| "Loss" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 5.04 | → |
| Production number: E4402 First aired: 14 October 2003 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Tara Butters & Michele Fazekas Directed By Constantine Makris | ||
Plot
While constructing a murder case, ADA Alexandra Cabot becomes the target of a Colombian drug cartel.
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
- B.D. Wong as Dr. George Huang (credit only)
- Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
Recurring cast
- Mitch Pileggi as D.E.A. Agent Jack Hammond
- David Thornton as Defense Attorney Lionel Granger
- Charlayne Woodard as Sister Peg
- Joanna Merlin as Judge Lena Petrovsky
- Fred Dalton Thompson as D.A. Arthur Branch
- Tamara Tunie as M.E. Melinda Warner
Guest cast
- Josh Hopkins as Agent Tim Donovan
- Jacinto Taras Riddick as Rafael Zapata
- Felix Solis as Narc
- Andre Royo as Felix Santos
- Tibor Feldman as George Reilly
- Ray Wills as Manager
- Mateo Gómez as Father Castrillon
- Pat Profito as Building Super
- Lola Powers as Mrs. Crenshaw
- Matthew Stocke as Uniform Officer
- David Sitler as Court Clerk
- William H. Burns as ESU #1
- Terrence Laron Burke as Federal Marshal #1
- Gil Hagovsky as Federal Marshal #2
References
- Arizona
- CIA
- Colombia
- Delta Force
- Dominican Republic
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Pablo Escobar
- FBI
- Miami, Florida
- Internal Affairs Bureau
- Mexico
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Livia Sandoval (victim)
- Cesar Velez
- People v. Goggins
Quotes
- Fin: Okay, you live like a monk, how come somebody wouldn't have any pictures or nick-nacs around?
- Munch: Some of us appreciate simplicity, others of us lost the nick-nacs in the divorce settlement.
- Munch: Feel free to express your derision and ridicule, but I'm gonna say it, spook.
- Fin: I'm not ridiculing. We've probably got spies from every country all over this city.
- Alex: Lionel, I see Zapata still has you on retainer. That explains the $3,000 suit. How'd you get the blood out?
- Granger: My wife got me this suit.
- Alex: Let me tell you a little bit about my job, Agent Donovan. After I tell the judge that I cannot produce the informant, she is going to issue a John Doe material witness order. If I don't give her your name, I will be found in contempt.
- Agent Donovan: That's your call, your conscience.
- Alex: I can tell you right now I'm not going to jail for you or for my conscience.
- Donovan: You talked to my informant.
- Stabler: Yeah, we're investigating our rape case, as instructed.
- Donovan: Who gave him to you?
- Stabler: Oh, so now we're supposed to share information with you because you've been so forthcoming with us? Screw you.
- Donovan: He's working with DEA. You guys are putting everything in jeopardy.
- Benson: Well, then he must be moonlighting with NYPD Narcotics, 'cause that's how we found him.
- Donovan: You're off him.
- Stabler: Oh, yeah?
- Donovan: Yeah. Yeah, nobody from your squad contacts Santos again. Felix has been apprised of the situation. We warned you to use caution.
- Benson: And we have. Santos doesn't know that Livia was a cop. Nobody said a word about DEA.
- Donovan: Keep it that way. We're done.
- Stabler: Hey, did you tell Livia to do coke and screw Zapata to make your case or was that her idea?
- Donovan: You don't know anything about her.
- Donovan: I know you were supposed to protect her, and you let her die! And I know you feel so guilty that you'd rather let her killer get away with it than think about what you didn't do to help her.
- Benson: I didn't tell her to do drugs. I didn't tell her to do any of that. She wanted to nail those guys, she did what she thought she had to do.
- Donovan: You didn't see how bad it was getting?
- Donovan: She was getting the job done. I didn't think she was in over her head. I should have pulled her. I didn't. That's my responsibility. My...my mistake.
- Benson: Hey! We have no intention of taking your case and we realize that other lives are at stake, but we're flying blind here. If you don't tell us something to implicate Zapata, then we are never gonna make this right.
- Donovan: Your M.E. found bits of fiberglass on her body. Then I know where he killed her.
- Stabler: Look, we had a good run. Conviction rates are up. We had to get screwed sometime.
- Benson: Cesar Velez can probably do more damage to Zapata now than the justice system ever could.
- Alex: It just... It never seems like enough, you know. The Feds'll get Zapata for killing Donovan. But what about Livia Sandoval? She dies without any justice, and we're supposed to be happy about it? We tell ourselves that we speak for the victims, but we don't. We can close cases. But the victims, even if they survive, their lives are ruined. I just get so sick of it.
- Stabler: Alex, we can't always win.
- Alex: But that's just it. Even when we win, we don't.
- Munch: [offers Felix a cola] There you go, Felix.
- Felix: Papa, that's regular. I said diet.
- Fin: You're gonna want the sugar, so drink it.
- Felix: 'Kay. You people wanna treat me like that? That's fine.
Background information and notes
- This is the last appearance of Stephanie March as ADA Alexandra Cabot until season 6 when she appeared in the episode, "Ghost".
Episode scene cards
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Office of |
Sister Peg's |
Stor-It-All Self Storage |
Café Andre |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chambers of |
Drug Enforcement |
Trial Part 46 |
Special Victims Unit |
| Previous episode: "Mother" |
"Loss" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 5 |
Next episode: "Serendipity" |