREELY
USING THE ACCESS
HE'D BEEN GRANTED AS A STUDENT.
THE WOMAN WHO ORIGINALLY
REPORTED MARSALIS
AND THE MANAGER
OF HIS APARTMENT BLOCK
BOTH DECIDE
TO PRESS CHARGES.
WELL, YOU BETTER
GET A LAWYER, BUDDY,
'CAUSE I'M GONNA
BURY YOU.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TO REMAIN SILENT.
MARSALIS IS ARRESTED AND CHARGED
WITH TWO COUNTS OF RAPE.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TO AN ATTORNEY.
WE REALIZED THAT
THIS WAS A MONSTER
AND PROBABLY THE MOST PROLIFIC
SEXUAL ASSAULT --
RAPIST -- THAT WE'VE HAD
IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.
AS SHE TRIES
TO PUT HER LIFE TOGETHER
AFTER HER ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH MARSALIS,
JESSIKA ROVELL MEETS UP
WITH AN OLD FRIEND.
YOUR AUNT IS INSANE!
SORRY, I GOT TO
GET THIS.
- HELLO?
- JESSIKA?
YES?
YOU DON'T KNOW ME,
BUT I'M THE MANAGER
OF JEFF'S APARTMENT.
OKAY.
YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT
TOGETHER ANYMORE, RIGHT?
LISTEN, YOU NEED
TO CALL THE POLICE.
EXCUSE ME?
SHE ASKED ME TO CALL
THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE
DEPARTMENT SPECIAL-VICTIMS UNIT.
AND I ASKED HER WHY,
AND SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
JUST -- JUST CALL THEM.
I -- I -- I THINK
YOU SHOULD CALL THEM."
WHAT -- AREN'T YOU
GONNA TELL ME WHAT...
JUST RIGHT IN HERE.
WE CAN TALK IN HERE.
WHEN SHE CALLS
THE SPECIAL-VICTIMS UNIT,
JESSIKA LEARNS
THE SHOCKING NEWS --
TWO CHARGES OF RAPE HAVE BEEN
FILED AGAINST JEFFREY MARSALIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR COMING IN.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
IT'S OKAY.
I NEEDED TO KNOW.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME
I SAW JESSIKA
WALK INTO OUR OFFICE.
SHE WAS THIS
SMALLER WOMAN.
AND YOU CAN JUST TELL
THAT SHE WAS BROKEN.
DO YOU RECOGNIZE
ANY OF THESE PHOTOS?
OH, MY GOD.
I WAS THERE.
HE PHOTOSHOPPED HIS NAME
ON THE UNIFORM.
MCDEVITT EXPLAINS THAT
MARSALIS USED THE DOCTORED PHOTOS
TO FAKE A HIGH-STATUS IDENTITY
AND JOB HISTORY.
BUT EVERYTHING HE CLAIMED
ABOUT HIMSELF,
APART FROM HIS NAME, IS A LIE.
THESE ARE THE LENGTHS
THAT HE WENT TO...
HE HAD CREATED THE FALSE
IDENTITY TO LURE AND RAPE WOMEN
THAT HE HAD MET ONLINE.
THE REALIZATION THAT I HAD BEEN
RAPED WAS JUST OVERWHELMING.
THAT HE HAD MET ONLINE.
PHILADELPHIA POLICE
HAVE DISCOVERED THAT,
FOR OVER THREE YEARS,
JEFFREY MARSALIS
HAS ENTICED WOMEN
AND THEN DRUGGED
AND RAPED THEM.
AS I SPOKE WITH THE
DETECTIVE AND HE DESCRIBED
THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS,
IT JUST CAME OVER ME
LIKE A WASH THAT,
"MY GOD, THAT'S WHAT -- EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED TO ME THAT NIGHT."
THE REALIZATION THAT I HAD BEEN
RAPED WAS JUST OVERWHELMING.
TRAGICALLY, FOR JESSIKA ROVELL,
IT'S TOO LATE TO TEST
FOR PHYSICAL EVIDENCE FOR RAPE.
WHAT'S MORE, A JURY MIGHT
CONSIDER THE LONG RELATIONSHIP
SHE HAD WITH MARSALIS
A SIGN OF CONSENT.
SO PROSECUTORS
DON'T PURSUE HER CASE.
I BLAMED MYSELF.
ALLOWING HIM TO DO THE THINGS
THAT HE DID TO ME
OVER ALL OF THOSE YEARS,
IT PROTECTED MY FAMILY
AND MY FRIENDS,
BUT IT DIDN'T PROTECT
THOSE OTHER WOMEN.
AND THAT'S, I THINK,
THE THING THAT HURTS THE MOST,
I THINK WILL ALWAYS
STAY WITH ME,
IS THAT I WASN'T ABLE
TO SAVE OTHER PEOPLE
FROM SHARING THAT DESTINY.
ALTHOUGH PROSECUTORS
CAN'T PRESS JESSIKA'S CHARGES,
A THIRD VICTIM COMES FORWARD.
WE TOOK MR. MARSALIS
TO TRIAL FOR THREE --
THREE CASES OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE.
UNFORTUNATELY,
RAPE IS THE ONLY CRIME
THAT WE BLAME THE VICTIM.
PEOPLE DO NOT BELIEVE
THAT PEOPLE THAT KNOW EACH OTHER
RAPE EACH OTHER.
MARSALIS HAS
A WELL-FUNDED DEFENSE TEAM
AND THE PROSECUTION STRUGGLES
TO MAKE ITS CASE.
SOME OF MARSALIS'S VICTIMS
CONTINUED TO HAVE CONTACT
WITH MARSALIS
AFTER THEY WERE ASSAULTED.
THAT INCLUDED HAVING
INTERCOURSE WITH HIM,
ON SOME OCCASIONS.
THAT WAS ALL BEHAVIOR
THAT COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT
FOR A JURY TO UNDERSTAND.
DESPITE THE TESTIMONY
OF THREE WOMEN,
MARSALIS IS ACQUITTED
OF ALL CHARGES OF RAPE.
JEFFREY MARSALIS,
I'M ARRESTING YOU
ON SUSPICION OF RAPE.
OH, YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
LET'S GO.
NO WAY.
LET'S GO.
WE KEPT INVESTIGATING HIM
SINCE HE WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY.
WE HAD A WARRANT FOR HIM.
A FOURTH WOMAN,
WHO'D SEEN NEWS REPORTS
ABOUT THE TRIAL,
HAD JUST COME FORWARD.
WE ARRESTED HIM
RIGHT THERE AND TOOK HIM
RIGHT BACK INTO CUSTODY.
JEFFREY MARSALIS WAS A
DIABOLICAL, PLANNING ANIMAL.
ACROSS TOWN,
PHILADELPHIA-BASED FBI AGENT JOHN KITZINGER
HAS ALSO BEEN READING
NEWS REPORTS
ABOUT THE MARSALIS CASE.
THAT GOT MY ATTENTION,
THAT THIS IS JUST
THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG
AND THIS GUY IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR
POSSIBLY MANY MORE RAPES.
KITZINGER CONCLUDES
THAT MARSALIS
HAS COMMITTED A FEDERAL CRIME --
IMPERSONATING A CIA OFFICER.
THAT WAS, INITIALLY,
WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT --
THAT HE VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW --
AND OFFERED MY ASSISTANCE
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO SEE IF --
IF THERE WERE
ADDITIONAL VICTIMS.
DURING HIS SEARCH
OF MARSALIS'S COMPUTER,
KITZINGER IS SHOCKED
BY WHAT HE FINDS --
A LIST OF
OVER 50 WOMEN'S NAMES.
ARE YOU THINKING
WHAT I'M THINKING?
HE DECIDES TO TRACK
ALL THE WOMEN DOWN.
I HAD TO GO THROUGH
A LEGAL PROCESS
OF SERVING SUBPOENAS
ON THE INTERNET PROVIDERS.
BUT ULTIMATELY, I WAS ABLE
TO GET THEIR ADDRESSES.
ONE OF THE WOMEN ON
MARSALIS'S LIST IS JOANN BUTTARO.
HELLO?
KITZINGER'S COLLEAGUE CALLS HER
WITH THE DISTRESSING NEWS.
SHE EXPLAINED THAT THEIR OFFICE
WAS INVESTIGATING
JEFFREY MARSALIS ON CHARGES
OF DATE RAPE.
IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT
THAT ALL THE THINGS
THAT HAPPENED TO ME
THAT NIGHT ON OUR DATE
CAME FLOODING BACK.
