Casey Novak quotes from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Novak

[of the defendants] They're monsters. They're mean, vicious little girls who think that they can do whatever they want, and up until now they've gotten away with it. But not anymore.

Novak

[her closing argument] Did Garrett and Louise get the idea from a game? Yes. We get ideas all the time. From books, from TV, from friends, from life, from everywhere. We don't act on them. We know that the idea doesn't justify the deed. Don't let Mr. Gates blind you to the facts. Real people ran over a real person, and then they beat her to death. Melody Quinn felt real pain. She bled real blood. And she died a horrible and lonely death. It was not a game. Now, did Melody's killers know what they were doing? Well, their taunting of Larry Tauber, the one member of their trio with the humanity to feel regret, proves that they did! Garrett Perle said it himself. It was a joke! Well, you know what? Murder is no joke! So don't let them use a game as an excuse for their cruel and callous actions.

Novak

I waited tables in law school and served my classmates. It sucked, but it didn’t make me kill anyone.

Novak

You are thinking like a victim, 'Liv. If you were thinking like a cop, you'd realize that it's not that simple.

Novak

The Patriot Act. This convoluted piece of legislature isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Novak

I wanted straight homicide. No living victims, all the glory.

Benson

Lesson #1: Nobody is prepared to handle the children.

Novak

Got a minute?

When you save a young girl's life, you get 2. Have a seat.

Novak

I can't do this.

Sure you can. Just bend your knees and let gravity take over.

What the hell is this?

Stabler

Randall Haber, you're now under arrest for the murders of Lester Hale and Martha Davis.

Murder? Martha Davis committed suicide.

Stabler

We exhumed her body. She died of severe heat stroke.

Because you told them not to turn on her air-conditioning.

A jury's gonna believe him? He murdered that grocer in cold blood.

Stabler

Which only happened because you withheld his medication and kicked him out on the street. That makes you responsible for Lester Hale's death.

Okay. One count of Man-2 with a sentencing recommendation.

Are you crazy?! I'm not makin' a deal.

Why did you tell the aide to cut Martha's wrists? I heard you.

He doesn't know what he heard. He's a mental patient!

Novak

He's back on his medication. He's perfectly lucid, and he's our star witness. 2 counts, Man-1, concurrent. He does his 15.

15 years?

Novak

That, or a jury can sentence to to 25 to life. [opens the door] It's your choice.

Deal.

It's so weird, you know. I've been sitting here for a while, and everybody who walks by, I wonder: Does he know? Does she? James used to always talk about how happy he was that he was gay. He said guys are so much more fun.

Novak

Yeah, I agree with James.

Everything's different now, you know. No matter what I do, nothing will be like it was before.

Novak

Ian, I had my job to do, and I made you deal with something you weren't ready for. I'm sorry.

Yeah. I'm not.

Casey.

Novak

Who talked to a reporter about this burned woman?

And it's nice to see you, too.

Novak

You have 2 choices: cooperate, and spend the rest of your life in prison; or don't, and die by lethal injection.

Am I supposed to be intimidated? New York State hasn't executed anyone in 40 years.

Novak

You're right. But, given your crime, a jury will be willing to break tradition. So, go ahead, gamble. It's your life.

Novak

Bringing up Adam with paranoid fears isn't against the law. I mean, you can raise your kid to be a racist so long as it doesn't cause harm.

Stabler

Well, there's your difference, right there. This is like vehicular homicide: Adam is the car, Marilyn's behind that wheel. Her paranoia drove his actions.

Novak

Let's talk about the Tripley scam.

Well, that was April's lie. And I believed it.

Novak

We have the scrapbook.

Well, it's not as though he's an innocent victim, is it? He's a pedophile. He deserved it!

Novak

I'd just as soon clear this one off the books, so fill in the blanks and I won't charge you with the fraud counts related to it.

It sounds like you know everything already.

Novak

Crime lab found a hair in April's underwear.

During the party, I snuck into his room, and I took it from his hairbrush. When they asked me for the clothes she'd been wearing, I'd already planted it.

Novak

Do you have any idea how much damage you've caused?

But you agree with me! He deserved it!

Novak

He deserves to go to jail! Thanks to you, he can claim he's the victim of a false allegation every time a legitimate one comes up in the future!

Sorry.

Novak

I don't believe you. But you'll have a good long time to pay for it in prison.

We just made a deal.

Novak

I'm not charging her with fraud on Tripley. I'm charging her with fraud on the cancer scam.

Münchausen.

Novak

Bull! She's been working this for a year. Totaling all the bake sales, canister donations, and Internet solicitations, she's bilked people out of 60 grand!

What are you offering?

Novak

Not a thing. I'm taking you to trial.

Please! Please! Think of April! There is no one else to look after her!

Novak

You've gotta be kidding me! What you were doing nearly killed her! I'm charging you with fraud and attempted murder.

But you heard what she said! I'm sick!

Novak

No jury's that stupid. They'll see it wasn't Münchausen. Just pure unadulterated greed.

[opens his door to find Novak standing outside] What the hell do you want?

Novak

I'm so sorry to bother you at home, Judge Terhune, but it's urgent.

Well, I'm in the middle of something pretty important myself.

[from inside] Joe! Are you foldin' this hand?

No! [to Novak] Look. C'mon. C'mon. C'mon in. C'mon.

Novak

I just need your Honor's signature.

You just hit the jackpot, dearie.

[sits down at the table] I'm in. I believe you all know ADA Novak.

Novak

Judge Ridenour, Judge Petrovsky, Judge Wyler, Judge Bradley. I've had this nightmare before, only I was naked.

How charming.

Novak

Why did you tell the defendant to seek psychiatric help so this tragedy doesn't occur again?

She was upset.

Novak

Because it sounds like you think she really did poison her daughter.

It was a mistake! Is that what you want me to say, Miss Novak?! One mistake in almost 3 decades on the bench?!

Novak

Didn't you make another arguably bigger mistake when you wrongfully convicted Rosalin Silvo of murdering her daughter and sent her to prison for 10 years?!!

That's a totally separate issue, and completely immaterial to this case!

Novak

You can't object, Judge Taft.

But I can, Miss Novak. Get back to the case at hand.

Novak

Did you tell Karen Campbell to suffocate her daughter?

Absolutely not.

Novak

But you talked to her even though it was clearly improper.

It was a mistake!

Novak

You don't make mistakes, though. You make judgments! Who's innocent, who's guilty! You saw Rosalin Silvo, and she was a whore. That means she's a bad mother. And then you saw Karen Campbell. Why did you talk to her, judge?!

[to Judge Bradley] Your Honor!

Novak

Why talk to Karen Campbell?! Why talk to a woman that tried to murder her daughter?!

I didn't know!

Novak

Didn't know what?! That she'd turn around and try to do it again?!

I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOOD PEOPLE!!

[bangs gavel] That's enough! Miss Novak, try that again, and you're in contempt. [to Judge Taft] Sir, you will be, as well, if you don't sit down. Now.