All language subtitles for Law & Order SVU 0318 Guilt

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,

Hey, Sammy.

Long time no see.
It's good to see you.
GIad you called.

Something happened.

Yeah, what's that?

Bad.

Tell me.

My mom...
I think she knows.

What makes you
think that?

She keeps asking me
questions.

Did you say anything?

No, but she's all
freaked out.

Okay. It's all right.

This is no big
deal now, okay?
You just gotta be cool.

AII right? Just be patient,
just be cool, okay?

Just act Iike an adult,
Iike we always talk about.

Okay.

I don't want to get you
in trouble, man,
you know that.

SAM: Yeah.

I want to protect you,
all right?
Yeah.

Right? So if anybody
asks you, what are
you gonna tell them?

What do you think
I should say?

That's good.
Let him hang himself.

We didn't do anything
wrong, Nothing illegal
happened, right?

Uh-huh, Yeah,

We're just good friends,

He's gotta say
more than that.

I told my mom
nothing happened,
She didn't believe me,

That's all right,
It's just moms,

They don't
always understand,

Hey. You okay, buddy?

You seem really
stressed out.

Run.
What?

No.

SAM: They're listening, Run!
Pick him up. Pick him up.

Get him outside.
Kid tipped him off.

Don't Iet him
near the tracks.

Barnett, can we have
a word with you, please?

You haven't identified
yourself.

But you already know
who we are, don't you, Roy?

Don't worry. We're
gonna get real intimate
before you know it.

What the hell
just happened?

The kid warned him.

It's okay.
You did good.

But we got
something, right?

After all that,
he had to say something
that we can nail him on.

Not enough.

BARNETT ON TAPE: We didn't
do anything wrong, Nothing
illegal happened, right?

Nothing illegal.

Unless we're talking about
Iaw enforcement using
a child to entrap my client.

BENSON: Entrapment. How many
times do we hear that word
when we record conversations?

Every time.

Don't Iet your Iawyer
fool you, Mr. Barnett.

No judge is going to
throw that tape out.

Every word you said
is evidence against you.

Against him? AII he said was
he didn't do anything wrong.

You tried to coerce
your victim to Iie.

You... Wow,
you must have super powers.
I didn't hear any of that.

STABLER:
You know what I heard?

For four years, you've been
taking Sam Cavanaugh
to your apartment

and forcing him
to perform sex acts.

That isn't true.

Hey, pal, according
to Sam it is.

Look, Sam's a great kid,
but he's very troubled.

He makes things up
to see what'II happen.

Why does that sound
so familiar?

Well, maybe it's because
you used the same excuse

in your statement
about another boy in 1985,

and again in 1990. Now, did
they make that up, too?

STABLER: You just
make it a habit
of consorting with Iiars.

Those were misunderstandings.

But you pled guilty
to coercion and
endangering a child anyway.

The world just doesn't
understand men Iike him,

who have a deep,
abiding Iove for young boys.

You don't have the problem.
We do, right?

That's a fascinating glimpse
into your psyche, Detective.

If you're going to charge
my client...

Look, can I just
say one thing?

I spend time with Sam
because I Iike him.

I feel sorry for him because
he doesn't have a father.

Sometimes boys
just need to talk to a man.

If I'm guilty of anything,

it's of having
an overdeveloped
sense of responsibility.

I consider Sam a friend.

I would never do
anything to hurt him.

Nice performance.

He's been through the system
enough to know exactly
how to sound innocent.

Two more minutes and we
would've had everything.

There's no guarantee
Barnett would have
incriminated himself on tape,

even if Sam
hadn't told him.

That kid worked with us
for over a month.
Why change his mind now?

Because part of Sam
still cares for Barnett.

But Sam reported Barnett
to the police.

No, he didn't.
His mother did.

That's an important
distinction.

Sam told his mother about
the abuse, but not before
she confronted him.

From Sam's manipulated
perspective, he's protecting
the one man who Ioves him.

Barnett chooses boys who are
vulnerable, boys who crave
affection and support.

They're the easiest victims
to control and the Ieast
Iikely to turn on him.

Whatever Sam's reasons are,
the upshot is,
we've got no case.

Well, we've still got
his testimony.
Debatable.

He didn't seem
too compelled to testify
the Iast time I saw him...

Then we've gotta
compel him.

Doc, maybe you can see
where his head's at.

No, I don't think
I'm the best choice.
Victims his age are afraid

that because their abuser
is male, they themselves
might be gay.

He might perceive my presence
as an accusation.

I'II talk to him.
He thinks this is
all his fault.

The hardest part is going
to be convincing him
that he's wrong.

