All language subtitles for Law & Order SVU - 4x18 - Desperate PDTV

NARRATOR: In the criminal
justice system,

sexually based offenses
are considered
especially heinous.

In New York City,

the dedicated detectives
who investigate
these vicious felonies

are members
of an elite squad known
as the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

PIease, honey,
open the door.

You can do it.
Come on.

Hurry. Hurry, there's
a Iittle kid trapped in there
and he can't reach the knob.

What's his name?
Mikey.

Mikey, fire department.
Can you hear me?

Mikey,
I need you to stand
away from the door.

Get as far back
as you can, okay?

Take the door, guys.

Hit it.

You take the back.
I'II take the front.

10-26,
food on the stove.

FIREFIGHTER:
Roger that, 10-26.

We're clear.

Mikey? Mikey,
where are you?

Mikey?

The kid's injured.
Come on. Let's get you
out of here.

FIREFIGHTER 2: Over here.
She's barely breathing.

I got him.

10-45. Code 2.
Start out a bus.

DISPATCHER: 10-4.
Bus is on the way.

The mother's critical.
Major head trauma.

CT shows multiple
subdural hematomas.

She gonna make it?
It's hard to say.
She's in surgery right now.

And the sexual assault?

Genital trauma shows
she was raped
and sodomized.

We didn't find
any fluids.

How's the boy?
Hmm.

No physical injuries.

AII the blood
on Mikey
was his mom's.

He may have seen it.
You mind
if I talk to him?

No. Go ahead.

Mikey?

My name is OIivia.
How old are you?

Six?

Mikey, I need to talk to you
about what happened
in the apartment.

Did you see your
mommy get hurt?

Can you tell me
about it?

That's right, honey,
I'm a police officer.

And I need your help
to find the person
who hurt your mom.

OIivia.

I'II be back in
a Iittle while, okay?

This is gonna take
some time.

Maybe once
he sees his mother.
She just died.

Anything on
next of kin?

Well, no handbag,
no wallet.

Perp took everything
he could. And this guy's
very careful.

So far, no prints,
no semen, no hair.

Why target
this apartment?

Easy access.

Ground floor, no gates,
the Iocks are
a piece of crap.

From the tool marks,
I'd say he forced the Iock
with a screwdriver.

The victim is
on her back.

He gets on the bed,
straddles her.

She struggles.

He grabs this Iamp
from that table.

Knocks her out
with two blows.

Our victim's face
was a mess.

Are you sure that
he only hit her twice?

BIood doesn't Iie.

See that single
Iine on the ceiling?
BENSON: Yeah.

First blow
starts the blood flow,
second makes that pattern.

After the rape,
he beats her some more,
but it's overkill.

She's already
unconscious.

Well, how'd you get that?

BIood spatter
on the sofa back
is concentrated in one area.

Doesn't Iook Iike
she moved
to evade the blows.

AII the damage
was to her face.
This feels personal.

Maybe it's not
some random break-in
we're Iooking at.

If she was
knocked out during
the sexual assault,

maybe Mikey
slept through it.

I don't think so.
See the handprints?

Well, maybe Mikey
tried to wake Mommy up,
he got his hand in the blood.

Could've happened
after the perp Ieft.

Possible, but
see the urine stain.

Boy hid
in the doorway,
watching.

What he saw
scared him so much,
he wet his pants.

So if Mikey woke up,
maybe somebody else did.

The walls are paper thin,
but I didn't hear nothing.

Smoke woke me up.

We're trying
to Iocate
family members.

What can you
tell us about
Mikey and his mom?

Said her name was Dana,
didn't give me
the family tree.

Moved in a month ago.

Dana have any visitors,
maybe a boyfriend?

I didn't see nobody
except her and the boy.

Well, did she ever say
anything about family,

maybe mention where
they used to Iive?

The Iandlord might know.

Good. He around?

That bastard only
comes to collect the rent.

He's got an office
in midtown.

I bet you it's
a hell of a Iot nicer
than this dump.

Apartment 1-H.
That would be, uh,
Dana McGuire.

Okay. We'II need the rental
application, credit report,
any other papers.

Sorry, my secretary
called in sick.

I don't know where
she keeps those files.

A Iandlord who
can't find a Iease?
Hey, I'm a busy man.

I got better things
to do than Iisten to
a cop crack wise.

I've got calls to make.

I'II have her
get in touch.

Friend of mine at
the D.A.'s office
Ioves to prosecute slumlords.

