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"Wrong Is Right"
SVU, Episode 2.01
Production number: E1403
First aired: 20 October 2000
  {{{nNthProducedInSeries}}}th of 502 produced in SVU  
{{{nNthReleasedInSeries}}}th of 502 released in SVU
  {{{nNthReleasedInAll}}}th of 1271 released in all  
AlexCabotWrongIsRight
Written By
David J. Burke & Jeff Eckerle

Directed By
Ted Kotcheff

Summary[]

The Manhattan Special Victims Unit struggles with the Morris Commission's uneasiness over Stabler and Jeffries while they investigate the murder of a man whose crotch was set on fire after he was shot in the head.

Plot[]

The Manhattan SVU squad investigates the murder of Andrew Croft, who was set on fire. Stabler's eldest daughter, Maureen, sees Croft's body as Stabler drives her home from the beach. Meanwhile, Stabler and Jeffries are under investigation by the Morris Commission, which causes Jeffries to be transferred to desk duty in order to further explain herself.

The squad finds out that Croft's adopted son, Michael Goren, murdered him and set his genitals on fire. He confesses, claiming it was an accident, but they don't believe him. Munch discovers through a confidential informant that Croft's past was essentially erased, and they believe that Radio Velocity did this. However, fingerprints reveal that Croft was actually a convicted child molester who abused at least 11 boys in both the United States and Canada. The detectives suspect that Croft was abusing Michael as well. The new ADA, Alexandra Cabot, only agrees to a deal if Michael confirms the abuse.

When visiting Michael, he denies any knowledge of Croft's past and rejects any abuse, despite the advice of his lawyer refuses. Cabot says because he rejects this deal, so she has no choice but charge him with second-degree murder.

Munch confronts Croft's past to Radio Velocity CEO Craig Prince who denies any knowledge and rejects the notion that Andrew's past was covered up when he manufactured parts for weapons for the government during Operation Desert Storm. He learns from the company's head of security Ralph Noble, a good man, that Croft's criminal record was likely covered up to prevent trouble crossing country lines.

Stabler talks to Michael's best friend, Danny, who admits Andrew tried to rape him and he broke off his friendship with Michael after he witnessed the assault and did nothing about it. Stabler reveals that Michael was molested since he was eight and while he might've been strong enough to fight him off now, he wasn't then, and now had no one to turn to. Danny then understands and Stabler asks more questions.

On the stand, Michael tries to keep lying about what happened but stops once Cabot pokes holes in his story before she brings up Danny and how Croft tried to abuse him. She also states he was willing to testify that Michael witnessed the event. Cabot then accuses Michael of being raped too, as he finally confesses to the molestation and how it went on for years. Cabot asks if his reason for the shooting was to stop the abuse, as Michael denies this and admits that he hated what Croft did but says he was used to it until Croft brought over someone else to abuse him. He refuses to name his other abuser, who lived across the street and helped Croft rape and murder a boy in Belgium. Shocked, Cabot asks Michael who the person is even though Michael is reluctant because of his abuser's connections. After assuring him of his safety, Michael finally identifies the man: Craig Prince, head of the company that covered up Andrew's past. This news leaves Cabot shocked while Michael questions how they will protect him.

Munch and Stabler arrest Prince for his crimes while his stunned colleagues watch and the detectives reveal the grand jury indicted Michael on manslaughter charges but because of this evidence and his testimony, Cabot made a deal with Michael.

Cragen testifies to the Morris Commission in Stabler's defense. He tells them about the horrific crimes that Stabler sees every day and says that it is only natural that he would think about killing people who victimize innocent women and children. He adds that Stabler should be commended for keeping those impulses in check. Cragen's defense of Stabler saves his job, but as the episode ends, Detective Odafin Tutuola arrives to take Jefferies' place.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Munch: Reevaluation stinks.
Jeffries: Truly. Best crime stats in thirty years and they're reevaluating?
Munch: It's how it works. We get rid of the criminals they fear, they start fearing us. Public hates tough cops 'til they need one.

Elliot Stabler: [to Maureen as he looks at her arm] Is that a tattoo?
Maureen Stabler: No.
Elliot: Where'd you get it?
Maureen: Well, you've got tattoos.
Elliot: I was eighteen and in the Service.
Maureen: It's henna. It washes off.
Elliot: Why didn't you just tell me that?
Maureen: I just did. You're such a cop.
Elliot: Yeah, wait till you have kids. All the little Witherspoons.

