Olivia Benson quotes from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

I was taking pictures on the bridge, when they surrounded me.

Sonny

Avery, can you describe them?

Black. My age. They were giving me the look.

Sonny

What look is that?

Benson

What were they saying?

Tranny. He-she, my personal fave. I told them to leave me alone. One grabbed my skirt, another my camera. I was pushed, and I tripped on my heels.

Benson

Avery, can you remember anything else about the boys? Anything they said or they did?

It was all a blur of shoving. People laughing, taking video.

This isn't the first time. And the local precinct never follows up.

Benson

We will. We take this very seriously. I give you my word, Mr. Parker.

I have to convene a grand jury. The DA says it's my last chance to work my way back into the good graces of City Hall.

Benson

So they're hanging you out to dry.

Politicians want an indictment, DA wants an indictment. If I fail to get it, it's on me.

Benson

So you'll push for one, even though those officers were just doing their jobs?

Their jobs? They fired at an unarmed college student 35 times.

Benson

We were in hot pursuit of a dangerous rapist. Terrence matched the BOLO down to his jersey, he ran...

A black man in a basketball jersey runs when he gets stopped by the police? You're right, he deserves the death penalty.

Benson

That's not what I'm saying.

It's not?

The grand jury starts tomorrow. My advice: Make sure your guys, and your guys especially, tell the truth in their own words. If they sound coached or too legalistic...

They'll do fine. It's a tragedy...

Benson

... but it was a good shoot.

Tom Wolfe was right - sooner or later, all cops become Irish.

Fin

Well, Dodds, do you still think this was a waste of time?

No, I get it, it's just that I thought SVU would be taking rapists off the street, not out of churches.

Benson

For what it's worth, Dodds, most rapists don't hunt on the street. They hunt where they're trusted.

Benson

[about Gary] He lawyer up yet?

Fin

Not yet, but we don't need his statement.

Sonny

We know it's him. We got the DNA, Lily's blood, fibers from the moving blankets, ratchet straps in the van...

Yeah, but we don't know why.

Fin

There's never a good answer to that question.

Benson

Paperwork can wait.

Yeah. Lily's parents... they're never gonna get over this, are they?

Benson

Losing a child? No.

You have a kid. That's gotta make this job harder.

Benson

Yeah, it does. You know, Dodds, I'm gonna tell you something that I wish somebody had told me after my first tough case. Go home, talk to somebody you love, and don't make this job your whole life.

[to Benson] Lewis Hodda may walk if Hassler can make it look like your emotions are getting in the way of your police work, which is what they're doing right now. I need you to sit your ass down and work with me.

Benson

Fine. Start working.

Do you usually encourage your suspects to get a lawyer?

This is on us. We pushed this kid to testify.

That's not what he did.

Benson

He was trying to get a confession. He was molested by the man that he killed.

He planned this. He tortured that man, he left him to die, and was glad to hear that he bled out in pain. It was premeditated.

You're gonna charge him with 1st degree murder? That's 25 years!

His lawyer can plead for leniency at sentencing.

Benson

His life will be over!

Lieutenant, his life was over at 15.

They made Chris look like Harry Potter.

Benson

We've seen this before. The nerd defense.

[to Abby] Do you understand that you're ruining my son's life?

Benson

Hey, you need to stop talking.

A woman cop like you, you always take the girl's side, don't you?

Benson

That's not what's happening here.

Yeah, well, I've seen it. The sweet little girl becomes the victim and then the boy is made out to be a brute. And do you why that is? Because teenage girls are better liars!

[about Doug] I'm not even sure that putting this guy on the stand is a great idea.

Sonny

What, you got a better one?

He's worse than all the others, and that's no easy task.

Benson

Barba...

Benson

At least they admitted that they were there.

Sonny

Okay, look, we're here now. He was there that night. He's the only person close enough to see their faces, to see what they did to her.

And the jury believes him because...?

Sonny

Because I went over his story, backwards and forwards, alright? He never varied. He had a spot-on description of each suspect. Now, maybe he's a coward, yeah. But he's credible.

So, good memory, no morality. Fantastic.

Benson

An attaboy from Hank Abraham?

Cue the apocalypse.

Does this ever stop getting worse?

Benson

No. Not until your husband accepts where he is.

All I know is that when I was there, it was totally consensual.

The video shows Noel stayed a few minutes after you left.

I'm sure that whatever he did, she wanted him to do.

Benson

Okay, so, how can you be sure? What did she say, exactly, when Noel walked in?

Her exact words?

Benson

Yes.

I don't know. Her head was in my lap.

Monsignor Mulregan's visit was not a social call. He has made some very serious allegations.

Benson

Yeah. Against Father Eugene.

No. Against Tucker.

Benson

Allegations against Tucker? What did the monsignor say, exactly?

He said that he and Father Eugene went to Tucker a year ago. That they had information that Vice was running some of their students. Father Eugene even violated the seal of the confessional to provide evidence.

Benson

He claims that?

They also named Russo and Jefferson. And Tucker buried it.

Benson

And he's telling you this now? This is about protecting Father Eugene. I was there, at that church, when Tucker confronted him. I thought he was gonna rip his head off.

I don't know. I don't know. I mean, maybe... maybe... maybe that's what he wanted you to think.

Benson

No, Ed is not capable of that.

Since when? I thought SVU hated this guy. He's gone after each and every one of you.

Benson

That's his job. He has to be relentless. You're wrong about him. Trust me.

Wait... are you involved with him?

Benson

Don't ask me that.

When were you gonna tell me? I am informing you that a captain at IAB may be involved in a sex trafficking ring, and you don't mention that the two of you are sleeping together?

Benson

You're wrong about him. Bring him in here, ask him yourself.

You and I are done talking.