AII right, I'II take
the mother into my office.

You talk to Sam
in the interview room.

CABOT: What we asked
you to do was a
very difficult thing.

I am sorry you had
to go through it.

I want you to know right now,
nobody blames you
for telling him,

all right?

I don't believe you.

Why?

Because I wrecked the whole
thing. I know you're mad.

Not at you. I understand
why you wouldn't want to
get Barnett in trouble.

There's nothing wrong
with that.

Wrong with what?

Caring about
what happens to him,
even if you don't want to.

Sam, what Roy Barnett did
to you was never your fault.

He chose you because
you are young
and he could control you.

When you decide
you want to be with someone,

whoever that person is,
it will be your choice.

I'm not a fag.

I'm not saying...

I have a girlfriend.

Okay...

I'm not a fag!

I don't want to
talk about it anymore!

Sweetheart. Sweetheart,
wait. What is it?

I want to go home.

Oh, Sam, come on.
We can talk...
No, I don't want to do this!

Mrs. Cavanaugh, I'm sorry...

You said it would be over.

You said nothing
would go wrong.

Nothing went wrong.

We've still got him
in custody.

The only reason I came to you
was because I didn't
know what else to do.

He didn't want to
call the police.
HUANG:
You did the right thing.

With Sam's help, we could put
Barnett away for a Iong time.

We tried to help you.
It didn't work.

You've already
come this far.

No.

I'm not going to put him
through this again.
We're done.

Where's Barnett now?
BENSON: He's processing.

He'II be out on bail
by tomorrow afternoon.

Which means we've got until
then to build a case against
him without Sam Cavanaugh.

Any chance on finding
other victims?

Barnett's parole included
mandatory therapy
which he allegedly attended.

I wonder what
dirty Iittle secrets
he shared with that shrink.

CRAGEN: Track down
the therapist. What else?

We've gotta get into
his apartment.

Guys Iike these,
they're collectors.

So photos, videos, something
to prove Sam's story.

AIex, I assume we've got
cause for a warrant?

PIenty. You'II have it
by the time you get there.

STABLER: So much
for being a collector.

This guy doesn't keep
anything about his victims.

Well, he collects
every single porno
ever made, though.

AII hetero, all adult.

Latest video games
with every component
state of the art.

Look at this. Sports stuff,
video games, wide screen TV,
plenty of porn.

Are we sensing a theme?

Yeah, it's a teenage boy's
paradise.

Everything you need
to seduce your next victim.

Boys probably Iike
spending time here

'cause it's a Iot more fun
than their own house.

But everywhere you turn,
more sex.

Get their motor running,

and then just take it
a Iittle bit further
every time.

Only one big problem we got.

None of this stuff
is incriminating.

MAN: Nothing of note
in the bedroom.

We'II take the hard drive
down to the Iab. Maybe
they'II have better Iuck.

120 gigabyte hard drive.
119 gigabytes of porn.

So you were
able to access it?

Yeah. But none of it's kids.

You want to see
the Britney Spears collection?

Maybe Iater.
What else did you find?

Well, it's what
we didn't find.

Usually the Internet files
are a gold mine,
but not with this guy.

He emptied out his cache,
his histories, his Internet
temporary directories.

Okay. Service provider?
Doesn't save its records.

Well, how the hell
did he have time
to get rid of all that?

He didn't know
we were Iooking at him
until his arrest.

My guess is he clears out
these files daily.

But I thought you guys
could retrieve deleted files.

He's got one of those
hard-core scrubber software
on his drive.

It's not Department
of Defense grade,
but it's pretty thorough.

It writes over
deleted files between
eight and twenty times.

I've been able to extract
a word, and fragments
of an image here and there.

So where does that
Ieave us?

Well, give me six months,
$50,000, and an
electron microscope,

I might be able to find
something. But I might not.

Pulled Barnett's file
after I got off
the phone with you.

Parole board thought
he was the poster boy
for the therapy program.

Sounds Iike
you didn't believe that.

Not for a second.

Barnett was one of the most
gifted Iiars I've met,
but he was still a Iiar.

So is every criminal.
So is my partner,
for that matter.

What makes Barnett so special?

Fooled everybody around him
into thinking he was cured.

FIN: Why not you?
Instinct.

Quantify instinct.
I don't.

That's good.
Very scientific.

I saw it most during
group therapy.

Barnett just Ioved
Iistening to his fellow
sex offenders disclose.

Getting his rocks off
while he's supposed to be
getting rehabilitated.

He wasn't the only one.

Guys Iike him are a big reason
I Ieft the prison system
for teaching.

What about Barnett?
Did he disclose?

Part of his behavioral
intervention.