Last guy,
got sentenced
to six months

Iiving in his own
condemned building.

Look, I don't have
any paper on her.
It was off the books.

Lady paid cash up
front for three months.

Which we'II be glad
to pass on to the IRS,
in case you forgot.

Hey, I'm trying
to be helpful here.

STABLER: So far,
you're coming up short.

Okay. Wait a minute.
Um, she showed me
her driver's Iicense.

Address was on
Central Park West,
300 block.

Your memory's
a Iittle convenient.

Names I'm not so good at,

but I never forget
a prime piece
of real estate.

(DOOR OPENING)

Can I help you?
Yeah. NYPD,
good afternoon.

Wondering if you
know a, uh, Dana McGuire?

Of course I do.
I'm her husband.

Mr. McGuire,
when was the Iast time
you saw your wife?

About five minutes ago.

She's inside,
feeding the baby.

A dead woman
was using my ID?

That's so creepy.

Any idea how
she got a hold of
your driver's Iicense?

Uh, I was mugged
on my way back
from Mommy & Me class.

In broad daylight
on Columbus Avenue.
Not a cop in sight.

Mrs. McGuire,
did you report
the robbery?

Yeah, a Iot of good it did.

Honey, they're just
trying to help.

They caught the guy
maxing out my
credit cards at Macy's.

D.A. plea-bargained
the case. He only got
six months at Rikers.

Those yuppie moms,
pushing their strollers,

carrying diaper bags,
yoga mats and crap.

Easy pickings.

I checked your booking sheet.

Dana McGuire's
driver's Iicense

was not on you when
you were collared.

What are you smoking?
No way I'm copping
to another charge.

Leon, take a good Iook
around. Do you see your
Iawyer in the cell?

Did I Mirandize you?

Then nothing you
say is admissible.

A career criminal
should know better.

Hey, I ain't no
career criminal.

Look, we just want to know
who bought the ID,
off the record.

On the record,
you help us out,
we'II talk to the D.A.,

you finish out your sentence
in a halfway house.

(SIGHS)

Oh, yeah.
I met this chick
in a diner.

Said she couldn't find work
'cause she had no ID.

I felt sorry for her.

Okay. Did you
get her real name?

Said it was Jill.
Son's name is Tommy.

You sure that's
his real name?

Sure, I'm sure.
Same as my kid brother.

We'II talk to the D.A.

Open the gate.

(BUZZING)

Jill calls the kid
Tommy to this mope,
but Mikey to the neighbors?

And he answers to both.

You add that to the fake ID
and that fleabag apartment.

You know, you break parole,
you run from creditors,

you change your name.

You change your kid's name,
you're hiding from
something bigger.

(BEEPING)

Warner wants us
at the morgue.

WARNER: Jill's head CT.

Two subdural hematomas,

consistent with
the two blows from the Iamp
found at the scene.

I thought you had
something new for us?

I've got a time frame
for the assault.

How?

The brain shrank away
from the injury site,

and she bled out
into the skull cavity.

Now, based on
the amount of blood,

the attack occurred
seven to nine hours
before these were taken.

So backtrack from
the hospital admission,

that puts it
between 9:00 and
11:00 Iast night.

The fire department
didn't get the call
till 5:00 a.m.

Tommy was alone
for six hours
watching her die.

Tommy's the reason
I called you over here.

See these old
surgical incisions
on her abdomen?

The one in
the upper Ieft quadrant
is from a splenectomy.

She had her
spleen removed,
so what?

I'd say she had
Hodgkin's disease
as a child.

The treatment also
includes chemotherapy,

which probably
would have Ieft her
unable to have children.

So I took a sample
of Tommy's blood
from the hospital

and ran his DNA
against the victim's.

No match.

She's not his mother.

This kid has been Iiving
with a woman who is not
his biological mother.

Well,
he could be adopted.

Well, that doesn't
fit with the fake ID,

and changing his name
from Tommy to Mikey.

A kidnap?

Nothing came up
in the missing
child databanks.

And Iet's hope
it's not a baby snatcher.

Trying to match
an infant's photo

with a 6-year-old,
that's impossible.

Is he any closer
to opening up?

We're making progress.
He Iikes to draw.

He's using his art
to communicate.

Look at this.

He drew the murder.

How do we
get him to
talk about it?

Well, he's identified you
as someone who
cares about him.

Make him feel safe.

That's a great picture.

Got grass and trees,
a bright yellow sun.

You draw really well, Tommy.

Yeah, Tommy.
I know your real name.

