| "Execution" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 3.15 | → |
| Production number: E2325 First aired: 1 February 2002 | ||
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| Written By Judith McCreary Directed By Alex Zakrzewski | ||
Stabler and Huang try to get some information from the soon-to-be-executed human mutilator Matthew Linwood Brodus, a brutal and sadistic psychopath.
Summary[]
In hopes of providing another victim's family with closure, Detective Stabler races to prove serial killer Matthew Brodus, who is to be executed in 72 hours, was also responsible for another murder.
Plot[]
Two hours before the scheduled execution of killer Matthew Linwood Brodus, Huang and Stabler are questioning Brodus, when he becomes violent.
Flash back to 72 hours before the scheduled execution. Stabler is approached by the parents of 16-year-old Debbie Cooper, who was raped and murdered 10 years ago. Stabler and his former partner, Detective Rosetti, worked the case, but it was never solved. Stabler believes that the reason why Rosetti killed himself is because he was so consumed by the case, and couldn't solve it.
Debbie's parents, Allen and Hannah Cooper, think it was Brodus who killed Debbie. Debbie was a student at a private school, and Brodus had mentioned the school in a press conference. The Coopers feel that Brodus is mocking them, and they want Stabler to prove that he's the killer before he takes the secret to his grave.
Brodus is on death row in New Jersey. Trying to get New Jersey to cooperate and let them question Brodus is another story. Huang enlists the FBI for help, and they question former cellmates of Brodus, but that doesn't get them very far. In the meantime, the Cooper case is re-opened, and there is enough circumstantial evidence to possibly tie Brodus to the murder.
Cabot talks to Wade Harris, Brodus's lead counsel, with the pitch that reopening the case would buy Brodus up to 18 more months of time. But they don't have much luck when making the case before the Superior Court in New Jersey. However, the D.A. in that part of New Jersey does agree to allow Stabler and Huang to interview Brodus.
Now with four hours to go until his execution, Stabler and Huang wait patiently for Brodus to arrive. When he does, Stabler follows Huang's instructions and asks that his restraints be removed. The interview becomes tense as Stabler and Huang push to get Brodus to confess to Debbie's murder.
After confessing, Brodus attacks Stabler and Huang. The guards finally arrive and beat Brodus unconscious while Stabler yells to the guards that it's exactly what Brodus wants -- now Brodus is on life support with head injuries, which means his execution will have to be postponed, exactly as Brodus had planned. The state can't put to death anyone who is unhealthy.
Huang has a concussion, but he'll be okay, and Stabler is a little banged up. Stabler and Huang got the information they needed from Brodus to at least give closure to Debbie's parents, but, for now, the parents of his other victims won't get the closure they've been waiting for.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Christopher Meloni as Detective Elliot Stabler
- Mariska Hargitay as Detective Olivia Benson
- Richard Belzer as Detective John Munch
- Stephanie March as A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast[]
- Daniel Sunjata as CSU Technician Burt Trevor
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang
Guest cast[]
- Nick Chinlund as Matthew Linwood Brodus
- Ty Burrell as Alan Messinger
- William Hill as Allen Cooper
- Timothy Wheeler as Robert Rule
- Jerome Preston Bates as Mr. Henderson
- Anthony Chisholm as Leroy Russell
- Madison Arnold as Plumbing Company Boss
- Laura Hughes as Hannah Cooper
- Glynis Bell as Judge Whitemore
- Martin Kildare as Wade Harris
- Saidah Arrika Ekulona as Detective Yorkin
- James Hindman as Principal Reichart
- John Roney as Death Row Guard
- Ellen Horst as Woman
- Rebecca Spencer as Plumbing Company Bookkeeper
- Heather MacRae as Andrea Mason
- Adam Mucci as Detective Janowicz
- James Flaherty as Man
References[]
- Territorial jurisdiction
- Henry Lee Lucas
- Jeffrey Dahmer
- Ted Bundy
- Elizabeth Shachtman
- Debbie Cooper (victim)
- Vivian Parish
- Judaism
- Christianity
- Islam
- Ottis Toole
- Murder of Adam Walsh
- John Walsh
- Atkins v. Virginia
Quotes[]
- Matthew Linwood Brodus: Relax, chief. The guards are changing shifts.
- Dr. Huang: Elliot, get up from the table!
- Cabot: What if he confesses? Is that such a bad thing?
- Alan Messinger: What is to stop him from confessing to murders in other states and whipping law enforcement into a jurisdictional frenzy? What then?
- Cabot: Then you deal with it. If he murdered other victims and he takes it to his grave, you become the facilitator.
- Alan Messinger: Brodus will do anything, say anything to stay his execution. Henry Lee Lucas did it. Bundy did it. It's their nature to exploit our weaknesses. I'm sorry, Alex, no one gets access. Period.
- Dr. Huang: One of these days you're going to realize I know what I'm doing.
- Munch: Tell me again how my partner failed to get his weapon re-certification?
- Benson: He choked!
- Tutuola: I didn't choke!
- Benson: Okay, you got poor marks for shooting off your gun early.
- Munch: It happens to everybody. You know, they have a pill for that now.
- Matthew Linwood Brodus: [while fighting Elliot Stabler] Debbie didn't fight back!!!
- Cabot: The state can't execute an unhealthy man. It's the law.
- Alan Messinger: As long as he's in a coma, we can't get justice. What a waste.
- Stabler: You're wrong. I got a confession on Debbie Cooper.
- Alan Messinger: They won't care. Would you?
- Elliot Stabler: Alex, how many phone calls from victims have you gotten asking why you lost a case and what you're gonna do about it?
- Alexandra Cabot: [to Cabot] I've had my share.
- Elliot Stabler: And how many times do you actually get a second chance?
Background information and notes[]
- Actor Nick Chinlund (serial killer Matthew Linwood Brodus) had originally screen-tested for the co-starring role of Detective Elliot Stabler.
- This episode differs from the usual format in that a portion of the final scene is shown at the beginning of the episode. This teases the audience into thinking that Huang is killed by Brodus, as the beginning does not show Huang's recovery.
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Our Lady of light |
Sing sing |
Office of Executive |
Our lady of light |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
FBI New York office |
Henderson Apartment |
Death row |
New Jersey |
| Previous episode: "Counterfeit" |
"Execution" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 3 |
Next episode: "Popular" |