Law & Order: Special Victims Unit quotes

I want to do the right thing.

Benson

I appreciate that, Austin, I do. But it isn't up to you, or Kelsey, or me. It's up to the DA now.

I went to my first meeting today. I want to get sober.

Benson

You know, we all have choices to make. And the kind of change you're talking about, real change, Austin, is not so much about what you put in the glass, but emotional maturity. Now, I'm guessing you didn't have the greatest role models growing up. My advice to you is, whatever you were taught about being a man, do the opposite.

Opposites attract. Dysfunction attracts harder.

Everybody’s got monsters in their closet. The question is What do you want to do about it?

I want to evict the little bastard.

Look, I'm not a stylist. Why am I even here?

I told you, my brother's got a date.

Yeah, well, for all you know, I could've been on one, too.

Oh, yeah? With which hand?

Justice can be blind, but she's not entirely heartless. And you'll see how heartless I can be if this conversation comes back to haunt me.

Fin

Pay attention, Muncy. You're about to learn the difference between a bad lawyer and a good lawyer. You see, a bad lawyer can drag a case out for months. A good lawyer knows how to drag it out even longer.

The Duchess County DA wants an update on the case. I mean, certainly, Elias is guilty of a lot. Attempted murder, abduction, confinement... but patricide?

Fin

What are we, in ancient Greece?

Fin

[to Muncy] You ever heard of "The Policeman's Prayer"? Lord, get out of this one and I'll never do it again.

Benson

Paul Greco, you're under arrest for the rape of Daniela Cruz.

I have no idea who that is.

Benson

She knows you.

I am not the monster you think I am. I've devoted my entire career to saving lives, not destroying them.

Benson

You know, men like you become so good at lying they even start to believe the ones they tell themselves.

What does Greco have on you, Frank? Whatever it is, it's not on you. You know what he did to the other guys.

He's got pictures of me and him and a couple of the other guys doing... stuff. He sent them to me and he said if I didn't do what he said, he was gonna show them to everyone, my family, my girlfriend. He's right, what he said in there. He's the boss. He's got all the power.

So take it back.

The ocean is a wilderness. And men like me are the breakwater, the only single barrier, between a fun day at the beach, and some out-of-shape stupid person becoming a part of the food chain. And rarely, rarely do those life-or-death moments come down to a matter of seconds. Most of the time, it's IQ points and common sense.

That coward Pinsky is lying.

When I put him on the stand, the jury will have to decide.

Hold up. Let's slow this down.

[to Braun] What am I paying you for?

[to Greco] To tell you when to shut up and accept you've lost.

Where's all that common sense you were bragging about having, huh?

I just work here. I'm not actually into this stuff.

Fin

I get it. My fetish is green and colored, too.

Benson

[to Lena] You know, if we find out that you were involved in this assault, either overtly or implied, I'm coming back with a gift.

What's that?

Benson

A pair of bracelets.