IT -- IT ALL --
IT WAS LIKE A PUZZLE.
AND EVERYTHING,
ALL OF A SUDDEN, MADE SENSE.
YEAH.
I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
HOW I'D GOTTEN THERE.
I LOST IT.
I JUST STARTED CRYING.
I COULDN'T...
IT -- IT JUST CAME BACK
TO ME SO FAST
THAT I COULDN'T
CONTROL MY EMOTIONS.
BY THE TIME KITZINGER'S TEAM
HAD SPOKEN TO EVERY WOMAN
ON THE LIST,
THEY HAD A CLEAR PICTURE
OF HOW MARSALIS
USED THE INTERNET
TO DECEIVE HIS VICTIMS.
THE INTERNET
WAS IMPORTANT IN THIS CASE
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE --
THE -- THE CRIME BEGAN.
HE SEARCHED FOR HIS VICTIMS
ON THE INTERNET.
MARSALIS WAS VERY CRAFTY
IN HIS ONLINE DATING.
HE SAID TO WOMEN THAT WERE
LOOKING AT HIS PROFILE
THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE
WHO DIDN'T BLAME OTHERS
FOR THEIR MISTAKES,
BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT
HE HAD PLANNED FOR THEM --
CONFUSION AND CHAOS.
KITZINGER NARROWS
THE LIST DOWN TO 30 WOMEN
WHO FELT
THEY HAD BEEN ASSAULTED.
Hi.
THEY ALL TELL A SIMILAR STORY.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU?
HE WOULD MEET THEM
NEAR THE HOSPITAL
AND CLAIM HE WAS A DOCTOR.
MY FRIENDS CALL ME
DR. JEFF.
ISN'T THAT SORT OF
EXCITING?
HE HAD ENOUGH TRAINING
THAT HE CAN TALK THE LANGUAGE
AND THE JARGON A LITTLE BIT.
AND HE USED THAT TO FOOL
ALL OF HIS VICTIMS.
I HAD IDENTIFIED
APPROXIMATELY 30 WOMEN
WHO HE HAD VICTIMIZED
IN SOME CAPACITY.
SO, IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO SHOW THE MAGNITUDE OF --
OF HIS CRIMES.
KITZINGER PASSES HIS
FINDINGS ON TO THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE.
FEDERAL CHARGES OF IMPERSONATING
A GOVERNMENT AGENT
ARE PUT ON HOLD WHILE MARSALIS
IS PROSECUTED AGAIN
BY DETECTIVE MCDEVITT'S TEAM
ON 25 COUNTS OF RAPE
OF SEVEN WOMEN.
I WANTED VERY MUCH FOR
IT TO RESULT IN A CONVICTION.
I WANTED HIM TO BE IN PRISON.
I WANTED TO KNOW THAT
OTHER PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD
THAT HE HAD RAPED THESE WOMEN.
FOR THE SECOND TIME,
MARSALIS PLEADS "NOT GUILTY."
WHILE I WAS UP ON THE STAND,
I HAD TO IDENTIFY
JEFFREY MARSALIS.
I HAD TO LOOK HIM IN THE FACE.
I HAD TO ACCUSE HIM
OF RAPING ME.
I'VE LOOKED INTO
THE EYES OF A MONSTER,
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
ALL RISE.
INCREDIBLY, THE TESTIMONY
OF THESE SEVEN WOMEN
STILL ISN'T ENOUGH
AND MARSALIS IS ACQUITTED
OF RAPE YET AGAIN.
BUT HE IS CONVICTED
OF TWO LESSER CHARGES
OF SEXUAL ASSAULT,
WITH A MINIMUM PRISON TERM
OF JUST 101/2 YEARS.
I FEEL THEY FAILED THE VICTIMS.
THEY... THEY LET US DOWN.
I FEEL THAT THEY HAD PLENTY
OF EVIDENCE TO CONVICT HIM
AND THEY DIDN'T.
CAN ONE WOMAN FINALLY
AVENGE ALL OF MARSALIS'S VICTIMS?
THANK YOU.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
THANK YOU.
VICTIMS, POLICE, AND THE FBI
ARE SHOCKED
WHEN JEFFREY MARSALIS
IS CLEARED OF RAPE CHARGES
FOR THE SECOND TIME.
BUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
ISN'T FINISHED
WITH JEFFREY MARSALIS YET.
HIS PAST IS FINALLY
ABOUT TO CATCH UP WITH HIM.
WHILE HE WAS OUT ON BAIL
AWAITING HIS FIRST TRIAL,
MARSALIS TRAVELED TO IDAHO,
LIED ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND,
AND WAS HIRED
AS A SECURITY GUARD
AT A SUN VALLEY RESORT.
MARSALIS SOON BEFRIENDED
A YOUNG COLLEAGUE.
SO THEY AGREED
THAT THEY WOULD MEET
ON SATURDAY NIGHT
AND GO FOR DRINKS.
THEY ENDED UP
AT WHISKEY JACQUES' BAR.
AND THEY HAD A COUPLE OF BEERS
AND AT SOME POINT
EARLY IN THE EVENING,
HE BOUGHT HER A SHOT.
VERY GOOD,
VERY GOOD.
YOU'RE UP.
WHAT IS THAT?
YOU'RE SUCH A LIGHTWEIGHT.
OH, I DID NOT
LIKE THAT.
THEN YOU'RE NOT GONNA
LIKE THE NEXT THREE.
YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
NO, I'M NOT.
COME ON,
WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
BUT MARSALIS
UNDERESTIMATED HIS YOUNG COWORKER.
MORNING, SLEEPYHEAD.
WHERE ARE THE SHEETS?
OH, YOU DON'T
WANT TO KNOW.
DUDE, JUST TELL ME
WHERE THE SHEETS ARE.
OKAY.
YOU THREW UP ON THEM.
I DIDN'T THINK YOU WANTED
TO SLEEP IN THEM.
SHE ALSO NOTICED THAT
HER CLOTHES WERE ON DIFFERENT
THAN THE WAY SHE HAD DRESSED
HERSELF EARLIER IN THE EVENING.
SHE HAD ORIGINALLY HAD A
LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT WITH A SORT --
SHORT-SLEEVED SHIRT OVER IT.
AND THAT WAS REVERSED.
MARSALIS TRIED TO
PRETEND EVERYTHING WAS FINE,
BUT HIS DATE KNEW SHE'D HAD SEX
WITHOUT HER CONSENT.
COME HERE.
SHE GOES STRAIGHT
TO THE POLICE.
WE WERE ABLE
TO GET HER TO A HOSPITAL
AND HAVE HER TESTED
IN A TIMELY FASHION,
WHERE WE WERE ABLE
TO GATHER SOME EVIDENCE
THAT COULD BE USED.
THAT WAS INVALUABLE.
DETECTIVE MIKE
CRAWFORD ARRESTS MARSALIS
THE VERY SAME DAY
OF THE COMPLAINT.
HE SEEMED A LITTLE
SHEEPISH AT FIRST,
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON
OR WHY WE WERE THERE.
BUT IMMEDIATELY, ONCE WE STARTED
ASKING SOME QUESTIONS,
HE BECAME KIND OF ARROGANT,
KNOW-IT-ALL.
I HOPE WE CAN GET THIS
CLEARED UP QUICKLY, OFFICER.
IT'S REALLY JUST A BIG --
BIG MISUNDERSTANDING.
OBVIOUSLY, HE FELT THAT
HE WAS SMARTER THAN US
AND WAS GONNA PULL THIS OFF.
THIS IS DETECTIVE CRAWFORD
WITH THE SUN VALLEY POLICE
IN IDAHO.
CRAWFORD PERFORMS
A BACKGROUND CHECK ON MARSALIS.
ON BAIL?
ON BAIL FOR WHAT?
HE LEARNS THAT MARSALIS'S BAIL
IS FOR CHARGES OF RAPE
IN PHILADELPHIA.
OKAY, YES. YEAH, THANK YOU.
WE WANTED TO HELP PHILADELPHIA
IN ANY WAY WE COULD.
AND THEY WERE THE SAME TO US.
THE FBI HELPED US.
SPECIAL-VICTIMS UNIT
IN PHILADELPHIA
WAS JUST INVALUABLE HELP TO US.
YEAH.
IT'S AGREED AMONGST
THE THREE JURISDICTIONS
THAT THE IDAHO TRIAL
WILL BE POSTPONED,
PENDING THE LEGAL PROCESS
IN PHILADELPHIA.