And I know that
you're a very brave boy.

Don't be afraid, Tommy.
It's okay. You know why?
'Cause I'm here to help you.

See that?

That's what
police officers do.

They help Iittle boys
that are afraid.

What?

You want my phone?

Here you go.

9-1-1.

That's exactly right.

That's who you call
when you want the police.

Good job.

Do you know your
home phone number?

How about...

Do you know
any other numbers?
Like say

a number that
you would call
in an emergency?

Good. You're so smart.
You know what?

I'm gonna be back
in a Iittle while,

but I was wondering
if you'd do me a favor?

Will you draw me
another picture?

Thanks.

I'll be back in
a little bit, all right?

Let's see who he called.

It's a domestic
violence hotline.

Oh, God,
it's Jill Hoffman.

The bastard
finally did it.

Her husband?

Dan Hoffman.
Violent son of a bitch.

Jill wanted to Ieave,
but she had nowhere to go.

He isolated her completely,
drove all her friends away.

You place her
in a DV shelter?

Jill stayed in one of our
safe houses for three weeks,
then she Ieft.

When she found an apartment
in Hell's Kitchen?

No, she went back to
her husband in Rye.

She couldn't bear to Ieave
her stepson behind.

You mean Tommy?

She Ioved that child
Iike he was her own son.

Well, then why
didn't Jill take Tommy
with her to the safe house?

She wanted to,
but we couldn't allow it.

Jill's his stepmother.

She had no Iegal right
to take Tommy
from his father.

If she'd brought him here,
we'd be accessories
to kidnapping.

So that's it?
You couldn't do anything?

Our hands were tied.

We told her to
fight for Iegal custody.

We even found Jill
a pro bono attorney.

I'II confirm Jill
was my client, but
anything else is privileged.

She hired you
to help her protect Tommy.

We're trying to do
the same thing.

Where's Tommy now?

He's in the hospital,
too traumatized to speak.

Tommy saw the attack.

He spent the night
trying to help
Jill as she died.

You sending him
back to his father?

Unless you give
us good reasons
why we shouldn't.

Jill married Dan Hoffman
two years ago.

The abuse started
soon after.

What happened to
Tommy's real mother?

Kim Ieft when
Tommy was three.

Hoffman probably
beat her, too.

Did Hoffman ever
abuse Tommy?

He terrorized him
psychologically,

but he had never
Iaid a hand on the boy yet.

Jill knew it was only a matter
of time before Hoffman turned
his rage against his son.

Any official
complaints of abuse?

Against Dan Hoffman?

Respected member
of the community?

She thought no one
would believe her.
BENSON: You did.

I know the signs.
Jill Hoffman was
definitely abused.

So what was your plan?

File for
emergency custody.

It was a Iong shot,
even with a good judge.

You knew she'd Iose.

You told Jill to
take Tommy, didn't you?

I'm an officer
of the court.

If I abetted my client
in the commission
of a felony, I'd be disbarred.

CHIEF ROSSANNO: Tommy Hoffman?
Dan Hoffman's son?
Mmm-hmm.

No. You got
your wires crossed.

Tommy's down in
FIorida with his stepmom.
Little winter getaway.

Yeah? Anything go on
in this town that
you don't know about?

I happened to bump into Dan
Iast week at the EIks CIub,
he mentioned it.

What kind of guy
is Hoffman?

Nicest guy in the world.

Successful real estate agent,

sells big houses
to folks escaping
crime in your city.

Any history with
family problems?

Just that tramp
of a first wife.

Kim ran away
with another man,
Ieft Dan and the boy.

But Dan rose to the occasion,

never misses a soccer game
or a parent-teacher
conference.

So your officers have never
responded to a domestic
dispute over at the Hoffmans?

You're barking
up the wrong tree.

Dan Hoffman's done
more for this
community than anybody.

Here. Picture of him
in the Rye Journal.

Go see those folks.

Not a week goes by,
Dan's not in their paper
for some deed or another.

Take your pick.
Hoffman's a major player
in Rye.

We've got Iots of pictures.

Uh, we'd Iike some
of his son, too.
Oh, all right, um...

(EXCLAIMS) Here's Tommy.

Tommy with Jill at
the school bake sale.
Cute kid.

Do you have any
of Tommy's mother?

His real mother.

I don't see why I bother
to keep shots of Kim.

She'II never show her face
in this town again.

Why did you say
you needed these?

We are, um, trying to trace
the heirs to an estate,

so if this is the right
Hoffman, then the kid
just inherited a bundle.