At one point, he admitted
to molesting over 100 boys.

Did he happen to mention
names, dates or places?

Too smart for that.

He's far more calculating
than your typical pedophile.

Barnett never chooses
victims of opportunity,

Iike children of a girlfriend
or a second wife.

He's a true predator.
Unrepentant, unstoppable.

No amount of therapy
will change that.

You're telling me
we've got nothing.

CABOT: We have a victim.
Who won't testify.

We've got nothing.

Yet. The detectives
can still investigate.

Well, exactly how much
more time and resources

would you Iike to waste
on this guy?

It's not a waste
if we nail him.

Barnett's smart.
He's not going
to make it easy on us.

I had your job for 10 years.
None of these guys
are Rhodes Scholars.

And in my job,
you pled Barnett down.

Charged with sodomy two,
you Iet him off on coercion.

It was a first offense,
and there was no evidence.

But please,
Iet's compare records

on how many child molesters
we've pled out over the years.

AII I'm saying is,
these cases are never
slam dunks, Liz.

Assuming you can
even find the victims,
they rarely want to testify.

I don't need you
to tell me how the
Special Victims Bureau works.

I haven't been gone
that Iong.

The fact is, you had a
slam dunk with Sam Cavanaugh,
and you blew it.

I can't force him to testify.

You can try.

Barnett is Iet Ioose again,
it Iooks bad for everybody,

and the prosecutors
get the brunt of the blame.

I remember that from my time
in Special Victims as well.

Don't tell me
that's changed.

I don't understand
why you can't just go
to the grand jury

and tell them what Sam
told you. They'II believe you.

They need to hear it
from Sam himself.

What if I told them
what he told me?

That's hearsay,
and the Iaw doesn't allow it.

You weren't in Barnett's
apartment with Sam.

I wish I was.
Just one time.

I could have stopped it.

I would have killed him.

The only person whose fault
this is is Roy Barnett's.

I want to make him pay
for what he did to your son.

But if I can't put him
on trial, he is going to keep
doing this to other boys.

I'm sorry, Ms. Cabot, I...

I know how much
you Iove your son.

Don't Iet the man
who did this walk away
without being punished.

(SIGHS)

I know you
don't want to do this.
I don't want you to either.

And I know
this is my fault.

A Iot of it.

And I will never forgive
myself for Ietting
that man come near you.

Mom, please.

So you tell me
what you want to do.

We won't talk
about it again.

You want me to tell
this Iady to go, I will.

You tell me
what you want to do
and that's what we'II do.

I'II do it.
I'II do the trial.

Okay.

STABLER:
It's okay if you're nervous.

This is the worst part.
Waiting.

The first time
that I testified
in front of all those people,

I was so nervous I forgot
the name of the guy
I was testifying against.

How many people again?

You got 16 jurors,
plus Ms. Cabot.

She said Roy
was going to be there.

Not while you're testifying.
You never have to see him.

I don't care.

So now when you testify
and stuff, it's easy?

Not always.

But when you get older,
when you're a man, you gotta
do things that are difficult.

Nobody in there believes
this is gonna be easy for you.

It takes a Iot of guts.
A Iot of courage.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Okay. We're ready.

CABOT: When was
the first time
you remember Mr. Barnett

touching you in a way
that made you
feel uncomfortable?

SAM: When I was 12.

Do you remember
what happened?

I was at Roy's.
I mean, Mr. Barnett's.

We were just hanging out.

He gave me some beer
because I helped him
change the oil in his car.

How much did you drink?

I don't... I don't remember.
He just kept getting me some.

Okay.

What happened next?

He started
showing me stuff.

Magazines.
Pictures of girls.

Then what happened?

He talked about how
guys Iiked to Iook at them

'cause it made them
feel good,

and that nothing
was bad about that.

What else did he say?

He said that
everybody does it.
That it's no big deal.

When he touched you,
what did he say?

Roy said he could
show me how to do it.

He said that
he knew how to do it right
'cause he was older.

He said that all guys did it,
and that I could be
a man just Iike him.

After Iunch I will present
the rest of the testimony
to the grand jury,

and they will deliberate.

I don't think
it'II take very Iong
to get an indictment.

How'd it go?
Sam did great.

MRS. CAVANAUGH: Can we go now?
I'II call you
as soon as we know.

You did good.

Damn it.

Keep walking, dirt bag.

Burn in hell,
you sick son of a bitch!

The bastard ruined my Iife!
Bastard ruined my Iife!

You ruined my Iife,
you sick bastard!
I hope you rot in hell!

You ruined my Iife!
Sam. Sam...

Hold the elevator.

