| "Victims" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 2.13 | → |
| Production number: E1420 First aired: 9 February 2001 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Nick Kendrick Directed By Constantine Makris | ||
A former police officer is the prime suspect in the murders of known sex offenders.
Summary[]
Elliot has a rough time when he helps investigate the murders of sex offenders (one of whom Elliot put away) and it is soon discovered that a former cop turned community activist may be responsible for the murders.
Plot[]
After Thomas Marchak is found dead, Stabler is shocked to discover that he was a sadistic rapist he had caught in the past. This situation becomes more troubled as suspicions fall on his victim's mother who was stalking Marchak, and Cragen has to force Stabler to arrest her. She is cleared but her remarks and yet another murdered rapist leads to Sam Winfield, a former cop turned activist, because his flyers containing the victims' mugshots along with two others are found in the scenes. Again unwilling, the team provides protection for these intended targets and after the house of one is shot at, Winfield is arrested, but since his gun does not match the murder weapon, they need a confession. Using his own experience, which is very similar to Winfield's last case, Stabler is able to make him confess to witnessing the first murder, and after the second, having shot the house to scare the man away. The first victim's girlfriend, Gloria Palmera, then tries to commit suicide and survives when Stabler and Benson rescue her. She admits to the murders, but her story is suspicious and it is ultimately revealed that her friend Louise Durning, a social worker, is the killer. She found out Marchak knowingly passed HIV to Gloria and killed both men to save other women from the same fate. However, Louise is likely not to outlast her sentence since she herself is dying of AIDS. Stabler ends up facing the possibility of being infected with HIV.
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[]
- Lou Carbonneau as CSU Technician Martin
Guest cast[]
- Eric Roberts as Sam Winfield
- Ann Dowd as Louise Durning
- Rosemarie DeWitt as Gloria Palmera
- Sylva Kelegian as Lindsay Branson
- Phyllis Somerville as Mrs. Moss
- Jay Christianson as Trent Wills
- Robert Sedgwick as James Campbell
- José Ramón Rosario as Mario Tomassi
- Susan Pellegrino as Dr. Weddington
- Tony Cucci as Erik Pulham
- Stacey Lynn Brass as Sabrina Milton
- Turhan Caylak as Morgue Attendant
- Ellen Horst as Virginia Koehler
- Brianna Steinhilber as Corrine Wilson
- Joe Bacino as Detective Dalton
- Myk Watford as Paul Cormick
- Pearce Bunting as Josh Branson
- Joe Pacheco as Earl Zito
- Linda Hazel Humes as Receptionist
- Rasheeda Sampson as Mother
- Krista Marie Bonura as Wendy Campbell
- Jeff Patterson as Suspect (uncredited)
References[]
Quotes[]
- Stabler: Thomas Marchek kidnapped Corrine Branson, tortured her at knifepoint and left her for dead.
- Cragen: I read the file.
- Stabler: I was ready to cap that dirtbag myself. Now you expect me to work his homicide?
- Cragen: One Police Plaza does. They asked me to take it, I said yes.
- Stabler: To polish your political apple?
- Stabler: Hi Corrine. It's me, Elliot. Do you remember? [no answer] I almost didn't recognize you. It's been so long. You've grown a lot. How've you been?
- Corrine Wilson: I remember you. You caught that man.
- Stabler: Yes.
- Corrine Wilson: Thank you.
- Stabler: You never have to thank me for that.
- Louise Durning: [about Gloria when the police are interrogating her] Can't you see she's in enough pain? Where's your compassion, for God's sake?
- Tutuola: With the little girl Tommy raped and cut.
- Cabot: We've twisted suspects in the wind for a lot less than what we've got on paper right now.
- Stabler: Those suspects didn't have a daughter who was raped and had her face sliced up.
- Olivia Benson: You okay? You wanna go grab a drink?
- Elliot Stabler: No, I should go home.
- Olivia Benson: Sure?
- Elliot Stabler: Yeah.
- Olivia Benson: Okay. I'll see you tomorrow.
- Elliot Stabler: You will.
Background information and notes[]
- Detective Elliot Stabler hurts his hand in this episode by rummaging around Sam Winfield's personal belongings. This would later lead to a possible exposure to HIV. Stabler and Benson tried to help a severely bleeding Gloria Palmera, without knowing that she was HIV positive. In the following episode, "Paranoia", it becomes clear that Stabler didn't contract the virus, or any other contagions. The bandage around his hand kept him safe from infections.
- This is actor Eric Roberts' first appearance in the Law & Order franchise. In the Law & Order: Criminal Intent season seven episode "Betrayed" he returns as a different character named Roy Hubert.
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Smitty's Inner City Meats |
Apartment of |
Apartment of |
State Street Clinic |
Win-Mick Auto Repair |
| Previous episode: "Secrets" |
"Victims" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 2 |
Next episode: "Paranoia" |