Hey, Tommy,
I made you a book.

See, it's got
your name on it.

There's you
playing soccer.

And there's you and Jill.

You know who that is, Tommy?

It's my mom.

That's right, Tommy.

That's your mom.

My dad said she ran away.

She didn't Iove us anymore.

But then Jill came
to Iive with you.

She made me cookies
and tucked me in
every night.

But then Jill went away, too?

She came back for me.

We ran away from my dad.

It's okay, sweetie.

Tommy, it's okay.
You can tell me.

We were gonna
get a new house.
Uh-huh.

Far away, where my dad
can never find us.

But...

Go on.
HOFFMAN: Tommy!

(POUNDING ON DOOR)

My dad, he's here.

STABLER: SIow down. Hey!
What are you doing to him?

Tommy, come here.
It's okay,
Daddy's here.

I need to see my son.

You have had him
here this whole time
and no one has told me.

Calm down.
You're scaring him.

I am his father.
He needs me. Tommy...

Hold on. SIow down.

Tommy, you do not
have to go with him,
okay, honey?

Like hell he doesn't.
He's been medically cleared.

HOFFMAN: And you can't stop me
from taking him home.

Released in
the custody
of his father.

Oh, thank God I found you.

(SIGHS DEEPLY)

Everything's gonna be okay.

Dan Hoffman's
attorney called.

She's threatening to sue
for the emotional distress

of withholding information
on Tommy's whereabouts.

Distress, my ass.

Hoffman didn't even file
a missing persons report,
and he's trying to jack us up?

We only delayed notification
by a couple of hours.

That's not the point.

You were playing
fast and Ioose,
and you got caught.

Well, can you blame us, AIex?
Now the boy is
in the custody of a killer.

AIIeged killer.

AII you have so far
is your gut instinct
that Hoffman murdered Jill.

It could still be a burglary.

Tommy was about to
tell me what happened
when his father showed up.

We need to re-interview him.

CABOT: Hoffman's attorney
will fight it.

So get a court order.
Tommy is a material
witness to the murder.

I'II try,
but some hard evidence
on the homicide

would go a Iong way
with the judge.

HOFFMAN: Haven't you caused
enough trouble already?

Well, sir,
we just came by
to apologize.

We're very sorry
about the misunderstanding.

You have both of
our condolences
on your Ioss.

Well, I appreciate
your sympathies.

But I'm still considering
a Iawsuit.

STABLER: As a father,
I can only imagine
how terrible this is for you.

I'm glad you understand.

How is Tommy doing?

Well, I've consulted
a psychiatrist

who assures me
that Tommy will
make a full recovery.

Good,
that's great news.

Mr. Hoffman,
would you consider

allowing us to
speak with Tommy?

No. Right now, I think
time to heal is in
my son's best interests.

His best interests or yours?

You know what?
I resent that,
Detective.

My wife was murdered.

You, of all people,
should understand.

I'm only trying
to protect my son.

BENSON: Well, how were you
protecting your son
when he was gone for a month?

You didn't even
report him missing.

You told everybody
that Jill and Tommy
were in FIorida.

Okay. You're right.

I Iied, but I was
only trying to protect
my wife's reputation.

I didn't want anybody to
know how emotionally
unstable she was.

I thought that I was
doing the right thing.

Didn't you want any help
in trying to find her?

Yes. Of course I did,

but I was afraid
going to the police
would set her off.

Look, she's always
come back before.

So I waited.

I was worried,
but I didn't know
what else to do.

Where were you
the night of the murder?

I was in the city
at the Realtors'
Association dinner.

Five hundred of my colleagues
will support that.

Here for the open house?
You're early.

Actually, we're not
here about the house.

Now, you sat next to
Dan Hoffman at the Realtors'
Association dinner dance?

How could I forget?

Handsome man Iike that,
and he came without a date.

Did he stay for
the whole event?

No, by the end of
the awards he was bored,
so he went to the bar.

I would've gone with him,
but I was getting a plaque.

Well, congratulations.

Did you see him after that?

He promised me a dance,
but he never made
it back to the table.

I thought he stood me up.

STABLER: You thought?

Well, he showed up
Iater on.

I confess I was
a Iittle jealous.

And why is that?

Well, he was all sweaty
and his clothes
were all messed up.

I wish he had
danced with me that way.

Do you remember
what time it was
when you saw him again?

Around 11:00.

I remember because
I always call the babysitter
around then.

Oh, excuse me.
Come on in.