You okay?
Yeah.

I thought I was over it.

But then I saw him
on the news,
when you arrested him.

I saw his face,
and it all came back.

I don't even know
what I was trying to do.

When did it happen?

It started when I was 1 1.
He coached baseball
after school.

Picked out the "special" kids
for extra practice.

BENSON: How many were there?
A few.

Most of them moved away
or stopped going.

But I kept coming back
for five years.

That's why
I never told anybody.

Because eventually
you have to admit,
it's your choice, you know?

I could have stopped it...

Tommy, we don't care
if you went back
for 10 years.

The second
that he touched you,
he took away your choice.

When I got older, he told me
to not come over anymore.

I thought I had done
something wrong.

He just kept telling me
to bring my friends over.

My younger friends.

Whose fault is that?

Barnett's.

He was the adult,
and you were the child.

We're having trouble Iocating
Barnett's other victims.

You remember
any of these boys' names?

It was a Iong time ago.

We really need to
talk to them.

The more people
who come forward,
the Ionger he'II be in prison.

And I want to press charges
against Barnett.

I'm tired of hiding
from this.

How old are you now?
27.

Tommy,

unfortunately
the statute of Iimitations
has already expired.

The Iaw says that these
crimes have to be reported

within five years
of your turning 18.

So that's it, then?

I waited too Iong,
and he just gets away with it?

My client's elected
not to file assault charges
against his attacker.

How extremely generous of him,
considering he doesn't
have a scratch on him.

Mr. Barnett would
Iike to discuss a deal.

This is getting out of hand.
He'd Iike to put it
behind him.

I Iive to make things
easier for your client.

Well, we're willing
to consider
custodial interference two.

Consider it?

You will consider
a misdemeanor instead of
three felony indictments?

You want to put that boy
through the pain of a trial?

This is incredible.

Either you're
a complete idiot
or you think I am.

AIex, there's gotta be room
for some maneuvering here.

Not this time.
It stops here.

Barnett wants to
put this behind him,
you tell him to plead guilty.

It'II save everybody
a Iot of time.

You know you've got them when
the defense starts professing
concern about the victim.

He is as bad as his client,
hoping the victim
is too traumatized to testify.

He's Iucky I didn't knock
his teeth down his throat.

I'd pay real money
to see that.

Tommy Priore gave us
a Iist of other boys

who were possible victims
of Barnett 15 years ago.

Mostly partial, nicknames,
but we'II track them down.

It'II help us establish
a pattern of behavior,

but the statute's probably
expired on all of them.

We're hoping that they'II
Iead us to other boys.

Barnett used to Iike
to find his victims
through referral

from whoever
he was molesting at the time.

Sam Cavanaugh
ever refer anybody?

Never said. But then again,
he hasn't been
the most forthcoming kid.

I'm meeting him in an hour
to go over trial procedure.
I'II ask.

Now, the defense attorney's
going to try to confuse you

and make it seem Iike
you misunderstood
what happened.

Just answer as honestly
and briefly as possible.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, just give
yes or no answers.

Very good. Look directly
at him when he's asking
the questions,

and Iook at me
when I'm asking them.

Mr. Barnett will be there,
but he can't
say anything to you.

How Iong do you think
it'II take?

I'II try to make it go
as fast as possible.

But as for
the defense attorney...

Yeah, just yes or no answers.

You'II do fine.

I was thinking about
the other boys Roy knows

who maybe aren't
as brave as you are.

If we knew who they were,
we could help them.

Sam, do you know
if there were any others?

I think so.

I didn't know them,
but Roy kept telling me
how I was getting older,

and that pretty soon
I wouldn't need to be
his friend anymore.

I don't really think
he was your friend.

I remember this one time,
Roy picked me up
early from school.

He always says people need
a break once in a while.

We went over to the piers,

and he took me on
one of those tour boats
that go all around the city.

It was really freezing,
and I didn't have my coat,

so he gave me his.

And then when it got dark,
all the Iights
in the city came on.

I'd never seen it Iike that.
It was really cool.

Then when we got back
he bought me a burger
and took me home.

He wasn't all weird and stuff.
He didn't try anything.

I think that was one of
the best times I ever had.

How sick is that?

It's not sick. That's what
he wanted you to think.

He wanted to make you
Iike him because he knew
what he was doing was wrong.

So he never really Iiked me?

Yeah, I guess
that's what I thought.

You want a ride home?

My mom gave me
money for a cab.

It's Iate. I'II take you.

No, that's all right.

It's almost over.

I know.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Hello?

Oh, my God.

He's still alive.
They're working on him now.

His mom found him.
He asphyxiated.

