Jack McCoy quotes from Law & Order

McCoy

We'll offer David Sutton a plea to Man-2. 6-12 years.

Cutter

For a first-degree murder?

McCoy

Have you looked at your evidence lately? 6-12, Mike. In an medium security prison. And make the offer tonight.

Cutter

You wanna tell me why we're carrying water for the Feds?

McCoy

It's called banking an IOU, which I can use in the Delacroix bank fraud case, where we'll need the Feds' help. I don't know how to break this to you, Mike, but yours is not the only case on my plate!

Cutter

Trade leniency for a murderer for help for a bank fraud case.

McCoy

A $2 billion bank fraud case, and your murderer still goes to prison. That's the kind of math I have to do in this job.

There's only one person responsible for Spence's death, and that's the owner of the auto parts business. He illegally subdivided his offices.

McCoy

And he's up next after we're done with Toshack.

If you're still in office by then. You actually think you can get elected without the support of the firefighters?

McCoy

I'll pretend I didn't hear that.

I'll pretend you did.

Cutter

Jonah Applebaum is the Boxcar Basher?

McCoy

You just put an insane serial killer back on the street.

Connie

He doesn't know that we know that. We... we can still pick him up.

McCoy

You damn well better. This could be Willie Horton all over again.

Cutter

Willie Horton? You're not worried about the election, are you?

McCoy

I'm worried about everything. About him killing someone else. About the way this office is run. A serial killer in our hands and then released. Am I being too picky?

Cutter

Because of what I did, a sick man is getting medication he needs.

McCoy

But that's not why you did it; you did it for your case.

Cutter

[shrugs] Win-win.

McCoy

Seems like every day we hear about another corrupt civil servant. Corrupt banker, businessman, athlete. Seems that behind every success story of the last ten years, a scandal is exploding. We're facing a rising sea of corruption. And we wonder who will be the next to be drowned? Who will be saved? And what will become of our good works? When will it stop, Donald, and who will stop it?

Gov. Donald Shalvoy

If you expect me to implicate Rita and jeopardize my family...

McCoy

Your family? They're campaign props you used to get elected. They mean as much to you as balloons and bumper stickers. Your whoring proves it!

Gov. Donald Shalvoy

Be careful, Jack. I'll attribute that to the stress of your campaign. I know you're in a dead heat with Joe Chappell. I also know a few things about Joe, maybe could swing them numbers your way.

McCoy

You're trying to buy me off?

Gov. Donald Shalvoy

You're worried about your good works, Jack. How are you going to safeguard them if you're not in the game anymore?

McCoy

[raises a glass before the election] May we live to fight another day.

Connie

Hear, hear.

Cutter

You know, that day, 8 years ago, we could see the towers burn from Adam's window.

McCoy

I remember.

Cutter

Part of me says, "I don't care what you do to these detainees. I don't want to know. Just protect us."

McCoy

The problem is, now we do know.

Cutter

Yeah. I'm not sure that makes a difference.

Cutter

I'll book some time for the grand jury.

McCoy

What for? The woman's insane.

Cutter

Not for her. Did you see the file on worldposse.net?

McCoy

That place on the World Wide Web?

Connie

Actually, they don't call it that anymore.

McCoy

I'm sorry, should I have said "wireless telegraph"?

McCoy

So, the Vela cartel killed Nina Wilshire because she was in a song that extolled the virtues of a rival cartel.

It's called "talking smack with a semiautomatic".

McCoy

Brenda Sawyer was gathering data about your miracle drug until she was killed by a rogue employee. But why am I telling you something you already know?

I don't know what Marshall did or didn't do, but I do know that Lextenda is an effective product.

McCoy

Brenda Sawyer thought otherwise. That you were selling false hope to desperate people at 1,000 bucks a day. Doing it by co-opting doctors with timeshares and tropical vacations, that it's a rigged game.

Don't get self-righteous on me, Jack. If corporations didn't make profits, where would politicians like you be?

McCoy

You're right, and it stinks. There are too many officeholders in the health industry's pockets. It's one of the reasons we can't pass a decent health care bill in this country. And, oh, by the way ... [hands him a check] It's a certified check reimbursing your campaign contribution.

What do you want me to do?

McCoy

Grow a conscience.

Cutter

Woll claims that he and Connie had... a sexual relationship. He did everything but show me the dirty pictures.

McCoy

Did you ask her?

Cutter

No. Even that would be crossing the line. I don’t have sex with people that I work with, and I don’t ask them about their sex lives. We’re supposed to be smarter than that here, aren’t we? I mean, who’d put themselves in a situation like that?

McCoy

You mean besides me?

Cutter

It is worse for a woman, Jack. Sleeping with the teacher, sleeping with the boss, it demeans them and calls into question everything they have accomplished.

McCoy

So, she deserves extra credit for stepping forward, doesn't she? I assume you still find her competent?

Cutter

Of course I do. We're colleagues, we're not lovers... [McCoy looks surprised with this "confession"] ... and that is the way it's supposed to be.

McCoy

[after learning about Principal Woodside's arrest]Grand larceny? What did she steal?

Cutter

Well, how about a decent education for her students? Their integrity, their potential?

McCoy

I don't think there's a law against stealing potential.

McCoy

Looks like you may be facing a lynch mob in the courtroom.

Cutter

Can you blame them? Maybe we should hand this one off to the Feds. The U.S. Attorney would lap this up.

Connie

The U.S. Attorney would execute his own mother to show what a hardass he is.

McCoy

Two guilty pleas. You look like someone ran over your dog.

Cutter

Well, I won, but Nicole Shoemaker lost. She'll grow up with a father and grandfather in prison, under the care of a mom whose selfishness set this whole tragedy in motion.

Connie

That's why I never went into family law. That's where all the heartbreak is.

McCoy

Heartbreak is everywhere in this job. As you both know. Take consolation in getting the right result. It's a good day's work.

Cutter

Yeah, but not a good day.

Cutter

Camille agreed to plead guilty to man 1. 12 years. Andrea took 5 years as an accessory.

Connie

Senator Peterson announced that he is not resigning. He's standing by his wife.

McCoy

Too little, too late.