He had time to sneak out,
do the murder and
get back to tango.

With his rumpled shirt.

What about the blood?

Coveralls worked
good enough for O.J.

This is a weak alibi.

Maybe Cabot can use it
as ammunition
at the hearing.

A child's mental
health is at risk.

I'm ruling there be
no further interviews
of Tommy Hoffman

until after a full
psychological examination.

Dr. George Huang
can do the evaluation.

He's worked
with Tommy before.

PIease, don't do this.
Dr. Huang works for
the police department.

You would be forcing
my son to endure
another interrogation.

Is that true, Ms. Cabot?

Dr. Huang is
a consultant for the NYPD,

he also happens to
be highly qualified.

You're splitting hairs,
Ms. Cabot.

Look, I have already
made an appointment

for Tommy to start therapy
with a Dr. Mildred Souther.

AII right?
She's a child specialist
in trauma.

Why does Tommy
have to see
two psychiatrists?

I agree. The court will await
Dr. Souther's evaluation.

Then at Ieast put the child
in foster care until after
the evaluation is complete.

Tommy Hoffman is
the only eyewitness
to a homicide

that may well
have been committed
by his father.

There's absolutely
no evidence to suggest

my client had anything to do
with his wife's tragic death.

Mr. Hoffman's alibi
for the time of
the murder is shaky,

and there's a history
of domestic violence.

That is a Iie.
I would never hurt Jill.

Jill Hoffman was
an unstable woman
making wild allegations

because Dan Hoffman
wanted a divorce.

She abducted the boy
in an act of revenge
against my client.

The police have no evidence
that my client knew where
Jill or the boy were hiding.

I've heard enough.
The child will remain
in his father's custody.

Dan is a kind and gentle man.
He's incapable of violence.

How can I convince you?

Let the police interview him.

For starters, Iet's talk
about that 45-minute gap
in your alibi.

It was a boring,
rubber chicken dinner.

I went to the bar
for a drink.

Try again. We checked.
The bartender
doesn't remember you.

Well, why would he?
I mean, it was a mob scene,

so I went outside to
get some fresh air,
chatted with some people.

Just give us their names
and we're done here.

I don't know their names.
I mean, you don't ask for ID

when you're chatting about
the Yankees' scouting report.

There you are,
at a dinner dance,

Iess than a mile
from Jill's apartment.

You jump in a cab,
you're there in
Iess than five minutes.

If I had known
where Jill Iived,
I would've gone there

and I would have
convinced her
to come home.

I thought you
wanted a divorce?

I wanted my son back.

I mean, if Jill
wanted to Ieave,
that's fine,

but I wasn't going to
Iet her take my son.

You've got an answer
for everything, don't you?

I'm not buying your
Ioving father act.

Tommy is terrified of you.

My son is everything to me.
I would die for my son.

BENSON:
Tommy almost died for you.

You killed Jill, and then
you Ieft him alone
in that apartment.

And had firefighters
not responded so fast,

then you'd be burying him
along with your dead wife.

You wouldn't dare talk to me
Iike that if you didn't have
that badge and gun.

You notice, in the interview,
Hoffman never called Tommy or
Jill by their names?

It was always
"my wife," "my son."

Possessions, not people.
Hoffman owned his family.

He had to punish
Jill for Ieaving.

Power and control.
Two classic signs
of a batterer.

Well, so far
we can't even prove
that he found Jill.

I may have something
to help you on that.
Bring it on.

She opened a new
checking account
under the name Dana McGuire.

I talked to
the real Mrs. McGuire.

It's not hers.

So it's Jill's.
She write any checks?

No. She made cash withdrawals

and deposited
a couple of paychecks
from J.A.G. Enterprises.

Jill was working?

Yeah, as an entertainer
at Benny's Topless on 12th.

Jill was real sweet,
but she was a Iousy dancer.

STABLER: Why'd they hire her?

Lot of commuters stop in
on their way back
to the burbs.

Jill Iooked Iike
Susie Homemaker,
that turned them on.

One guy said it was
Iike having June CIeaver
give you a Iap dance.

Why did Jill quit?

I'm not sure, but she had
a major freak out
about a week ago.

STABLER: Over what?

Uh, she saw a guy in the crowd
she knew from the town
she used to Iive in.

She mention his name?
MANDY: No.

But a couple of days
Iater she was gone.

What night was that,
that she, uh, saw the guy?

It was a week ago,
Iast Tuesday. Um...

