Stone quotes from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

A war you can't win is the only one worth fighting.

Men are strong. They're the hunters. They're the fighters. The spear throwers, the sword swingers, the gunslingers. They sit in bars and toss back shots while they regale other men with stories of their sexual conquests. That's what makes them masculine - that's what makes them men. You get in a fistfight? That's okay - it'll make you a man. You grab a little ass? Hey, that's what men do. But what if you cry or show empathy or, God forbid, you can't shoot a little rabbit? Well, I'm sorry, but you just don't deserve to be my son. The problem is, Sam is John's son. The problem is, Sam just wanted to make John proud. The problem is, John wasn't preaching strength. He was preaching power over others, and that's not being a man - it's being a criminal.

My sister was murdered by the people I was prosecuting. I have to wake up every morning and convince myself that it wasn't my fault. The only way I can do that is if I believe I can stop it from happening to somebody else.

It must have been tough growing up with "Saint Ben".

A great man is not necessarily a good one.

Did you know he had everyone over to his house the first time you pitched? I thought his heart stopped when that bastard ruined your no-hitter. I think he secretly became a Cubs fan.

[chuckles] That's treason.

That's what I told him.

Look, what you do working full-time as a lieutenant and being a single mother that must take more energy than I can imagine. And you... what I mean is, you make it look effortless.

Benson

Okay, you don't have to flatter me.

I'm just telling you how I see it.

Benson

Okay. Carisi's niece is telling the truth. Uh, she may have been unclear the first time, but the second time, I believe her.

I do too, but she's still an imperfect witness.

Benson

Welcome to Sex Crimes. Look, Stone, there are no perfect witnesses. They leave out part of the story. They can't remember. They feel guilty, change their minds. They blame themselves. They think it's their fault, but that's why we're here. To fight for them. And the less perfect they are, the harder we fight. Look, nobody asks a robbery or a homicide victim if she wanted it. Nobody says, Hey, why was she walking down the dark alley? Why was she wearing the dark skirt? Nobody implies that the crime was somehow her fault.

I'm just used to having more evidence before I go to trial.

Benson

You have the victim's word. We go to trial so the victim, the survivor can look her rapist in the eye and tell the world, her truth. We go to trial so she can be heard. The truth, that's what heals. If you're going to trial because because you want to win, you're in the wrong place.

We've all got family secrets, Detective. The important thing is, you spoke up when it counted.

Sonny

You know, you're not such a bad guy for a lawyer.

I do my best.

These are medical consent forms, all of them forged by Dr. Franchella. There's 31 of them.

She's done this before?

Yes, and we're considering filing forgery charges against her on behalf of the other families.

What's there to consider? She ripped open my daughter's chest and ripped out her still-beating heart.

She never even gave us a choice.

And she clearly violated the law. But there's an ethical question as whether her actions may have saved other children.

Don't! You think this is ethical? She stole my child's body parts! What gives her the right? A medical degree?

She had no right to do that to us!

You bring your kid to the hospital, and you expect them to take care of her. You trust them with your precious baby, and they give her to a vulture.

When I first came to New York, I spent all my time at the hospital with my father. And every afternoon, I'd go down to the cafeteria, grab a cup of coffee. My father died while I was asking one of the servers down there for some half-and-half.

Benson

That must've been hard.

It would've been a lot harder if the doctor had harvested his organs before I got back to his room.

Benson

You should've seen the look in the parents' eyes when I told them.

You did the right thing, Olivia.

Benson

And if that little boy in Buffalo dies because I did the right thing?

Things are never easy when they're not black and white.

So you're saying you were once a woman?

No. I was always a man.

But your birth certificate says "female". Am I right?

Objection. Relevance.

I'm just trying to establish that Sergeant Preston has been less than honest.

Your Honor?

My point is how can we trust a single word this witness says because he's been lying to the Army for years!

Actually, it's in my medical forms, sir.

Yeah, but your friends, your foxhole buddies, they don't know the real you, do they?

I am the real me. My gender identity isn't relevant to what I do. Just as whatever's in your pants isn't relevant to what you do.

Any luck connecting Nick Hunter to the accident?

Benson

At the time of the collision, uh, Nick Hunter was at a cafe on the Upper West Side with a co-worker.

His next mistress.

Benson

Yeah. It's all on the restaurant video, so we're checking phone records, e-mails, financials, but I'm not hopeful. This guy might actually get away with it.

And receive a lovely parting gift of $50 million. Well, the good news, the civil courts aren't what you'd call quick, and the city's attorneys know how to delay. Still sucks. I know.

Benson

Every second that this guy's not in prison...

Yeah, well, tomorrow, you and I will get up, brush our teeth, comb our hair, and go after another bad guy.

Benson

Makes you want to oversleep.

Benson

These women, nobody has any need for them anymore. Their... their "sell by" dates have expired. All right, we can't just... leave them out on the curb for Wednesday pickup. So what do we do? We shove them into hospitals, we shove them in facilities, and give them old records and coloring books.

Show them the flowers.

Benson

The least that we can do is keep predators out of their beds.

Stop. You win. Let's just hope we get a judge who loves his mother.

Benson

Lourdes was raped. Her entire being - her past, her present and, most importantly, her future - negated.

That doesn't entitle her to seek revenge.

Benson

But it does entitle her to reclaim what was once hers. And if revenge is part of that, then... then so be it.

You don't believe that.

Benson

I do believe the wrong person is on trial.

Nice bar. You know, where I'm from, we only have two types of vodka: cheap and cheaper. I'm here for a funeral. My brother.

I'm sorry.

I loved Jorge. As much as you love your sister, I'm sure. Pamela, if I'm not mistaken.

[wary] You do realize I'm an Assistant District Attorney?

That's why we're talking, Mr. Stone. [he downs his drink and grimaces] Mm. And that's why you're gonna drop this case. Lourdes will get deported, and then... our justice system will take over.

Benson

You were trying to save his life.

I didn't have to cross-examine him.

Benson

Yes, you did. His father raped him, for God's sake.

And I raped him all over again on the witness stand.

The last time I put Sam on the witness stand...

Benson

This isn't the time, Peter. Kids are dead. Two sets of parents are mourning the loss of their child.

Sam is already locked up.

Benson

We already lost Sam. This is about the next Sam Conway.