WE RECOGNIZED THE
PREDATOR, THE MONSTER THAT HE WAS.
AND WE WERE NOT GONNA
LET HIM GET AWAY
WE WERE GONNA USE
ALL OF OUR RESOURCES,
WORK TOGETHER AND TO -- TO --
TO PROSECUTE HIM
TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.
20 MONTHS LATER,
WHEN MARSALIS IS ACQUITTED
OF RAPE
AFTER THE LENGTHY SECOND TRIAL
IN PHILADELPHIA,
PROSECUTORS IN IDAHO
FINALLY PRESS AHEAD
WITH THEIR CASE.
NOT ONLY DOES DETECTIVE CRAWFORD
HAVE DNA EVIDENCE
FROM THE RAPE TEST,
HE ALSO HAS A WITNESS.
WE'RE HERE.
COME ON.
HE TRACKED DOWN THE TAXI DRIVER
WHO DROVE MARSALIS
AND THE WOMAN HOME FROM THE BAR.
THERE YOU GO.
THIS ISN'T MY HOUSE.
NO, NO, IT'S YOUR HOUSE.
YOU'RE FINE.
THANK YOU.
THE TAXI DRIVER TESTIFIES
THAT MARSALIS
HAD DRAGGED THE VICTIM
FROM THE CAR AGAINST HER WILL.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
WHAT I HAD BEEN WORKING
SO HARD FOR,
SINCE THE FIRST MEETING WITH
THE DETECTIVE IN PHILADELPHIA.
I WANTED TO SEE
JUSTICE SERVED.
EVEN WITH THE SOLID EVIDENCE,
THE JURY STILL TAKES TWO HOURS
TO REACH A VERDICT.
GUILTY.
IT WAS LIKE THIS RELEASE
CAME THROUGH MY BODY.
AND -- AND I WEPT,
AND I WEPT,
AND I COULDN'T STOP SHAKING.
AFTER THE VERDICT, JOANN BUTTARO
MAKES A VICTIM STATEMENT
BEFORE THE JUDGE
DECIDES THE SENTENCE.
JEFFREY MARSALIS DID SOMETHING
TERRIBLE TO ME.
WHEN I COULDN'T DEFEND MYSELF,
HE VIOLATED ME.
AND THAT CAN NEVER
BE UNDONE, EVER.
I TOLD THE JUDGE
THAT SOMEONE WHO AFFECTED
SOMEONE'S LIFE
SO GREATLY IN SUCH
A NEGATIVE WAY,
IT WAS IMPORTANT
THAT HIS LIFE BE CHANGED
SO GREATLY IN A NEGATIVE WAY.
ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 30TH,
2009, THE JUDGE PRONOUNCES
JEFFREY MARSALIS'S SENTENCE.
I WILL SENTENCE YOU
TO A TERM OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT
IN THE IDAHO STATE PENITENTIARY.
FINALLY,
THE VICTIMS GET JUSTICE.
MY HOPE IS THAT,
EVERY TIME I TELL MY STORY,
I'M HELPING SOMEONE
ELSE OUT THERE
WHO MAY NOT HAVE
THE COURAGE TO LEAVE,
WHO MAY NOT HAVE
THE COURAGE TO --
TO TALK TO POLICE ABOUT
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM.
THE SUPPORT THAT I RECEIVED
HELPED ME HEAL AND SURVIVE.
AND IN TELLING MY STORY,
WHICH I CONTINUE TO DO,
I HOPE TO HELP OTHERS
HEAL AND SURVIVE.
WHEN A POPULAR
AND HANDSOME CHARMER...
- EVENING, DOCTOR.
- HEY.
...IS ALSO A RUTHLESS
ONLINE PREDATOR...
HEY, HOW ARE YOU?
...HOW FAR WILL HE GO
TO SATISFY HIS TWISTED DESIRES?
THAT WAS THE SCARIEST THING
THAT HAD EVER HAPPENED TO ME.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I DO
WHEN I'M NOT HERE?
AND HOW MANY WOMEN
WILL SUFFER...
THIS IS JUST THE TIP
OF THE ICEBERG.
...BEFORE HIS REIGN
OF TERROR...
DO YOU HAVE A
JEFFREY MARSALIS HERE?
...CAN BE STOPPED?
HE FELT THAT HE WAS
SMARTER THAN US.
WE WERE NOT GONNA
LET HIM GET AWAY.
I'VE LOOKED
INTO THE EYES OF A MONSTER,
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
JEFFREY MARSALIS IS WELL-KNOWN
AS AN ER PHYSICIAN
AT HAHNEMANN HOSPITAL
IN PHILADELPHIA.
HEY, BRIAN.
HEY.
NO MATTER HOW BUSY
HE IS ON THE WARDS,
HE ALWAYS HAS A SMILE
FOR THE SECURITY GUARDS.
AND COMING FROM
A WEALTHY FAMILY,
HE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE
IN ONE OF THE MOST
EXPENSIVE PARTS OF TOWN.
JEFFREY ISN'T JUST POPULAR
WITH HIS COWORKERS.
HE TURNS THE HEAD
OF EVERY WOMAN HE MEETS.
HEY.
EVENING, DOCTOR.
HE WAS VERY FRIENDLY.
HE WAS EASY TO TALK TO.
HE WAS CHARMING.
HE WAS A GOOD-LOOKING MAN.
HE SPOKE WELL.
HE REALLY DID SEEM
LIKE A NICE GUY.
ON DATING WEBSITES,
WHERE HE CALLS HIMSELF
"DR. JEFF,"
HE DOESN'T SELL HIMSELF SHORT.
"IF YOU WANT TO BE MY COPILOT,
THAT MEANS NO STOP SIGNS,
NO STOPLIGHTS, AND THROTTLE UP."
DR. JEFF LIKES
INTELLIGENT, CAREER-DRIVEN WOMEN.
AND WITH HIS
ENTICING PROFILE,
HE CAN TAKE HIS PICK.
AND JEFF'S NOT JUST
LOOKING FOR LOVE ONLINE.
HE'S ALSO A WELL-KNOWN FACE
AT HIS LOCAL IRISH BAR,
TIR NA NOG, A 10-MINUTE WALK
FROM THE HOSPITAL.
HEY. WHY DON'T YOU
LET ME GET THAT FOR YOU.
OKAY.
TWO, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
I'M JEFF,
BY THE WAY.
MY FRIENDS CALL ME
"DR. JEFF."
OH.
RAZ,
MY FRIENDS CALL ME "RAZ."
SO, JUST RAZ, IS THAT
SHORT FOR SOMETHING?
THIS TIME, JEFF
DOESN'T GET LUCKY.
THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
RAZ ISN'T SINGLE.
BUT SHE KNOWS
SOMEONE WHO IS --
ONE OF HER BEST FRIENDS,
JESSIKA ROVELL.
BACK HOME, JEFFREY BROWSES
HIS DATING WEBSITE.
SOMEONE LIKES THE LOOK
OF HIS PROFILE.
BUT SOMEBODY ELSE
IS ON HIS MIND --
JESSIKA ROVELL,
THE CONTACT HE WAS GIVEN
IN THE BAR.
YOUNG, PRETTY AND PROFESSIONAL,
SHE'S EXACTLY WHAT
HE'S LOOKING FOR.
WHILE I WAS OPTIMISTIC
ABOUT MY FUTURE,
THERE WAS ONE THING
THAT WAS MISSING.
YOU KNOW, I --
LIKE ANY YOUNG WOMAN,
I WAS INTERESTED
IN DATING AND --
AND FINDING THE ONE
THAT I WOULD SPEND
THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH.
- JESS.
- JEFF?
YEAH.
HI.
HI.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
HAVE A SEAT.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
SORRY IF I WAS
A LITTLE LATE.
BY MY SECOND YEAR
OF LAW SCHOOL,
I HAD PRETTY MUCH
COME TO THE CONCLUSION
THAT THERE WERE
NO GOOD MEN LEFT.
SO, YOU'RE A DOCTOR.
I AM, INDEED --
ER, EMERGENCY,
RIGHT ON
THE FRONT LINE.
DURING OUR FIRST DATE,
HE SEEMED LIKE A REALLY
INTERESTING, GOOD GUY.
I WOULDN'T SAY THAT I WAS
IMMEDIATELY ATTRACTED TO HIM.
BUT WE HAD SOME
GOOD CONVERSATION,
LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HIM.
THAT MUST BE SO STRESSFUL,
ALL THAT BLOOD.
