Michael Cutter quotes from Law & Order

Cutter

You having fun?

Connie

I am gonna kill you and then I’m gonna kill McCoy.

Cutter

On camera?

Connie

I don’t…I don’t care! I’d be better off in prison! Where are you?

Cutter

Uh, I’m in the courthouse. [watches her across the street] You almost here?

Connie

Yeah. Uh-huh. [angry] Except first I have to tell my friend the CAMERA what’s going on!

Cutter

What are you gonna say?

Connie

[exasperated sigh] Don’t worry, just the party line.

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"?

[while being cross-examined by Cutter about Carrie Sands] I never told her to kill anybody.

Cutter

The woman was dangerously out of control. What did you expect? What did you reasonably expect?

Connie

Tell the judge we need more time. We can reach him.

Cutter

He's already been reached.

[eyes Connie as she leaves] You, too, Mike?

Cutter

Me, what?

Come on, she is still hot as hell.

Cutter

What are you talking about?

Just do it. I did.

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.

Cutter

We can't kick Gans, but we still can't charge him.

Lt. Van Buren

Well, pardon my detectives for doing their job. And by the way, we already have two murder suspects. Good ones.

Cutter

Not good enough.

Lt. Van Buren

Exactly what do you want from us?

Cutter

Clarity.

Lt. Van Buren

Clarity. Mr. Cutter, exactly how long have you been an ADA? Since when do you get evidentiary clarity in a murder case handed to you on a silver platter? [opens her office door and gestures for him to leave] I think we're done here for today.

What kind of blackmailer asks for payment by check?

Cutter

A dumb one.

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.

Connie

Everyone in this room knows he won't get less than 25 to life after a conviction for a hate crime.

You know what? I'm sick of this hate crime crap! It's not like he was a black guy. [to Connie] Or a spic!

Cutter

Our offer just went up to 25.

Mike...

Cutter

Go to trial if you don't like it.

How about our motion for dismissal? How about your law license?

Cutter

You can have my license! It'll free me up to testify about the hate speech your client spewed in here. And after he's convicted of murder in state court, I'll walk across to the U.S. Attorney's office and have your client prosecuted for violating the Matthew Shepard Act. Hate murder against gays is a federal offense now. Are you ready to do back-to-back life sentences, Mr. Stuber? You will die in jail!

[whispers to Ryan] Is that true?

Uh, he'll take the 20 years you originally offered.

Cutter

It's 25 or nothing. Now or never, Mr. Stuber.

Is this Fed thing for real?

Yes, I'm afraid so.

I'll take the 25. That guy's nuts, you know that?

[looking sadly at Cutter] Yeah, I do.

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.

Connie

They'd rather let a murderer go free than give their wives a fair share of their assets.

Cutter

Yeah. Makes me appreciate being single.