Casey Novak quotes from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

Of the 4 drugs that work, 3 have to be taken daily. Quiniam is once a week. Easier to make sure soldiers take it.

Novak

When they're not killing themselves.

Novak

[to Dr. Trainer] Do you believe Quinium to be a safe drug?

Miss Novak, what we have not discussed is the fact that malaria is a highly deadly disease. It kills over 2,000,000 people worldwide every year. Every 12 seconds, a child dies from malaria.

Novak

That's very sad, Dr. Trainer. You didn't even attempt to answer my question.

Novak

[to Dr. Trainer] We had a shot at changing things, making them listen, making them stop. I don’t understand why you didn’t come to me, I could have helped you. And when the truth came out, they never could have touched you.

Ms. Novak, you are very young, and that is not the way the world works.

Now, before we begin, let's just make sure that everyone is familiar with the rules of my courtroom. I have a zero-tolerance policy for shenanigans. I appreciate that emotions are running high. But you must control them if you wish to remain. That means no outbursts, and no foul language. Capisce, Mr. Redding?

Yes, your honor.

I understand you wanna change the plea you made at arraignment?

Yeah. I wanna plead guilty.

Please stand.

You may now allocute.

Describe your crime for the court.

Uh,... I shot the 2 Jew kids and the porch monkey.

May you burn in Hell, you racist pig!

[bangs gavel] Order! Madam, sit down, or I'll have you removed! And as for you, Mr. Redding, I'm rejecting your plea offer.

But, your honor, there's a deal in place.

My courtroom, my decision, Mr. Horowitz. And I find this deal reprehensible. [to the ADA] You should be ashamed of yourself for agreeing to it, Miss Novak.

Novak

I apologize.

A blatant hate crime, countless children traumatized, 2 of them maimed, and one precious young life snuffed out.

What the hell were you thinking?

Novak

Cora's mom went to the papers. How's that my fault?

You gave her the bologna, and she made the sandwich! Says so on page 3. You told her to shout her story to the rooftops.

Novak

She's frustrated, and she's voiceless. And the law can't help her.

Which is the reason you have no business involving yourself in this mess.

Novak

We speak for the victims. And you taught me that.

Crime victims. Nobody's committing a crime here.

Novak

Mike Jergens did! So should a rapist who's been her husband for a week get to pull the plug on Cora?

She married him.

Novak

He conned her! He doesn't know what Cora really wants.

And you do?

Novak

Her mother does.

Based on what? Letters? Diaries? A memorable conversation? A living will?

Novak

Based on the mother knowing her child.

That's not enough.

Novak

There's a difference between law and justice.

Casey, I agree. But this is not your fight.

Novak

The baby was more than 24 weeks old, it could have lived outside the womb.

Devere

But tragically it did not, so it is not a person, not a baby, not an unborn child; it is a fetus. My client is already handicapped by the law, let's not add insult to injury.

Novak

The only insult is to the English language.

Novak

How'd it go?

Benson

Great. I love putting 8-year olds in lockup overnight.

Novak

Does witnessing a murder justify a murder?

Benson

It doesn't justify it. But it might explain it.

Devere

He's not testifying, period!

Let him.

Devere

And let him incriminate himself?

Exactly

Devere

Are you crazy?

[to Novak] What do you think?

Novak

A jury's been sworn in on a criminal case, a witness has testified. Do you see where this is heading?

Devere

If you screw us over on this-

Novak

Trust me.

Devere

Your honor, at this time, the defense would move for a mistrial.

Miss Devere, you can't do that. This is a hearing. Not a trial.

Devere

My apologies, Judge Malloy. That motion wasn't made to you. I'm speaking to Judge Donnelly. Nathan Phelps was compelled to incriminate himself in these proceedings. The testimony is admissible in his criminal trial and violates his right against self-incrimination. It's grounds for a mistrial.

Motion granted. The criminal case against Nathan Phelps is dismissed with prejudice.

What?!

Novak

In that event, Judge Malloy, I move to dismiss this proceeding. Now that there is no case against Nathan Phelps, there is no reason to investigate this research.

Your honor, this is a setup, perpetrated by the DA's office.

Mr. Geddes, I'd agree with you, except you're the one who called Mr. Phelps to the stand. This action is dismissed. Court is adjourned.

Killer got a foster family. That's nice.

Novak

You're a jerk, Geddes.

Yeah, and you got a murderer off.

Novak

Nathan Phelps would be serving the sentence I had already negotiated had you not gotten involved. So why don't we put the blame where it really belongs? On your bosses?

How do you plead?

Not guilty.

I'll hear the People on bail.

Novak

Well, a million has a nice ring to it.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Novak

The defendant is a flight risk.

To where? Jersey? She's a U.S. citizen.

Novak

Given the severity of her crimes, and the fact that she killed a baby once before...

My client was never charged with that crime. In fact, there was no crime. That fetus was stillborn.

Mr. Berger!

Your honor, this poor girl lost a child. How dare the People twist that tragic incident to suit their own needs.

Novak

You have got to be kidding.

No! You are. My client doesn't have as much as a parking ticket!

Novak

I'm sure if she did, she'd just throw it in the trash along with her babies.

Oh, all right. That's enough out of both of you. As I believe the defendant is not a threat to anyone but her own offspring, the court is requesting that in exchange for a lower bail amount, she does not get pregnant again before trial.

That's unconstitutional!

I'm not ordering that she be sterilized, Mr. Berger. [to Ella] But if you do become pregnant again, young lady, you will be found in contempt of this court, and bail will be rescinded.

Your honor has no right to legislate procreation.

You think you could manage to comply with that order, Miss Christensen?

I don't know.

Bail is set at 2,000,000, cash or bond. 10-minute recess. [bangs gavel]

I'd prefer shrimp cocktail for an appetizer.

Novak

This is the entree.

[takes a seat next to her; to the waiter] Club soda, lime. [to Novak] That liquid lunch isn't going to change what happened.

Novak

Yeah, but it'll help me forget.

You played the hand you were dealt.

Novak

I had to look Jennifer Durning's parents in the eye and tell them that their daughter would never get justice, because I let Nick Pratt and Doug Waverly get away with murder.

Well, that wasn't your fault. But it will be if you let them get away with another one and don't try to stop it.

Novak

We haven't found Jennifer, so what makes you think Jason's gonna be any different?

Because whoever planted that bug in my office knows what happened to him. And you are going to find that person if you have to interrogate everyone who works in that courthouse. Trial's over, Casey. Put the gloves on for round 2.

Psychiatry is a corrupt instrument of social control. And no offense, Ms. Novak, but you're a lawyer.

Novak

And you're a rock star. So you'll understand if I don't defer to your expertise on the subject.

They strap you down to a special table that flips over. So that you don't choke on your own vomit. Then they inject you with a muscle relaxant. Then they tape electrodes to your forehead and then turn up the juice. When your toes starts twitching, that means you're having a major convulsion, which is what they want. It's what they call "healing".

Novak

Why did they do this procedure?

Because...they said I was psychotic depressive.

Novak

And, in fact, didn't you attempt suicide three weeks prior to your parents committing you?

It was a mistake.

Novak

You took enough pills to cause permanent brain damage.

And the cure for that was for them to pass huge amounts of electric current through my brain. ECT fried my memory. Huge chunks of my childhood gone! It was painful, dehumanizing torture. I'll never know how much damage they did to me.

Novak

That sounds like a terrible ordeal. But tell me, after you got out of the hospital, did you ever attempt suicide again?

No.

Novak

And now you're a rich, successful musician with millions of fans. Isn't it possible that psychiatry didn't ruin your life...it saved it?