Law & Order quotes

[after Verick is found murdered] How many people did this guy screw over at his company?

300. Throw in the family and friends of Oscar Salazar, that's a lot of suspects.

And a lot of justice.

Forgiveness is a Christian ideal.

McCoy

And if you don't believe in Christ, well, then you'll just have to serve your time?

McCoy

I don't care if he comes to court with a hair shirt and a scourge. Murder is murder.

McCoy

Is Ms. Weiss serious? If you really, really, really turn to God, you can murder someone and walk away with a clean slate? That doesn't put Mr. Elwin in line with any higher moral authority I'm aware of. It places him above the law. We can all acknowledge the existence of a higher moral authority. We see it in action when our collective conscience compels us to reject unjust or immoral laws. But while our actions may be guided by our faith, we deliberately don't conduct them under the guise of religion. Our founders left "God" out of the Constitution, not for lack of faith among them, but because of what they knew about the toxic combination of state and religious power. So, if Mr. Elwin regards his prosecution for a hate murder as unjust or immoral, let him present his arguments without the cloak of religion. To that, the People say the defendant's virtuous conduct after Justin Lennard's murder should be a factor in his sentencing. But to dismiss this case outright would be a miscarriage of justice that contradicts more than 200 years of American jurisprudence. If you kill someone, Mr. Elwin, you have to answer to the State first. And to Justin Lennard, and his family. And then, hopefully, someday, to your Maker.

[after Elwin agrees to plead guilty] I'm just curious, Jack. What were you going to offer?

McCoy

I was considering going as low as Man One, praise the Lord.

[Interrogating a suspect] It's called "motive". M-O-T-I-V-E. Motive.

Lt. Van Buren

[about the defendant in the train crash case] Look, I hope you're charging him with twelve counts of murder, 1,250 counts of attempted murder, and whatever else you can throw at him. I was at the scene, counselor! And if this case doesn't help bring back the death penalty in New York State, I don't know what will.

Millions spent on prisons and almost nothing for health insurance...

McCoy

I don't make social policy.

No. You just have to clean up after those who do.

I didn't do nothin'!

Green

You run pretty fast for someone who didn't do nothin'!

Mr. Jacobs, this negotiated arrangement with the People is something I find contrary to the interests of justice. A child taken by you against her will, returned by you to her lawful custodian in exchange for your freedom is an agreement against public policy. Therefore, I find that mandating enforcement of an agreement reached under these circumstances would be a perversion, not a fulfillment, of jurisprudence. I will not honor it. Your sentence is my discretion, Mr. Jacobs. I'm imposing the maximum time allowed by law.

Your Honor, my client withdraws his guilty plea.

That's certainly his right. He wants a trial, we'll conference tomorrow afternoon to set a date.

What are you talkin' about? We had a deal! You can't do this.

You had no deal with me, Mr. Jacobs.

McCoy

If you want to fire me, Arthur, go ahead. I'm not going to apologize for what I did.

Well then, you just don't get it, Jack. You know, you're a great prosecutor, but you'll never be a district attorney.

Real piece of work. That's Lorraine Dillon. The blonde is April Troost, her daughter. 25, IQ off the charts, but good luck trying to find a heartbeat.

You had 'em on racketeering?

And they walked. Not this time.

You realize this is a long shot?

Sullivan died trying to call me. You were right. This was personal.

[points at Lorraine's black eye] What happened to your face?

Would you believe it? A sailing accident.

No, I wouldn't.

Too bad. It's the truth.

From what I know, you wouldn't know the truth if it handed you a business card.

You're on a medication cocktail?

I shared a needle with a friend. Now he's dead, and my white-cell count is in the toilet. My life went from April to crap.

McCoy

If I were you, Mr. Dolan, I'd hate the police too. The press, the D.A.'s office, me ... But I'd hate the person who killed my daughter more.