I'M SO SQUEAMISH.
YEAH, FOR SURE,
IT CAN BE HARD SOMETIMES.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
I REALLY THRIVE
IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S JUST, BRINGING SOMEONE
BACK FROM THE BRINK.
THERE'S NOTHING
LIKE IT.
THOSE THINGS WERE ALL
PRETTY COMPELLING TO ME,
YOU KNOW, AS I WAS
ABOUT TO BECOME AN ATTORNEY.
IT WAS A GOOD FIRST DATE.
WELL, CHEERS
TO SAVING LIVES.
SO, AFTER THE FIRST DATE,
HE CALLED.
HE FOLLOWED UP AND SAID,
"WHY DON'T WE DO THIS AGAIN?"
FOR THEIR SECOND DATE,
THEY SPEND THE EVENING
AT JESSIKA'S APARTMENT,
RELAXING AND
GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER.
I'M GONNA GET US SOME WINE.
SOUNDS GOOD.
WE HAD SOME WINE.
AND AFTER
WE HAD FINISHED A BOTTLE,
I WENT TO MY KITCHEN TO GET
A SECOND BOTTLE, OPEN IT.
WANT ME TO
GIVE YOU A HAND?
I REMEMBER KISSING HIM
IN THE KITCHEN
WITH A BOTTLE OF WINE
HELD BETWEEN US.
AND THAT'S THE LAST THING
THAT I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT.
THE FORECAST,
MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES TODAY
WITH BRISK EASTERLY WINDS.
EXPECT A HIGHER...
WAKING UP,
REALIZING THAT I HAD HAD SEX WITH THIS MAN
THAT I HAD HAD NO INTENTION,
THE NIGHT BEFORE, OF
SLEEPING WITH WAS EMBARRASSING.
I -- I WAS DISAPPOINTED
IN MYSELF.
I WAS ANGRY WITH MYSELF
BECAUSE IT WASN'T MY INTENTION
FOR THE NIGHT TO GO
IN THAT DIRECTION.
MORNING.
MORNING.
YOU OKAY?
I'VE FELT BETTER.
YOU LOOK GREAT
TO ME.
I HAD A GOOD TIME
LAST NIGHT.
AND IF I REMEMBER
CORRECTLY, SO DID YOU.
WHEN HE WOKE UP,
HE WAS REALLY WONDERFUL.
HE DIDN'T SEEM
TO THINK LESS OF ME
FOR SLEEPING WITH HIM
ON THE SECOND DATE.
SO,
THE EMBARRASSMENT LESSENED.
HE COMPLIMENTED ME A LOT.
HE THOUGHT I WAS BRILLIANT
AND HE THOUGHT
I WAS BEAUTIFUL.
MIRROR, MIRROR,
ON THE WALL.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS
MY FAVORITE BREAKFAST PLACE.
IS IT?
OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, THE PANCAKES
ARE TO DIE FOR.
AS THE RELATIONSHIP CONTINUED,
I REALLY GREW TO CARE FOR HIM.
WHOOPS, SYRUP'S SUPPOSED
TO GO INSIDE YOUR MOUTH.
THERE, PRETTY
AS A PICTURE.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS FUNNY.
HE WAS SMART.
HE WAS SUCCESSFUL.
AND IT SEEMED TO ME THAT WE --
WE REALLY COULD HAVE
A FUTURE TOGETHER.
BUT AS THEY SETTLE
INTO THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
JESSIKA SOON DISCOVERS
ANOTHER SIDE
TO HER NEW BOYFRIEND.
WHOA, LITTLE LADY,
I HAVE BUSINESS GOING ON HERE.
YOU KNOW, DOORS,
KNOCKING, SIMPLE REQUEST.
WHAT'S SO TOP SECRET?
I GOT TO KNOCK
ON DOORS, NOW?
LOOK, JESS,
DO YOU TRUST ME?
OF COURSE
I TRUST YOU.
AT THAT POINT,
HE TOLD ME THAT HE WAS
A NON-OFFICIAL COVER AGENT
FOR THE CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY,
THAT HE WORKED AT THE
HIGHEST LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
IT'S DANGEROUS
FOR BOTH OF US.
I'M DOING THIS
FOR YOUR PROTECTION.
ON SOME LEVEL,
HE WAS A PATRIOT.
YOU KNOW, HE WAS
FIGHTING TERRORISTS.
HE WAS FIGHTING A WAR.
HE WAS TRYING
TO KEEP PEOPLE LIKE ME
AND EVERY OTHER AMERICAN SAFE.
LESS THAN TWO MONTHS
AFTER THEY START DATING,
JEFFREY ORGANIZES
A ROMANTIC TRIP TO BERMUDA.
I WAS REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO HAVING A VACATION IN A PLACE
THAT I HAD NEVER BEEN
BEFORE AND --
AND WITH HIM, BECAUSE WE WERE
HAVING A GOOD TIME.
EARLY ONE MORNING,
HE TAKES JESSIKA
TO A REMOTE PART OF THE ISLAND.
BUT THINGS CHANGED
WHILE WE WERE ON THE ISLAND.
HEY, JESS, WAIT.
HEY, I SAID WAIT.
HEY!
LOOK, LITTLE LADY,
I'M NOT THE GUY
YOU SHOULD BE MESSING WITH.
WHAT IS THIS?
HE TOLD ME A STORY
ABOUT HOW HE HAD BEATEN
SOMEONE TO DEATH
OUTSIDE A CLUB
IN FLORIDA WITH HIS BARE HANDS
RIGHT AFTER HE HAD COMPLETED
HIS TRAINING WITH THE CIA.
JEFFREY ALSO CLAIMS
HE WAS ARRESTED,
BUT ONLY HELD FOR TWO HOURS.
CASE GOT THROWN OUT
BECAUSE THEY TRAIN US
TO BE KILLERS.
AND THEY CLEAN UP
OUR MESS.
THAT'S THE DEAL.
I STARTED FEELING
UNSAFE WITH HIM.
YOU KNOW WHAT, JEFF?
I JUST WANT TO WALK
ALONG THE BEACH, OKAY?
SO, THERE WAS THIS ONE TIME
WHERE WE WERE STUCK
ON AN ISLAND.
AND WE WERE SURROUNDED...
WHEN THEY RETURN
TO PHILADELPHIA,
JEFFREY INTRODUCES JESSIKA
TO HIS FRIEND, GREG HARUBI.
GREG WAS SOMEONE THAT JEFF
HAD RECRUITED TO THE CIA
TO DO THE SAME JOB HE DID.
- YEAH.
- OH, MY GOODNESS.
HE SEEMED LIKE
A LOVELY MAN.
HE WAS NICE.
HE WAS FUN.
THERE WERE GUYS
WITH GUNS EVERYWHERE.
WE JUST HAD TO GET REALLY
AGGRESSIVE, MAKE A MOVE.
KILL OR BE KILLED, RIGHT,
JUST LIKE THEY TRAINED US.
WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF THAT, JESS?
YEAH, JEFF,
JUST LIKE THAT.
YEAH.
AFTER HEARING JEFFREY
TELL YET ANOTHER VIOLENT STORY,
JESSIKA IS BEGINNING
TO HAVE DOUBTS
ABOUT HER NEW BOYFRIEND.
JESSIKA NOTICES THAT JEFFREY
IS SPENDING MORE
AND MORE TIME ON HIS COMPUTER.
BUT HE MAKES CERTAIN THAT
SHE NEVER SEES WHAT HE'S DOING.
HE BEGAN, AFTER HE
TOLD ME ABOUT THE CIA JOB,
TELLING ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE
THERE WAS CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
ALL OVER THE PLACE
THAT I JUST COULDN'T LOOK AT.
AND HE JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE
THAT HE COULD SEE ME
AT ALL TIMES,
SO THAT HE COULD BE
CONFIDENT THAT I --
I WASN'T SNOOPING.
THEN, JEFFREY
STARTS TO DISAPPEAR,
SOMETIMES FOR WEEKS ON END.
AFTER ONE UNEXPLAINED TRIP,
JESSIKA PRESSES HIM
FOR AN EXPLANATION.
YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I DO
WHEN I'M NOT HERE?
HE PLAYS HER A RECORDING
OF SOMEONE BEING TORTURED.
I DON'T KNOW!
THAT'S WHAT I DO.
PLEASE!
I JUST DON'T KNOW!
I ACTUALLY DON'T!
IT WAS REALLY TERRIFYING.
I DON'T --
I DON'T KNOW!