Cragen: [to Jeffries] You told the psychologist you slept with a suspect?
Jeffries: What? No, that-that's not what I said.
Cragen: Well, that's how they interpreted it. I'm gonna limit your field time.
Jeffries: You're giving me desk duty?
Cragen: You need time to prepare a formal response for the Morris Commission.
Jeffries: I am not explaining my sex life to the Morris Commission!
Cragen: That's enough! I don't like it either, Monique, but yelling at me is not gonna solve anything.

Munch: [seeing Stabler walk into SVU in khaki shorts and a loud Hawaiian shirt] Jimmy Buffett in town?

Cragen: [to Stabler] What possessed you to tell the shrink in your psych evaluation that you fantasized about killing suspects?
Stabler: Wait a minute, wait a minute. I said perps, not suspects.
Cragen: Well, the Morris Commission doesn't see a distinction. They're inquiring.
Stabler: Inquiring into what? My private thoughts? They're supposed to be house-cleaning the department of rogue cops. [silence] My job at risk?
Cragen: Yeah.

Benson: Okay, what the hell's going on?
Stabler: The psych evaluation?
Benson: Yeah?
Stabler: I said I felt like killing child molesters.
Benson: Okay, so how can they have a problem with that? The Commission's all cops.
Stabler: Yeah, well. When was the last time one of them stood in a room like this?

Munch: [to the uncooperative boss of a suspect] What are the odds that you have a picture of Senator Joseph McCarthy tattooed on your ass?

Munch: We're looking for a murderer and the victim's missing kid and Craig Prince is giving us, "Here's your hat, what's your hurry?"

John Munch: [calling his informant] I want to see your spook ass NOW!

Munch's Informant: How did Croft buy it, Munch?
Munch: Bullet to the head, bunsen to the crotch.
Munch's Informant: Ouch!

Cabot: You want me to secure a search warrant for the offices of a defense contractor to search classified national security files for evidence in a sexually motivated homicide?
Munch: Yes, you got a problem with that?
Cabot: [dials a number] Judge Hermann, please. Uncle Bill... look, I need a little favor.

Stabler: [to Dr. Skoda] I'm not talking to you.
Skoda: Fine. I'll just sit here.
Stabler: You know, I may lose my job because of the last shrink I talked to.

Stabler: [to Dr. Skoda] Are we really gonna do this dance again? I mean, what do you want me to say? That I fantasized about killing the perp?
Dr. Skoda: Did you?
Stabler: Yeah, you're damn right I did and this time I fed him my gun and I pulled that trigger until I caught him and then, there he is, he's just... he's a kid. He's a good kid. He tutors Down syndrome children, he's a straight "A" student, he's a star athlete he's Millbrook Township's favorite son. Now how that jives with cold-blooded murder?

Benson: Hey, how'd it go?
Stabler: I talked too much... again. Where's Jeffries?
Munch: Perching on a couch. But while you were probing your inner child, we did some probing of our own, sent Croft's prints at CIC.
Stabler: You printed the corpse? So? And?
Munch: Nothing.
Stabler: So?
Munch: No, I mean nothing, nada, bupkus.
Benson: Zip. No parking tickets, no birth records.
Munch: Nothing to prove he even existed before 1991.
Benson: The year he went to work for Radial Velocity.
Munch: So we're going through the stuff we got from the search warrant, we find this passport issued ten years ago from San Diego, we call the local PD, ask them to run - bang! We get a hit.
Benson: But not to Andrew Croft.
Stabler: Then who?
Munch: George Kazinsky, a convicted sexual predator.
Benson: Andrew Croft. AKA, George Kazinsky. Little George liked little boys.

Stabler: [to Cabot] You're protecting your win-loss ratio.
Cragen: Elliot...
Cabot: It's okay, Captain. Detective Stabler's judgment is clouded by the stress of the Morris Commission's review and the fact that Michael did what he fantasizes about: kill a perpetrator.
Cragen: It's not my fantasy, and I stand with Detective Stabler on this.