I remember it 'cause that was
the night I introduced
the cockatoo into my act.

Okay. Thank you.

Hey, nail the prick,
will you?

We'II do our best.

Let's check
the credit card receipts,
see who came in here from Rye.

Mr. Rizzo, you're quite
a big spender over there
at Benny's Topless.

Look, you can't tell my wife.

She thinks I work
a Iot of overtime.

Well, so help us out here,

we won't have to
take a drive up to Rye
and talk to you at home.

Whatever you need.

You know Dan Hoffman?

Yeah.
He's a great guy.

I handle a Iot
of his closings
out of my office in Rye.

Did you take Hoffman
to the strip club,
you know, boys night out?

No, but I tried.

Especially after
I saw that stripper.

She's a dead ringer
for his wife.

Did you tell Hoffman
about this stripper?

I called him on my way home,
you know, thought he'd get
a kick out of it.

Put her in an apron
baking cookies, half the town
would swear it was Jill.

No one spotted Dan Hoffman
in the strip club,

but he didn't have to
go inside the joint.

Once he knew
where Jill worked,

it would've been easy enough
to follow her home.

The night of
the dinner dance,
he slips out, he kills her.

I mean, it's almost
the perfect crime,

except for the fact that
his alibi has a hole
you can drive a truck through.

Nobody at the dance
remembers seeing him
for a full 45 minutes.

So,
what do you say, Counselor,
we got probable cause?

It's all circumstantial,
but it's enough
for an arrest.

Well, don't Iook so happy.

We may not survive
the grand jury.

Why not?

Dan Hoffman will testify.

His father-of-the-year act
has everybody fooled.

He's handsome, charismatic,
and he plays the grieving
widower very well.

I think Mr. Wonderful is
going to dirty up the victim
and the jury might not indict.

Stop him from testifying.

I can't.
Once he's arrested,
it's his right.

His attorney
will serve notice
at arraignment.

So we're stuck.

I could do
a silent indictment
without arresting him.

If I present
the facts to the grand jury

as part of an investigation
into the homicide,

I'm not obligated
to notify Hoffman.

If the defense is out of
the Ioop, then Hoffman can't
assert his right to testify.

I'II indict him
in the morning.
Then you can pick him up.

BENSON: Tommy.

How you doing?

Tommy, come back inside.

Come on, buddy, you gotta
pick out which video
we're gonna watch.

How about you show me
some of those soccer moves.
Come on.

AII right. That's it,
I'm calling my attorney.

Gonna file a restraining order
against you both
and then sue for harassment.

You wanna make a call?
Tell her to meet you
at Rikers. Turn around.

You can't prove anything.
Turn around.

The grand jury disagrees.

Dan Hoffman, you're
under arrest for the murder
of Jill Hoffman.

You have the right
to remain silent.

If you give up that right...

It's okay.
It's okay, Tommy.

"Indictment number 4319,
People v. Daniel Hoffman.

"Murder in the Second Degree."

How does the defendant plead?

Not guilty.

CABOT: The People
request remand, Your Honor.

My client is
a community Ieader
with no criminal record

and the sole
caretaker of his son.

Well, he wouldn't
be a single parent
if he hadn't killed his wife.

Control yourself, Ms. Cabot.

Bail is $100,000,
cash or bond.

We request
a speedy trial date.

My client is eager to
prove his innocence,

an opportunity the A.D.A.
denied him
in the grand jury.

The district attorney
is under no obligation
to inform him...

I know the Iaw, Ms. Cabot,
I also know your
reputation for bending it.

"A child's mental
health is at risk."
Your words.

We didn't want to
further traumatize
Tommy Hoffman

by having his father
arrested prematurely.

RIDENOUR: Anything else?

Motion to preclude
any witnesses stating

that Jill Hoffman told them
she'd been abused.

CABOT: Jill Hoffman was
emotionally distraught

when she spoke
to the domestic violence
shelter staff.

Her remarks clearly qualify

under the excited
utterance exception
to the hearsay rule.

But, Your Honor,
admitting them

violates my client's
constitutional right

to confront and
cross-examine his accuser.

It's unduly prejudicial.

Those statements
are a key element
of my case.

Well, your case
is in trouble.
Motion granted.

We're screwed.

The defense will argue
that Jill Hoffman

was murdered
during a home invasion
gone bad.

There's no evidence
Dan Hoffman can use
to support that claim.

But there's nothing
to disprove it, either.

Jill Iived in
an unsafe neighborhood,
and she worked as a stripper.

She was at a high risk.

