Olivia Benson quotes from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

By the way, I've got a lead on Ivy. I'm picking her up tonight.

Benson

Because you're the only one that can save her?

Unless you've got a better idea.

Benson

What happened to you?

Excuse me?

Benson

You were a judge. You had respect for the legal system. You had compassion for victims.

I still do.

Benson

Not from where I'm sitting, you don't. That you would let a rapist like Sir Toby use you...

He's entitled to a defense. C'mon, I have two sons. You have a son. Can you imagine a scenario - he's at college, some girl makes a false accusation, their lives are over.

Benson

No. No, actually, I can't imagine.

Well, these days, you should. I would rather 10 guilty men go free than one innocent man...

Benson

Your client isn't innocent!

That's for a jury to decide, not you.

Benson

What do you need, Elana? Because whatever Sir Toby is paying you, it's not worth it.

Captain, I know it's late, but I need a word with you and Sergeant Tutuola. Jayvon Brown has filed a lawsuit against NYPD. You've both been named.

Benson

Jayvon Brown had outstanding warrants. He wouldn't answer questions.

Fin

There was a crowd. You know how fast they turn.

Stop! You both sound defensive. These days, that's not a good look.

Benson

Chief, we were by the book.

That's the book that got us here! After George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, this city, this country are on boil. Business as usual will not work.

Benson

Did Garland say anything about me?

Fin

Yeah - watch your back.

Since George Floyd, I have taken statement after statement from two kinds of cops: A ton of swinging gladiators who take one look at me and can barely hide their disdain...

Benson

I'm sorry you had to experience that...

...and the well-intentioned guardian cops who never see themselves as racist, but are in denial about their complicity in the systemic racism within the NYPD. Cops like you, Captain Benson.

Benson

I'm well aware that there's racism in the NYPD.

And what about your own bias?

Benson

I'm not racist.

I'm sure you're not... explicitly. But implicitly? If you grew up in this country, it's in you. And me. I struggle every day with my own biases. For too many people, law enforcement has lost all credibility, and until every one of us takes a serious self-inventory, we can't begin to get it back.

Are they still gonna drop the ball?

Benson

Yes, of course.

[about the guardrails] If no one's gonna be here, then why are they putting those up?

Benson

Oh, just to close it off. [pause] Hey, Noah, we're gonna watch it on TV, just like any other New Year's.

No, it's not. I just want this year to be over.

Benson

Everyone does.

I have no intention of disrespecting Carisi, but... Mickey deserves a defense. Isn't that why you came to me?

Benson

I wanted you to cut him a deal! Listen, as the Chief said, we cannot send a message that it's okay to take the law into your own hands.

Well, that's Carisi's case to make. Luckily, I don't work for the D.A. I don't need to worry about messages. I just need to make 12 New Yorkers like my client... and me.

Benson

Barba, he's guilty!

[smiles] Is he? Depends on the jury.

The whole point of camming is that the woman controls the narrative. No physical contact, no STDs, no violence. It's supposed to be empowering.

Benson

But it doesn't make it safe.

When you say that, it sounds like you're victim blaming.

Benson

Kat, it's not victim blaming. It's just...

Fin

Listen, from what Captain and I have seen, sex work is far more dangerous than people wanna believe.

Sonny

So, your friend Rita, huh? I think she grew another dorsal fin during quarantine.

Benson

Oh, it was always there. I think that she just had it sharpened.

You people in Manhattan really live in a bubble, don't you? The world has changed. You have no idea what you're dealing with. You keep this up, I'll see to it you're disbarred. You get lucky, maybe the NYPD will take you back. You can do traffic stops on Staten Island.

Alright, we're done here...

Something they can't teach you at Fordham? How to belong. People on the eighth floor who nod at you in the elevator, they can smell the flop sweat and the garlic coming off your cheap suit.

Sonny

Keep goin', judge.

What do you wanna hear, you dumb dago? You wanna go?

Sonny

I'll take you out right here!

Benson

THAT'S ENOUGH! Let's go, Carisi.

No need. You're in so far over your head, you don't realize your career's dead and buried.

How long till he's out on appeal?

I don't care. It was worth it to see the blood drain out of his face.

Benson

He just got a taste of his own medicine.

Benson

Rita, what the hell were you thinking defending him?

Read the room, Olivia. The way the courts are packed, Gallagher's side, these guys, and women. The next thirty years, every appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. The fix is in.

Benson

That's why we keep fighting.

Not if they won't let you in the ring. Olivia, you keep staying on the wrong side of this, you're gonna be marginalized for the rest of your career. My advice? Lie back and pretend you're enjoying it.

Benson

You're new to SVU. We like to coordinate.

Look, Deputy Chief Garland was very clear what my job was. To build up trust in the Bronx. We bring Manhattan in, there goes morale.

Benson

There's a rapist out there. Shouldn't that be our priority?

Fin

One more time. The night Muldovan shot at Gonzales...

You're asking... yeah, he could have been trying to kill him.

Benson

So this changes the trajectory of our investigation.

Benson

Kathy? Kathy!

Stabler

Liv.

Benson

[stunned] Elliot.

Stabler

They tried to kill her... They tried to kill Kathy.