HOW DO YOU TURN THIS OFF?
TURN IT OFF!
HOW DO YOU
TURN IT OFF?
THE WHOLE IDEA OF TORTURE
AND SCREAMING AND --
AND PEOPLE BEING HURT AND THAT
HE WAS THE PERSON DOING THIS,
IT -- IT WAS JUST HORRIFYING.
IN MY MIND,
I HAD MADE A DETERMINATION
THAT I DIDN'T THINK
THIS RELATIONSHIP
WAS GOING TO WORK OUT.
SO, I STARTED TRYING
TO DISTANCE MYSELF FROM HIM.
THE MINUTE THAT I STARTED TRYING
TO DISTANCE MYSELF FROM HIM,
HE STARTED MAKING THREATS.
DO YOU KNOW THAT,
ONCE THEY TEACH YOU
HOW TO START A HEART,
IT BECOMES VERY EASY
TO STOP ON?
HE MANIPULATED ME.
HE DEMORALIZED ME.
HE DEVALUED ME TO THE POINT THAT
I HAD NO SELF LEFT.
THERE WAS NO
ARGUING WITH HIM.
IT WAS JUST WHATEVER
HIS WILL WAS, I HAD TO DO.
I CAN DO IT
JUST LIKE THAT.
IT WAS JUST WHATEVER
HIS WILL WAS, I HAD TO DO.
WHEN LAW STUDENT
JESSIKA ROVELL
FIRST MEETS JEFFREY MARSALIS,
HE SEEMS LIKE THE GOOD GUY
SHE'S BEEN LOOKING FOR.
BUT SHE SOON DISCOVERS
A VERY DARK SIDE
TO HER NEW BOYFRIEND.
TURN IT OFF!
ONCE THEY TEACH YOU
HOW TO START A HEART,
IT BECOMES VERY EASY
TO STOP ONE.
IT'S JUST LIKE
A HUSBAND AND WIFE
THAT ARE GOING THROUGH
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THEY STAY FOR A REASON.
BUT THEM, AS A PERSON,
IS BROKEN.
JEFFREY ORGANIZES ANOTHER
TRIP WITH JESSIKA TO FLORIDA.
AT THE NASA SPACE CENTER,
HE'S DETERMINED TO GET
A SOUVENIR PHOTOGRAPH
OF HIMSELF.
HEY, JESS, WHAT DO YOU THINK,
ONE GIANT STEP FOR MANKIND?
DURING THE COURSE
OF OUR RELATIONSHIP,
I CAN'T SAY THAT IT
WAS ALWAYS HORRIBLE.
IT WASN'T.
THERE WERE TIMES
WHEN WE LAUGD.
THERE WERE TIMES THAT
WE HAD FUN.
YOU NEED THIS.
OH, THANKS, BABE.
TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD,
THEY LOOKED LIKE A NORMAL,
HAPPY COUPLE.
BUT IN PRIVATE,
IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT STORY.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN,
GET DOWN!
YOU'RE GONNA DIE!
GET DOWN!
OH, MY GOD.
THAT WAS, BAR NONE,
THE SCARIEST THING
THAT HAD EVER HAPPENED
TO ME IN MY LIFE.
YOU'RE GONNA DIE!
OH, MY GOD,
PLEASE, PLEASE!
I REALLY THOUGHT
I WAS GONNA DIE.
PLEASE GET OUT
OF HERE!
GET OUT!
WHO DO YOU TELL?
YOU CAN'T GO TO YOUR COWORKER
AND SAY, "LISTEN."
'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA SAY TO YOU,
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT FOR?"
'CAUSE WE'VE ALL HEARD
THAT PERSON SAY,
"IF IT WAS ME, I'D BE GONE."
YOU DON'T KNOW TILL YOU'RE
IN THAT SITUATION.
AND EVERYONE WORK--
REACTS DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK THE LONGER YOU'RE IN IT,
THE LESS LIKELY YOU ARE
TO TELL SOMEONE.
EVEN THOUGH HE HAS
TERRIFIED JESSIKA,
IT ISN'T ENOUGH FOR MARSALIS.
HIS APPETITE FOR CONTROL
IS INSATIABLE.
JESSIKA DOESN'T KNOW IT,
BUT HE'S STILL TRAWLING
DATING WEBSITES
TO FIND NEW CONQUESTS.
40 MILES AWAY,
IN NEW JERSEY,
JOANN BUTTARO,
A SUCCESSFUL CAREER WOMAN,
IS DABBLING IN ONLINE DATING.
SHE'S EVERYTHING MARSALIS
IS LOOKING FOR.
YOU KNOW, MY JOB WAS BUSY
AND THINGS WERE GOING WELL.
BUT I DIDN'T HAVE --
I DIDN'T -- I WASN'T
IN A RELATIONSHIP.
AND THAT WAS THE ONE THING
THAT I WAS DEFINITELY
STILL WANTING IN MY LIFE.
AND I RECEIVED
AN E-MAIL CONTACT
FROM DR. JEFF,
AND IT LINKED ME
TO HIS PAGE.
LIKING WHAT SHE SEES,
JOANN MESSAGES BACK.
OKAY.
HE SAID, YOU KNOW, "LET'S MEET
AND WE'LL WALK TO A BAR.
AND WE'LL HAVE A DRINK,
AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT WENT."
HEY, HOW ARE YOU?
OH, JEFF!
YEAH.
EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL
IN THE FLESH.
THANK YOU.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE
A SEAT AT MY TABLE?
OH.
MY FIRST IMPRESSION
WHEN I SAW HIM --
HE WAS TALL, GOOD-LOOKING.
HE LOOKED LIKE HIS PICTURE,
WHICH WAS NICE.
OKAY.
SO, YOUR PROFILE SAYS
YOU'RE A DOCTOR.
NOT JUST ANY DOCTOR --
I'M AN ER DOCTOR.
AND HE WAS FRIENDLY
RIGHT AWAY.
WE CONNECTED,
I THOUGHT, IMMEDIATELY.
AND I WAS REALLY EXCITED
FOR OUR DATE.
THE OTHER DAY,
THIS LADY CAME IN --
NO DOCTOR,
NO INSURANCE,
AND SHE WAS GONNA GIVE BIRTH
IN THE BACK OF THE AMBULANCE.
BUT ISN'T THAT, LIKE, SCARY
'CAUSE YOU HAVE TWO LIVES?
THAT'S AMAZING.
YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T PAY ME
TO BE SCARED, RIGHT?
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT,
YOU KNOW, THAT --
THAT SOMEONE, YOU KNOW,
A DOCTOR WOULD BE THAT CARING
AND TAKING CARE OF SOMEBODY
WHO NEEDED IT.
THE EVENING GOES WELL.
CONFIDENT THAT MARSALIS
IS ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS,
JOANN AGREES TO DROP HIM OFF
AT HIS APARTMENT.
SO, ONE DRINK?
JUST JUICE OR WATER,
IT'S KIND OF A LONG DRIVE.
HE GOT ME SOMETHING
TO DRINK, NON-ALCOHOLIC.
JEFF, THIS IS
A REALLY NICE APARTMENT.
THANK YOU.
OH, THANKS.
CHEERS.
THE NEXT MORNING,
WHEN JOANN WAKES UP,
SHE REMEMBERS NOTHING
AFTER THE DRINK
THAT MARSALIS GAVE HER
THE NIGHT BEFORE.
BUT SHE IS CERTAIN
OF ONE THING --
SHE HAS HAD SEX.
I KNEW I DIDN'T DRINK
ENOUGH TO BLACK OUT.
AND I KNEW THAT I HAD NO PLANS
OF STAYING THERE
AND HAVING SEX
WITH HIM THAT NIGHT.
SO, I KNEW THAT
SOMETHING WAS WRONG,
I JUST COULDN'T
EXPLAIN IT TO MYSELF.
ALTHOUGH MARSALIS HAS
BEEN CHEATING ON JESSIKA ROVELL
WITH JOANN
AND OTHER WOMEN,
HE'S STILL STRINGING
JESSIKA ALONG.
THREE YEARS INTO
THEIR RELATIONSHIP,
MARSALIS DOESN'T LIVE
WITH JESSIKA,
BUT HE STILL CONTROLS
EVERY ASPECT OF HER LIFE.
WHAT ARE YOU
COOKING, BABE?
IT'S A SURPRISE.
YOU KNOW I
DON'T LIKE SURPRISES.
WHAT ARE YOU COOKING?
STOP IT.