Elliot: What're you doing up?
Maureen: I couldn't sleep.
Elliot: Did you have a nightmare?
Maureen: You have to sleep to have nightmares.
Elliot: Of course, what was I thinking?

Stabler: [to Danny] You think Michael liked it?
Danny Burrell: You tell me. The guy's 6'2", benches what, 220 pounds? He could've kicked his ass if he didn't like him doing him.
Stabler: Michael was only eight when he started doing him. Eight year olds can't fight back. Now you tell me where a sixteen-year-old's going to turn to when his best friend turns on him.

Cabot: A child molester only has power as long as his secret is kept. You tell the truth, his power is gone.

Craig Prince: [being handcuffed] You're hurting me!
Munch: Not our concern.

Donald Cragen: This little boy's mother stuck his hands on a frying pan until his fingers burned off. This rape victim required twelve hours of surgery to have a steel plate put into her head after her attacker pummeled her with a claw hammer. This one didn't make it! Is there anybody on this panel who doesn't share Detective Stabler's anger for the perpetrators? This man is a good cop! As his Commanding Officer, I stand with him and every good cop who faces these horrors day after day and has the strength to keep his impulses in check. Now if you can look at these pictures and not understand that, the problem here isn't Elliot Stabler, is it?

Jeffries: Monique Jefferies. Maybe I can help.
Tutuola: Fin Tutuola. I've been reassigned.
Jeffries: You're here for my job.
Tutuola: Oh, this is awkward.
Jeffries: Well, try my side of the moment.

Background information and notes[]

Tutuola Wrong is Right

Detective Odafin Tutuola replaces Detective Monique Jeffries.

Wrong Is Right Deleted Scene

The Stablers share an intimate moment in a deleted scene.

  • This episode features the first appearances of two new regular cast members, though they are not added to the opening credits until the next episode. Stephanie March appears as A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot, while Ice-T briefly cameos as new Detective Odafin Tutuola. Ice-T previously appeared as Seymour 'Kingston' Stockton in the franchise's only movie.
  • This episode also means the end for Michelle Hurd as regular character Detective Monique Jeffries. Jeffries had sex with a man whom she knew was a suspect in a case, as revealed in the previous episode "Slaves". After being seen as a possibly unbalanced person by the Morris Commission, Jeffries is reassigned to desk duty while she is re-evaluated. This is one of three episodes in the second season in which Hurd appears in the opening theme. The other two are "Asunder" and "Runaway".
  • Deleted scenes from this episode included a meeting between ADA Alexandra Cabot and Captain Donald Cragen, and also a bathroom scene between Detective Elliot Stabler and his wife, Kathy.
  • From this episode forward, Chris Meloni is credited as Christopher Meloni.
  • When Elliot Stabler comes into the office wearing a Hawaiian shirt, John Munch makes a snide comment about Jimmy Buffett. Jimmy Buffett is an American singer-songwriter whose songs typically revolve around beaches, tropical islands and laid back parties. His fans, dubbed "Parrot-Heads," generally assume the uniform of a Hawaiian shirt and shorts when Buffett plays a concert that they go to see.
  • The Twin Towers of the old World Trade Center are briefly seen in this episode.
  • This is the first episode to feature Neal Baer as showrunner, who replaced Robert Palm.
  • Goof: One of the police officers on the committee (the one on the far right end) has error's on his uniform. He is wearing the rank insignia of a Captain (two gold bars) on his collar and shoulder, yet is wearing the badge of a Deputy Chief. If he were a Captain he would be wearing the same style of badge that Cragen wears and if he were a Deputy Chief he would be wearing a single star on his collar and shoulder.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3

Amsterdam Apartments
103 Willow Street
Brooklyn Heights
Monday, September 11

Radial Velocity, Inc.
173 Avenue
Monday, September 11

Special Victims Unit
Squadroom
Tuesday, September 12

4 5 6

Adams High School
Millbrook Township, NY
Tuesday, September 12

Rikers Island
Interview Room
Wednesday, September 13

Grand Jury Room
Thursday, September 14

7 8 9

Adams High School
Millbrook Township, NY
Thursday, September 14

Grand Jury Room
Monday, September 18

Special Victims Unit
Squadroom
Wednesday, September 20

Previous episode:
"Slaves"
"Wrong Is Right"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 2
Next episode:
"Honor"
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