Law & Order quotes

You know what you did. You baited the hook with Serenko to chase a headline. Senior Russian official gets convicted of murder and domestic terror. Does that make you and the frat boys in DC feel all warm and fuzzy?

Slow down, detective. You don't know me. But that doesn't change the reality of the situation, which is that we are following orders. You understand that? Orders that are coming from the Attorney General of the United States.

Here's the reality. This case cost the life of my undercover, so tell all this to his mother. His name was Vincent, by the way, in case you forgot.

What about the bombing of the Dunlap Hotel? Did Rublev order you to do that?

Yes.

Did you have a choice in the matter?

Well, yeah. I could say yes and live, or no, and have two Russian assassins put two shiny bullets in the back of my head. So I said yes.

There has to be some way to punish these people so we feel safe.

I wish there was, sweetie, I wish there was. But there isn't. It's impossible. There's no magic wand I can wave or speech I can give. So we do the things we can do, like rescuing the victims and helping them feel safe and whole. It's not always easy or possible, but we try, and we do our best to arrest the criminals and predators so they can't hurt anyone else. But there's still a lot of good in this world, so we need to focus on that. All those simple, priceless moments we seem to overlook. Like right now, you and me having lunch. Or watching the sunset or the view of Manhattan at midnight from the 59th Street Bridge. The world isn't perfect, Lily, but it's still beautiful.

[while chasing a suspect] Look, buddy, you've only got two options here. One, you come with me. Two... [The suspect jumps off the bridge] Why two?

For God's sake, she was only 17! That's the same age as my daughter. Her parents had every right to know what was going on.

Her father ran on an anti-abortion platform.

That's not the point. He's still her dad.

You're starting to sound like you have a problem with the fact that she had an abortion at all. Is it a Catholic thing?

It's a little more complicated than that.

Miss Richards, you obviously have a problem with my client. So why should the jury believe anything you have to say about them?

I don't have a problem with your client. I don't have to. Fortunately, I live in a state where what he thinks about what I do with my body doesn't affect what I can do with my body.

[about Nelson] Are you aware of any history of mental illness?

Is being a mean, nasty son-of-a-bitch a mental illness?

Don't you get it, man? I'm doing you a favor!

Put the gun down!

These people are ruining the country. Our country!

You drop that gun right now, or I swear to God I'll blow your head off!

They're killing innocent Americans, man!

Drop the gun now!

They need to be shipped back to China where they belong!

You're under arrest.

That means you're going to Rikers, where you belong.

The U.S. Attorney wants to take over this prosecution.

What?

I can't say I appreciate their approach, but their interest in the case is understandable.

That doesn't mean...

I agree. The NYPD investigated this case. They put in the sweat. They consoled the victims' families. They took the heat from the press. This happened in our city, New York. Hell, I was there. I saw what this man did. There's no way I'm letting this case go.

I'm on board, but there's a few more people you need to convince.

We'd all like to make sense of what happened, to chalk it up to mental illness, but the truth is, some people are just evil. John Nelson opened fire in that subway because he is a hateful, rage-filled, evil man.

There was a party at the restaurant to celebrate last night.

Were you there?

No. I had to be at my regular gig at the Flying Hatchet.

What's that?

It's a hatchet throwing bar in Williamsburg.

Alcohol and sharp objects - what could go wrong?

You were right. Broken hyoid bone confirms manual strangulation, and most of the stab wounds were post-mortem. No obvious indicia of fluids or other DNA sources.

I stopped listening after you said, "You were right."

Frank, if you've got something to tell me, tell me now.

We got our man, Jalen. That's all you need to know.

[about the victim] He had a lot going for him. Handsome, athletic, the best law school in the country. Who would want to kill a guy like that?

Today? Pretty much anybody.

[about Ezra's use of a homophobic slur] Right now, he's just a guy who used a word he wasn't supposed to.

Which is depressing enough.

Yeah, it's a bad word, no doubt, but...

But what?

No one's above having a bad day. The only difference between you or him or anyone else is that he got caught on camera.