GRADUALLY, DURING THE COURSE
OF THE RELATIONSHIP,
THE ABUSE BECAME MORE
THAN JUST PSYCHOLOGICAL.
OKAY, JEFF,
NOT FUNNY.
NOT JOKING.
SERIOUSLY,
BACK OFF.
SERIOUSLY,
BACK OFF.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN,
GET DOWN!
YOU'RE GONNA DIE!
GET DOWN!
JESSIKA ROVELL HAS
BEEN IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH JEFFREY MARSALIS
FOR OVER THREE YEARS.
BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP HIM
FROM CHEATING ON HER
WITH ANOTHER WOMAN
WHO HE'S MET ONLINE.
I WASN'T HAPPY.
I WASN'T SAD.
I JUST EXISTED IN --
IN A STATE OF CONSTANT NOTHING.
IT'S NOT A JOKE,
JESS.
I WANT TO KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE COOKING.
GET BACK!
I REMEMBER SCREAMING.
I'M BLEEDING.
IT'S OKAY.
AND HE WENT INTO,
WHAT I GUESS
I WOULD CALL "DOCTOR MODE"...
YOU CUT ME.
IT'S JUST A SCRATCH.
...YOU KNOW,
LOOKING AT IT AND --
AND TELLING ME, "OH, IT --
IT'S NOT GONNA NEED STITCHES."
IT'S JUST A CUT.
LET ME TAKE A LOOK.
YOU'LL BE FINE.
IT'S A SCRATCH.
"IT'S -- IT'S OKAY.
IT DIDN'T GO
ALL THE WAY THROUGH,
YOU KNOW, INTO YOUR MOUTH."
I JUST DIDN'T CARE ANYMORE.
I --
I DIDN'T CARE
WHETHER HE KILLED ME.
I JUST COULDN'T LIVE
LIKE THIS ANYMORE.
FINALLY, JESSIKA MAKES
THE DECISION TO KICK MARSALIS
OUT OF HER HOME AND HER LIFE.
I HAD REINTRODUCED FRIENDS
AND FAMILY AND PEOPLE
WHO CARED ABOUT ME INTO MY LIFE
AND I WAS HEALING.
NOT QUICKLY,
BUT I WAS MOVING FORWARD.
UNBEKNOWNST TO JESSIKA,
JEFFREY MARSALIS'S LIFE
IS ABOUT TO TAKE
ANOTHER DRAMATIC TURN.
DETECTIVE MCDEVITT,
SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT.
OKAY, YES, HI.
I'M THE MANAGER
OF THIS BLOCK.
DO YOU HAVE A
JEFFREY MARSALIS HERE?
MARSALIS IS NOW THE SUBJECT
OF A POLICE INVESTIGATION.
OUR FIRST VICTIM SAID
SHE WENT OUT WITH HIM
ON SEVERAL DATES.
AND IN THE COURSE
OF ONE OF THOSE DATES,
SHE WOKE UP WITH HIM
ON TOP OF HER.
SHE WAS UNCONSCIOUS.
AND SHE BELIEVED,
AT THAT TIME,
THAT IT WAS A SEXUAL ASSAULT.
WE HAVE A SEARCH WARRANT
FOR HIS APARTMENT.
AS WE WERE SHOWING HER
THE SEARCH WARRANT,
SHE'S READING IT.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE BLOOD,
LIKE, JUST LEAVING HER FACE
AND SHE'S TURNING WHITE.
OH, MY GOD.
THE WARRANT DETAILS
THE CHARGES AGAINST MARSALIS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT
HE DID TO ME.
SHE SAID, "I ACTUALLY
GOT HIM THIS APARTMENT."
SHE SAYS, "I'M STILL
FRIENDS WITH HIM,
BUT HE DID
THE SAME EXACT THING TO ME."
YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE REALLY
MAKING A BIG MISTAKE, RIGHT?
MARSALIS'S LAPTOP
HAS A CIA SCREEN SAVER
AND ACCESS IS BLOCKED
BY A FINGERPRINT
SECURITY SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, OFFICER, I --
I'D REALLY RATHER YOU NOT.
THAT'S...
MR. MARSALIS,
YOU REALLY NEED
TO SIT DOWN.
WE FOUND SOME LIQUID BENADRYL
THAT WE BELIEVED WAS THE THING
THAT HE PROBABLY USED,
OR MAY HAVE USED,
TO RENDER HIS VICTIMS
UNCONSCIOUS.
THEY ALSO FIND SCRUBS
FROM THE LOCAL HOSPITAL.
WE DID CHECK WITH
THE HOSPITAL AND FOUND OUT
THAT HE WAS NOT A DOCTOR
AND HE WAS NOT AFFILIATED,
AT ALL, WITH THE HOSPITAL.
FAR FROM BEING
AN EMERGENCY-ROOM DOCTOR...
HEY, MAN.
...MARSALIS IS ACTUALLY
A DROPOUT FROM NURSING SCHOOL.
HE WOULD BREEZE PAST SECURITY
AND ROAM THE WARDS FREELY
USING THE ACCESS
HE'D BEEN GRANTED AS A STUDENT.
THE WOMAN WHO ORIGINALLY
REPORTED MARSALIS
AND THE MANAGER
OF HIS APARTMENT BLOCK
BOTH DECIDE
TO PRESS CHARGES.
WELL, YOU BETTER
GET A LAWYER, BUDDY,
'CAUSE I'M GONNA
BURY YOU.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TO REMAIN SILENT.
MARSALIS IS ARRESTED AND CHARGED
WITH TWO COUNTS OF RAPE.
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TO AN ATTORNEY.
WE REALIZED THAT
THIS WAS A MONSTER
AND PROBABLY THE MOST PROLIFIC
SEXUAL ASSAULT --
RAPIST -- THAT WE'VE HAD
IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA.
AS SHE TRIES
TO PUT HER LIFE TOGETHER
AFTER HER ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
WITH MARSALIS,
JESSIKA ROVELL MEETS UP
WITH AN OLD FRIEND.
YOUR AUNT IS INSANE!
SORRY, I GOT TO
GET THIS.
- HELLO?
- JESSIKA?
YES?
YOU DON'T KNOW ME,
BUT I'M THE MANAGER
OF JEFF'S APARTMENT.
OKAY.
YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT
TOGETHER ANYMORE, RIGHT?
LISTEN, YOU NEED
TO CALL THE POLICE.
EXCUSE ME?
SHE ASKED ME TO CALL
THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE
DEPARTMENT SPECIAL-VICTIMS UNIT.
AND I ASKED HER WHY,
AND SHE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
JUST -- JUST CALL THEM.
I -- I -- I THINK
YOU SHOULD CALL THEM."
WHAT -- AREN'T YOU
GONNA TELL ME WHAT...
JUST RIGHT IN HERE.
WE CAN TALK IN HERE.
WHEN SHE CALLS
THE SPECIAL-VICTIMS UNIT,
JESSIKA LEARNS
THE SHOCKING NEWS --
TWO CHARGES OF RAPE HAVE BEEN
FILED AGAINST JEFFREY MARSALIS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR COMING IN.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
IT'S OKAY.
I NEEDED TO KNOW.
I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME
I SAW JESSIKA
WALK INTO OUR OFFICE.
SHE WAS THIS
SMALLER WOMAN.
AND YOU CAN JUST TELL
THAT SHE WAS BROKEN.
DO YOU RECOGNIZE
ANY OF THESE PHOTOS?
OH, MY GOD.
I WAS THERE.
HE PHOTOSHOPPED HIS NAME
ON THE UNIFORM.
MCDEVITT EXPLAINS THAT
MARSALIS USED THE DOCTORED PHOTOS
TO FAKE A HIGH-STATUS IDENTITY
AND JOB HISTORY.
BUT EVERYTHING HE CLAIMED
ABOUT HIMSELF,
APART FROM HIS NAME, IS A LIE.
THESE ARE THE LENGTHS
THAT HE WENT TO...
HE HAD CREATED THE FALSE
IDENTITY TO LURE AND RAPE WOMEN
THAT HE HAD MET ONLINE.
THE REALIZATION THAT I HAD BEEN
RAPED WAS JUST OVERWHELMING.
THAT HE HAD MET ONLINE.
PHILADELPHIA POLICE
HAVE DISCOVERED THAT,
FOR OVER THREE YEARS,
JEFFREY MARSALIS
HAS ENTICED WOMEN
AND THEN DRUGGED
AND RAPED THEM.