Tommy's testimony
would convict Hoffman.

You give me a chance
and I know that

that kid will tell
me what happened.

Kid's been in foster care
since Hoffman's arrest.

OIivia can go interview him.

Judge Ridenour's order
not to talk to Tommy
is still in effect.

Even if Tommy says
his dad killed Jill,

his statement would be
precluded because we
disobeyed the court's ruling.

You could subpoena
Tommy for the trial.

It's a hell of a gamble
to put a traumatized child

on the stand unprepared.

Besides, Hoffman may have
coached Tommy to say
that a stranger did it.

What about his
biological mother?
She has rights to talk to him.

Kim Hoffman?
Yeah, well, either she
fell into a black hole,

or he murdered her, too.

Now guess
where I'm placing
my money on that one?

So far, no signs of activity
on her social security,

no tax returns
since she disappeared,
no signs of Iife.

Find somebody who knew
the first Mrs. Hoffman.

Mr. Wheaten, how Iong have
you Iived across the street
from the Hoffmans?

Ten years,
before they moved in.

STABLER: Did you know his
first wife, Kim?

Sure, but just to say hello.

You know,
we have been all over town

and nobody seems to know
Kim Hoffman well.

Well, I'm not surprised.

Her husband had her terrified
to talk to anyone.

I'd see her outside, wave,

she'd Iook over her shoulder

to make sure
he wasn't watching
before she'd wave back.

Did you ever
see him hurt Kim?

Kim always had bruises,
one time a broken arm.

She said she'd tripped
over the stroller.

Did he ever say
anything after she Ieft?

That she'd run off
with another man.

I didn't believe it.

BENSON: So what do you
think really happened?

Hoffman killed her,
of course.

Especially after
I saw the black van.

BIack van?
What van?

It pulled in Iate at night.

I saw this shadowy figure
fill it with garbage bags,
then drive away.

Next day, Kim was gone.

I called the cops,
gave them the Iicense plate.

Dan Hoffman's not a killer.

Well, did you investigate
Kim Hoffman's disappearance?

Did you check on
the neighbor's tip?

Oh, you've been talking
to Mr. Neighborhood Watch.

Wheaten thinks he's Columbo.

Did you run the plates?

Harry, would you please pull
the Kim Hoffman file?

Look, we may not be
the almighty NYPD,
but we do our jobs.

Someone reports a murder,
we check it out,
even if the guy's a crackpot.

So, yes, we ran the plates.
Yes, they came back
to a Dawn Trent.

Soccer mom, Port Chester.
Yes, she was there.

Delivering Girl
Scout cookies.

May I?

The case is closed.
You want the file,
you're welcome to it.

Thanks.

I'II brief Cabot,
see if we can get
her to stall the trial.

And I'II try and find
Dawn Trent. She's got
a Iot of questions to answer.

I don't know Dan Hoffman.
I already told
the Rye Police.

It must be some mistake.

Nice home you have here.

You seem to be a nice mom.

Lady Iike you
is not the usual
accessory to murder.

Murder?

We're re-investigating
the disappearance
of Kim Hoffman.

I'm sorry,
I don't even know her.

STABLER: You're a Iiar.

Lady, we've got a witness
who places you there,

at their house,
the night Kim disappeared.

Where'd you stash the body?

I don't know Dan Hoffman.

But I do know Kim.

I was there that night,
helping her Ieave.

Kim's alive?

Oh, she wouldn't be now
if I hadn't gotten her out.

It's the same old story,
Detective.

Your husband's
the nicest guy in town,

pals with everybody,
including the cops,

but every night
when he comes home,
he beats you.

He degrades you.
He terrorizes you.

Who's gonna believe
that the Man of the Year
is a batterer?

And you can't Ieave him,
there's nowhere to go.

He'II find you.
He always does.

There's nowhere to
hide in a small town.

The only way
is to get far away
and start over.

But that takes money.
And help.

And that's what you provide.

Well, it's not just me.

There's a group of us.

What is this,
some kind of DV
underground railroad?

You could call it that.

I was Kim's first stop,
and then I passed her
on to another helper.

You grabbed her
and took her away.

Why not the kid?

(SIGHS) Kim was going to die,
Detective. We had to move.

Her hope was that
she could come back

for Tommy when she'd
gotten herself together.

I need to talk to Kim.

Well,
I don't know where she is.

AII any of us know
is the next
Iink in the chain.

I picked Kim Hoffman up
from the bus station.

From there,
we drove to Poughkeepsie.

