| "Guilt" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 3.18 | → |
| Production number: E2332 First aired: 29 March 2002 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Tara Butters & Michele Fazekas Directed By David Platt | ||
ADA Cabot faces a reluctant witness in a case of child molestation. She goes far beyond the line of duty to find evidence against the serial abuser.
Plot[]
ADA Cabot works with a reluctant witness and his mother in a case of child molestation. She goes far beyond the line of duty to find evidence against the abuser. The detectives' careers are jeopardised by Cabot when she exceeds legal limits to collect evidence against the suspect to get him behind bars.
Summary[]
Cabot is faced with a reluctant witness, 16-year-old Sam Cavanaugh, in a child molestation case in which Roy Barnett is accused of being Sam's abuser.
Sam's mother Linda is upset about everything. As a single parent, she's done the best she can for Sam, but she feels responsible for what happened. Barnett was a neighbor who befriended the family and offered to take care of Sam so Linda could have some free time. Sam courageously agrees to testify in front of a grand jury. It's Sam's word against Barnett's, and Cabot is having trouble making the charges stick without additional evidence. Then Cabot's zealousness causes a tragedy -- Sam tries to kill himself by overdosing on aspirin and his anti-depressants after calling Barnett.
Linda is beside herself, absolutely furious with the detectives and Cabot for pushing Sam to testify, and now Sam has massive brain damage, and is in a vegetative state. Feeling guilty about what happened to Sam, Cabot goes above and beyond the normal scope of duty in her search for evidence to convict Barnett. Cabot's passion supersedes her compliance with the law as she misrepresents herself to Benson and Stabler in order to bring them into an illegal search of Sam's home -- jeopardizing not only her case, but the careers of all involved.
New SVU Bureau Chief ADA Elizabeth Donnelly is faced with the frustrating task of bringing Cabot in line to preserve the integrity of the unit. Barnett's lawyer argues that the tapes found in the search should be thrown out because the search was a blatant violation of the fourth amendment.
Cabot argues that Barnett's fourth amendment rights were never violated, so therefore the search has no bearing on the trial. The Judge begrudgingly allows the evidence in, and Cabot gets Barnett indicted. But Cabot has to pay a price for the search -- Cabot gets chewed out by Donnelly, who suspends her for a month without pay.
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[]
- Ned Eisenberg as Defense Attorney Roger Kressler
- Joanna Merlin as Judge Lena Petrovsky
- Joel de la Fuente as TARU Tech Ruben Morales
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang
- Judith Light as Bureau Chief Elizabeth Donnelly
Guest cast[]
- Kay Lenz as Linda Cavanaugh
- Bret Harrison as Sam Cavanaugh
- Beau Gravitte as Roy Barnett
- Lee Pace as Benjamin Tucker
- Thomas Piper as Tommy Priore
- Don Sparks as Dr. Phil Mitrano
- Danny Musico as CSU Technician
- Michael Balin as Court Clerk
References[]
Quotes[]
- Dr. Phil Mitrano: He's far more calculating than your typical pedophile. Barnett never chooses victims of opportunity, like children of a girlfriend, or a second wife. He's a true predator; unrepentant, unstoppable. No amount of therapy will change that.
- Alex: He is as bad as his client! Hoping the victim is too traumatized to testify. He's lucky I didn't knock his teeth down his throat!
- Captain Cragen: I'd pay real money to see that.
- Captain Cragen: Out of line, Alex.
- Alex: I am not out of line and I don’t work for you!
- Alex: The only reason I am here is to find evidence against the man who hurt your son. I am more than willing to accept blame for what happened to Sam, but do not let Roy Barnett get away with what he did.
- Stabler: Aw, he's leaving town. You know we're really gonna miss you.
- Barnett: Now what?
- Stabler: We're helpin' you pack.
- Benson: You think all this stuff's gonna fit in his cell?
- Stabler: Probably not!
- Stabler: Barnett's being processed, we're heading to Mulligan's to celebrate.
- Fin: You're probably not gonna want to do that.
- Benson: And why's that?
- Fin: Dad's mad.
- Captain Cragen: Get your asses in my office.
- Kressler: This was a blatant 4th amendment violation; sanctioned and indeed carried out by the people. Therefore any evidence found must be suppressed.
- Alex: Mr. Barnett's 4th amendment rights were not violated. Linda Cavanaugh's certainly were, but she isn't the defendent. Mr. Barnett is. He has no standing to contest a search of someone else's home.
- Kressler: Are you actually arguing that you can march in like the Gestapo and search any private residence?!
- Alex: I am arguing that I can search any private residence that doesn't belong to your client and it will have no bearing on these proceedings.
- Judge Petrovsky: While I deplore the assistant district attorney's actions, I am forced to agree that the illegal search of Linda Cavanaugh's residence is a civil tort. The defendent's privacy was not violated, therefor he has no legal standing to contest the search. Motion to suppress the evidence is denied. Miss Cabot, I scarcely know where to begin. The liberties you have taken. The disdain you have shown toward the law in this court are highly unethical and a disgrace to your position. Be assured I will recommend your office to look into your actions. And you have done yourself a real disservice in my courtroom. I won't forget it.
- Stabler: You should have told us.
- Alex: I'm sorry.
- Benson: No you're not.
- Alex: I am sorry you were ever in the middle of this. But you're right, I'm not sorry about the rest.
- Alex: I take full responsibility for my actions.
- Donnelly: Of course. You did it for the greater good, the safety of society. Bull. You did this for you.
- Alex: I did this for hundreds of Barnett's future victims.
- Donnelly: One. One victim. Sam Cavanaugh. Did it work? Did it assuage your guilt?
- Alex: No. I don't think that's gonna happen anytime soon.
- Donnelly: I've got news for you. It won't happen. Ever.
Background information and notes[]
- ADA Alexandra Cabot is suspended for a month for her actions in this episode.
- This is actress Judith Light's first appearance as recurring character Bureau Chief and later Judge Elizabeth Donnelly.
- Although Dr. George Huang does not officially come out until "Hardwired" in Season 11, it had already been heavily implied in this episode that he is gay. He explains that he's hesitant to interview Sam because the teenager might perceive Huang's presence as the police believing him to be gay as well.
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Apartment of Roy Barnett |
Office of Special Victims Unit |
Sing Sing |
Trial Part 74 |
| Previous episode: "Surveillance" |
"Guilt" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 3 |
Next episode: "Justice" |