AS I SPOKE WITH THE
DETECTIVE AND HE DESCRIBED
THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS,
IT JUST CAME OVER ME
LIKE A WASH THAT,
"MY GOD, THAT'S WHAT -- EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED TO ME THAT NIGHT."
THE REALIZATION THAT I HAD BEEN
RAPED WAS JUST OVERWHELMING.
TRAGICALLY, FOR JESSIKA ROVELL,
IT'S TOO LATE TO TEST
FOR PHYSICAL EVIDENCE FOR RAPE.
WHAT'S MORE, A JURY MIGHT
CONSIDER THE LONG RELATIONSHIP
SHE HAD WITH MARSALIS
A SIGN OF CONSENT.
SO PROSECUTORS
DON'T PURSUE HER CASE.
I BLAMED MYSELF.
ALLOWING HIM TO DO THE THINGS
THAT HE DID TO ME
OVER ALL OF THOSE YEARS,
IT PROTECTED MY FAMILY
AND MY FRIENDS,
BUT IT DIDN'T PROTECT
THOSE OTHER WOMEN.
AND THAT'S, I THINK,
THE THING THAT HURTS THE MOST,
I THINK WILL ALWAYS
STAY WITH ME,
IS THAT I WASN'T ABLE
TO SAVE OTHER PEOPLE
FROM SHARING THAT DESTINY.
ALTHOUGH PROSECUTORS
CAN'T PRESS JESSIKA'S CHARGES,
A THIRD VICTIM COMES FORWARD.
WE TOOK MR. MARSALIS
TO TRIAL FOR THREE --
THREE CASES OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RAPE.
UNFORTUNATELY,
RAPE IS THE ONLY CRIME
THAT WE BLAME THE VICTIM.
PEOPLE DO NOT BELIEVE
THAT PEOPLE THAT KNOW EACH OTHER
RAPE EACH OTHER.
MARSALIS HAS
A WELL-FUNDED DEFENSE TEAM
AND THE PROSECUTION STRUGGLES
TO MAKE ITS CASE.
SOME OF MARSALIS'S VICTIMS
CONTINUED TO HAVE CONTACT
WITH MARSALIS
AFTER THEY WERE ASSAULTED.
THAT INCLUDED HAVING
INTERCOURSE WITH HIM,
ON SOME OCCASIONS.
THAT WAS ALL BEHAVIOR
THAT COULD BE VERY DIFFICULT
FOR A JURY TO UNDERSTAND.
DESPITE THE TESTIMONY
OF THREE WOMEN,
MARSALIS IS ACQUITTED
OF ALL CHARGES OF RAPE.
JEFFREY MARSALIS,
I'M ARRESTING YOU
ON SUSPICION OF RAPE.
OH, YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
LET'S GO.
NO WAY.
LET'S GO.
WE KEPT INVESTIGATING HIM
SINCE HE WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY.
WE HAD A WARRANT FOR HIM.
A FOURTH WOMAN,
WHO'D SEEN NEWS REPORTS
ABOUT THE TRIAL,
HAD JUST COME FORWARD.
WE ARRESTED HIM
RIGHT THERE AND TOOK HIM
RIGHT BACK INTO CUSTODY.
JEFFREY MARSALIS WAS A
DIABOLICAL, PLANNING ANIMAL.
ACROSS TOWN,
PHILADELPHIA-BASED FBI AGENT JOHN KITZINGER
HAS ALSO BEEN READING
NEWS REPORTS
ABOUT THE MARSALIS CASE.
THAT GOT MY ATTENTION,
THAT THIS IS JUST
THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG
AND THIS GUY IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR
POSSIBLY MANY MORE RAPES.
KITZINGER CONCLUDES
THAT MARSALIS
HAS COMMITTED A FEDERAL CRIME --
IMPERSONATING A CIA OFFICER.
THAT WAS, INITIALLY,
WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT --
THAT HE VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW --
AND OFFERED MY ASSISTANCE
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO SEE IF --
IF THERE WERE
ADDITIONAL VICTIMS.
DURING HIS SEARCH
OF MARSALIS'S COMPUTER,
KITZINGER IS SHOCKED
BY WHAT HE FINDS --
A LIST OF
OVER 50 WOMEN'S NAMES.
ARE YOU THINKING
WHAT I'M THINKING?
HE DECIDES TO TRACK
ALL THE WOMEN DOWN.
I HAD TO GO THROUGH
A LEGAL PROCESS
OF SERVING SUBPOENAS
ON THE INTERNET PROVIDERS.
BUT ULTIMATELY, I WAS ABLE
TO GET THEIR ADDRESSES.
ONE OF THE WOMEN ON
MARSALIS'S LIST IS JOANN BUTTARO.
HELLO?
KITZINGER'S COLLEAGUE CALLS HER
WITH THE DISTRESSING NEWS.
SHE EXPLAINED THAT THEIR OFFICE
WAS INVESTIGATING
JEFFREY MARSALIS ON CHARGES
OF DATE RAPE.
IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT
THAT ALL THE THINGS
THAT HAPPENED TO ME
THAT NIGHT ON OUR DATE
CAME FLOODING BACK.
IT -- IT ALL --
IT WAS LIKE A PUZZLE.
AND EVERYTHING,
ALL OF A SUDDEN, MADE SENSE.
YEAH.
I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
HOW I'D GOTTEN THERE.
I LOST IT.
I JUST STARTED CRYING.
I COULDN'T...
IT -- IT JUST CAME BACK
TO ME SO FAST
THAT I COULDN'T
CONTROL MY EMOTIONS.
BY THE TIME KITZINGER'S TEAM
HAD SPOKEN TO EVERY WOMAN
ON THE LIST,
THEY HAD A CLEAR PICTURE
OF HOW MARSALIS
USED THE INTERNET
TO DECEIVE HIS VICTIMS.
THE INTERNET
WAS IMPORTANT IN THIS CASE
BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE --
THE -- THE CRIME BEGAN.
HE SEARCHED FOR HIS VICTIMS
ON THE INTERNET.
MARSALIS WAS VERY CRAFTY
IN HIS ONLINE DATING.
HE SAID TO WOMEN THAT WERE
LOOKING AT HIS PROFILE
THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE
WHO DIDN'T BLAME OTHERS
FOR THEIR MISTAKES,
BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT
HE HAD PLANNED FOR THEM --
CONFUSION AND CHAOS.
KITZINGER NARROWS
THE LIST DOWN TO 30 WOMEN
WHO FELT
THEY HAD BEEN ASSAULTED.
Hi.
THEY ALL TELL A SIMILAR STORY.
HEY, HOW ARE YOU?
HE WOULD MEET THEM
NEAR THE HOSPITAL
AND CLAIM HE WAS A DOCTOR.
MY FRIENDS CALL ME
DR. JEFF.
ISN'T THAT SORT OF
EXCITING?
HE HAD ENOUGH TRAINING
THAT HE CAN TALK THE LANGUAGE
AND THE JARGON A LITTLE BIT.
AND HE USED THAT TO FOOL
ALL OF HIS VICTIMS.
I HAD IDENTIFIED
APPROXIMATELY 30 WOMEN
WHO HE HAD VICTIMIZED
IN SOME CAPACITY.
SO, IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO SHOW THE MAGNITUDE OF --
OF HIS CRIMES.
KITZINGER PASSES HIS
FINDINGS ON TO THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE.
FEDERAL CHARGES OF IMPERSONATING
A GOVERNMENT AGENT
ARE PUT ON HOLD WHILE MARSALIS
IS PROSECUTED AGAIN
BY DETECTIVE MCDEVITT'S TEAM
ON 25 COUNTS OF RAPE
OF SEVEN WOMEN.
I WANTED VERY MUCH FOR
IT TO RESULT IN A CONVICTION.
I WANTED HIM TO BE IN PRISON.
I WANTED TO KNOW THAT
OTHER PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD
THAT HE HAD RAPED THESE WOMEN.
FOR THE SECOND TIME,
MARSALIS PLEADS "NOT GUILTY."
WHILE I WAS UP ON THE STAND,
I HAD TO IDENTIFY
JEFFREY MARSALIS.
I HAD TO LOOK HIM IN THE FACE.
I HAD TO ACCUSE HIM
OF RAPING ME.
I'VE LOOKED INTO
THE EYES OF A MONSTER,
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
ALL RISE.
INCREDIBLY, THE TESTIMONY
OF THESE SEVEN WOMEN
STILL ISN'T ENOUGH
AND MARSALIS IS ACQUITTED
OF RAPE YET AGAIN.