After that...

Kim was Iiving on a farm
outside of Woodstock.

I helped her move
to New Paltz.

Then I heard she moved
to Brewster.

I got her settled
in Torrington.

The Iast I heard
she was still there,
working in a dry cleaner's.

Thank you, sir.
Have a nice day.

Can I help you?

Yeah.
I need to talk to you, Kim.

I'm sorry, you must
have me mistaken for
someone else. My name is...

Kim Hoffman.

No, it's not.

It's about Tommy.

Is Tommy okay?

Physically, yeah.

He needs you.

(SIGHS)

I cry for him every night.

You must think
I'm a terrible mother
for Ieaving him.

I know why you Ieft.

Nobody knows how bad it was.

Dan used to
beat me so severely
that I couldn't walk.

I had to get out.

Once I was safe,
I was gonna go
back for Tommy.

Why didn't you?

I did.

Once I was settled,
I went back to Rye.

I saw him playing
in the front yard
with some woman.

He called her Mommy.

(SOBBING)

He Iooked so happy.

I thought he was better off.

He had everything
I couldn't give him.

I can't face him.

I can't face him.
Yeah, you can.

He'II never understand
why I Ieft.

He'II never understand.

What if he
doesn't Iove me anymore?

What if he doesn't...

Listen to me.

Your ex-husband is
about to be acquitted.

If you don't help Tommy,
he goes back to that house.

You have to risk your
pain to save his Iife.

Jill worked in my office.

She was so kind
to me when Kim Ieft.

She offered to cook dinner
for Tommy and me, babysit.

So she pursued you?

I was on the rebound.
She was a beautiful woman,
I was flattered.

Did the relationship change
after the wedding?

I saw another side of Jill.
She had a terrible temper.

One night I didn't praise
her cooking enough,

and she smashed the meatloaf
all over the walls.

Tommy was terrified.

I just realized
that she was
emotionally unstable.

I begged her to get help.
She refused.

I just hoped with
enough Iove and support
that things would change.

CHANEY: And did they?

HOFFMAN: Jill got worse.

I was afraid
that she was
gonna hurt Tommy,

so I told her that
I wanted a divorce,

and she said
she would make me pay.

The next day,
I came home, she was gone.

I mean, she'd Ieft before,
but only for a day or two.

And I was... I was relieved,
until Tommy didn't
come home from school.

And then I realized
that she had
taken him with her.

Thank you, Mr. Hoffman.

So you're the victim here,
Mr. Hoffman.

My son was taken from me.

You have no idea
what I went through

wondering if
Tommy was all right.

You Iove your son
very much, don't you?

Yes, I do.

Then explain why
you never filed
a missing persons report.

I was afraid to go to
the police. I mean...

I thought that Jill
might do something crazy
if she were cornered.

So you didn't
go Iook for them?

Of course I did.

But when a neighbor told you
that a woman bearing
an uncanny resemblance to Jill

was working at
Benny's Topless,
you didn't go check?

I never thought that
that could be true.

Jill was so shy
she wouldn't even
make Iove with the Iights on.

So it's a total coincidence
that within days of hearing
about the strip club,

your wife was
brutally murdered.

I wish that I would have
gone there. I wish that
I would have found her.

If I had,
Tommy would have been
home safe with me,

not watching
Jill get murdered
by some maniac.

Here.
Thank you.

Tommy.

Do you know who I am?

You're my real mom.

You remember me?

I have your picture.

You missed my birthday.

I know.

I know and I'm so sorry.

But I saw your
soccer playoffs Iast year,

when you scored
that big goal.

You did?

Oh, yeah.

I cheered my heart out.

Then why didn't you
come and see me?

I was scared.

Of Dad?

Yes, honey.

He scares me a Iot.

Me, too.

Are you gonna Ieave?

No.

No, I will never
ever go away again.

Promise?

I promise.

CABOT: The People call
Tommy Hoffman.

MAN: PIease state your name.

What is your name?

Can you tell us
your name, son?

This is brutal.
PIease, stop this.

That's enough.
This child is clearly
in no state to testify.

Thank you.

It's okay, Tommy.
You can go now.

I Iove you, Son.

You killed Jill.

CHANEY: Your Honor,
I move for a mistrial.

(PEOPLE GASPING)

RIDENOUR: Order.

Tommy, you Iisten to me.
Don't do this.

(GAVEL BANGING)

RIDENOUR: Order.

Tommy, are you okay?

I'm ready.
I can do it now.