BUT HE IS CONVICTED
OF TWO LESSER CHARGES
OF SEXUAL ASSAULT,
WITH A MINIMUM PRISON TERM
OF JUST 101/2 YEARS.
I FEEL THEY FAILED THE VICTIMS.
THEY... THEY LET US DOWN.
I FEEL THAT THEY HAD PLENTY
OF EVIDENCE TO CONVICT HIM
AND THEY DIDN'T.
CAN ONE WOMAN FINALLY
AVENGE ALL OF MARSALIS'S VICTIMS?
THANK YOU.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
THANK YOU.
VICTIMS, POLICE, AND THE FBI
ARE SHOCKED
WHEN JEFFREY MARSALIS
IS CLEARED OF RAPE CHARGES
FOR THE SECOND TIME.
BUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
ISN'T FINISHED
WITH JEFFREY MARSALIS YET.
HIS PAST IS FINALLY
ABOUT TO CATCH UP WITH HIM.
WHILE HE WAS OUT ON BAIL
AWAITING HIS FIRST TRIAL,
MARSALIS TRAVELED TO IDAHO,
LIED ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND,
AND WAS HIRED
AS A SECURITY GUARD
AT A SUN VALLEY RESORT.
MARSALIS SOON BEFRIENDED
A YOUNG COLLEAGUE.
SO THEY AGREED
THAT THEY WOULD MEET
ON SATURDAY NIGHT
AND GO FOR DRINKS.
THEY ENDED UP
AT WHISKEY JACQUES' BAR.
AND THEY HAD A COUPLE OF BEERS
AND AT SOME POINT
EARLY IN THE EVENING,
HE BOUGHT HER A SHOT.
VERY GOOD,
VERY GOOD.
YOU'RE UP.
WHAT IS THAT?
YOU'RE SUCH A LIGHTWEIGHT.
OH, I DID NOT
LIKE THAT.
THEN YOU'RE NOT GONNA
LIKE THE NEXT THREE.
YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.
NO, I'M NOT.
COME ON,
WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
BUT MARSALIS
UNDERESTIMATED HIS YOUNG COWORKER.
MORNING, SLEEPYHEAD.
WHERE ARE THE SHEETS?
OH, YOU DON'T
WANT TO KNOW.
DUDE, JUST TELL ME
WHERE THE SHEETS ARE.
OKAY.
YOU THREW UP ON THEM.
I DIDN'T THINK YOU WANTED
TO SLEEP IN THEM.
SHE ALSO NOTICED THAT
HER CLOTHES WERE ON DIFFERENT
THAN THE WAY SHE HAD DRESSED
HERSELF EARLIER IN THE EVENING.
SHE HAD ORIGINALLY HAD A
LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT WITH A SORT --
SHORT-SLEEVED SHIRT OVER IT.
AND THAT WAS REVERSED.
MARSALIS TRIED TO
PRETEND EVERYTHING WAS FINE,
BUT HIS DATE KNEW SHE'D HAD SEX
WITHOUT HER CONSENT.
COME HERE.
SHE GOES STRAIGHT
TO THE POLICE.
WE WERE ABLE
TO GET HER TO A HOSPITAL
AND HAVE HER TESTED
IN A TIMELY FASHION,
WHERE WE WERE ABLE
TO GATHER SOME EVIDENCE
THAT COULD BE USED.
THAT WAS INVALUABLE.
DETECTIVE MIKE
CRAWFORD ARRESTS MARSALIS
THE VERY SAME DAY
OF THE COMPLAINT.
HE SEEMED A LITTLE
SHEEPISH AT FIRST,
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON
OR WHY WE WERE THERE.
BUT IMMEDIATELY, ONCE WE STARTED
ASKING SOME QUESTIONS,
HE BECAME KIND OF ARROGANT,
KNOW-IT-ALL.
I HOPE WE CAN GET THIS
CLEARED UP QUICKLY, OFFICER.
IT'S REALLY JUST A BIG --
BIG MISUNDERSTANDING.
OBVIOUSLY, HE FELT THAT
HE WAS SMARTER THAN US
AND WAS GONNA PULL THIS OFF.
THIS IS DETECTIVE CRAWFORD
WITH THE SUN VALLEY POLICE
IN IDAHO.
CRAWFORD PERFORMS
A BACKGROUND CHECK ON MARSALIS.
ON BAIL?
ON BAIL FOR WHAT?
HE LEARNS THAT MARSALIS'S BAIL
IS FOR CHARGES OF RAPE
IN PHILADELPHIA.
OKAY, YES. YEAH, THANK YOU.
WE WANTED TO HELP PHILADELPHIA
IN ANY WAY WE COULD.
AND THEY WERE THE SAME TO US.
THE FBI HELPED US.
SPECIAL-VICTIMS UNIT
IN PHILADELPHIA
WAS JUST INVALUABLE HELP TO US.
YEAH.
IT'S AGREED AMONGST
THE THREE JURISDICTIONS
THAT THE IDAHO TRIAL
WILL BE POSTPONED,
PENDING THE LEGAL PROCESS
IN PHILADELPHIA.
WE RECOGNIZED THE
PREDATOR, THE MONSTER THAT HE WAS.
AND WE WERE NOT GONNA
LET HIM GET AWAY
WE WERE GONNA USE
ALL OF OUR RESOURCES,
WORK TOGETHER AND TO -- TO --
TO PROSECUTE HIM
TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.
20 MONTHS LATER,
WHEN MARSALIS IS ACQUITTED
OF RAPE
AFTER THE LENGTHY SECOND TRIAL
IN PHILADELPHIA,
PROSECUTORS IN IDAHO
FINALLY PRESS AHEAD
WITH THEIR CASE.
NOT ONLY DOES DETECTIVE CRAWFORD
HAVE DNA EVIDENCE
FROM THE RAPE TEST,
HE ALSO HAS A WITNESS.
WE'RE HERE.
COME ON.
HE TRACKED DOWN THE TAXI DRIVER
WHO DROVE MARSALIS
AND THE WOMAN HOME FROM THE BAR.
THERE YOU GO.
THIS ISN'T MY HOUSE.
NO, NO, IT'S YOUR HOUSE.
YOU'RE FINE.
THANK YOU.
THE TAXI DRIVER TESTIFIES
THAT MARSALIS
HAD DRAGGED THE VICTIM
FROM THE CAR AGAINST HER WILL.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
WHAT I HAD BEEN WORKING
SO HARD FOR,
SINCE THE FIRST MEETING WITH
THE DETECTIVE IN PHILADELPHIA.
I WANTED TO SEE
JUSTICE SERVED.
EVEN WITH THE SOLID EVIDENCE,
THE JURY STILL TAKES TWO HOURS
TO REACH A VERDICT.
GUILTY.
IT WAS LIKE THIS RELEASE
CAME THROUGH MY BODY.
AND -- AND I WEPT,
AND I WEPT,
AND I COULDN'T STOP SHAKING.
AFTER THE VERDICT, JOANN BUTTARO
MAKES A VICTIM STATEMENT
BEFORE THE JUDGE
DECIDES THE SENTENCE.
JEFFREY MARSALIS DID SOMETHING
TERRIBLE TO ME.
WHEN I COULDN'T DEFEND MYSELF,
HE VIOLATED ME.
AND THAT CAN NEVER
BE UNDONE, EVER.
I TOLD THE JUDGE
THAT SOMEONE WHO AFFECTED
SOMEONE'S LIFE
SO GREATLY IN SUCH
A NEGATIVE WAY,
IT WAS IMPORTANT
THAT HIS LIFE BE CHANGED
SO GREATLY IN A NEGATIVE WAY.
ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 30TH,
2009, THE JUDGE PRONOUNCES
JEFFREY MARSALIS'S SENTENCE.
I WILL SENTENCE YOU
TO A TERM OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT
IN THE IDAHO STATE PENITENTIARY.
FINALLY,
THE VICTIMS GET JUSTICE.
MY HOPE IS THAT,
EVERY TIME I TELL MY STORY,
I'M HELPING SOMEONE
ELSE OUT THERE
WHO MAY NOT HAVE
THE COURAGE TO LEAVE,
WHO MAY NOT HAVE
THE COURAGE TO --
TO TALK TO POLICE ABOUT
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM.
THE SUPPORT THAT I RECEIVED
HELPED ME HEAL AND SURVIVE.
AND IN TELLING MY STORY,
WHICH I CONTINUE TO DO,
I HOPE TO HELP OTHERS
HEAL AND SURVIVE.