They don't know how Iong
he stopped breathing.

How?
Aspirin
and his anti-depressants.

Get out of here.
Get her out of here!

Get out! Are you happy now?

Is there anything else
you want him to do for you?

Get out! Get out of here!

Let go of me. I'm fine.

Oh, God.

Here's what the attending
told me.

Sam suffered from hypoxia
due to Iack of oxygen,

which Ied to cardiac arrest.
God.

He's on a respirator now.
The neurologist said
there is some brain activity.

Some? What does that mean?
Is he going to wake up?

Possibly. But there's
no telling how much
brain damage was done.

BENSON: Could it have been
an accidental OD?

Didn't find a note.

MUNCH: They don't
always Ieave one.

Look, AIex,
this kid had problems
Iong before you...

I want to know if Barnett
had any contact with him.

Dump the phones.
We already did it.

Barnett didn't call Sam.
Other way around.

15-second call from
Sam's house to Barnett's
near midnight.

Are you trying for coercing
a witness?

15 seconds doesn't
seem Iong enough.

PIus Sam initiated
the contact.

It's Iong enough.
I don't care
who made the call.

Barnett had a strong influence
over him. It is possible
that he gave him the idea.

I don't want possible,
I want to crucify this guy.

Where are we
on unreported victims?

We ran the names
Tommy Priore gave us

through DMV, public records,
tax rolls, utilities.

We came up with one hit,
Benjamin Tucker.

But you're not gonna Iike him.
Why?

He's in Sing Sing,
convicted two years ago,

and his preference
is eight-year-old girls.

Another pedophile. Perfect.

Set it up.
I'II meet you there.

Where you going?

To try and save this case.

Barnett's attorney
filed a motion to dismiss.

Is this true?

Every word.

The complaining witness
is no Ionger available,

and the prosecution cannot
meet its burden of proof.

He's been incapacitated
for 12 hours, Your Honor.
He's not dead.

The motion to dismiss
is premature.

Devastated by hypoxia.
This Ieaves Iittle room
for interpretation.

So you're a doctor now?

Hold on.

Is the boy going to
recover or not?

There's no way
to answer that.

She's not a doctor either.

Mr. Kressler, it's not
particularly attractive to be
so happy about this tragedy,

so Iet's kill
the enthusiasm. However...

Your Honor, the People have
a right to try this case.

And the defendant has
the right to a speedy trial.

You've got three days. Next?

Sam Cavanaugh testified
in front of a grand jury

before he was
made unavailable.

I would Iike his testimony
to be read at trial.

He was never cross-examined.

My client has a right
to confront his accuser.

People v, Geraci,
When a witness has been
intimidated by the defendant,

the use of the witness's
grand jury testimony

as a part of the People's
direct case is warranted.

Your client had contact
with Sam Cavanaugh
the night he overdosed.

Don't tell me
that is a coincidence.

It was a 15-second phone call,
originated by the witness.

Mr. Barnett told him
they couldn't speak,
and he hung up on the kid.

I would hardly
call this intimidation.

Four years of physical
and mental abuse.

Four years of manipulating
that boy into doing whatever
that man told him to do.

I would argue their entire
relationship Ied to the
witness's attempted suicide.

You want to prove he tried
to kill himself
because he was abused

so you can prove
he was abused. I...
What kind of Iogic is this?

Circular Iogic,
and it's bootstrapping.

Nice try, Ms. Cabot,
but the grand jury
testimony is out.

PIease, Your Honor...
Three days.

If the People can't make
their case by then,
I'II have to throw it out.

I started offending
when I was 18.

I had a Iot of anger, and also
I had a Iot of self-hatred.

You know, because of
what Roy did to me.

And because my parents
were...distant.

That right?

I read about that kid
who overdosed.

You want, I could testify
against Roy for molesting me.

Your history
of Iying to obtain
more Ienient sentencing

makes that a Iess
than compelling offer.

I was a victim.
Yes, you were.

And you can help us
prosecute your molester
by giving us information.

You kept some kind of records
when you were offending,
right?

Little pictures,
mementos from your victims,

so you could...relive
the excitement of it all?

Yeah.
Where did Roy keep his?

I don't remember.
Well, think a Iittle harder.

Seriously. No idea.

What do you want?
Well...

What can you give me?
We're done.

I want a transfer
to a psych facility
for sex offenders.

I don't belong in prison.

Oh, but Roy Barnett does.

I did some very terrible
things, but I know
they were wrong now.

When I'm released, I know
I'm not going to put myself
in those situations again.

I'm just going to stay away
from temptation.

No driving by schools,
no going to malls.
None of that.

If your information
Ieads to Barnett's conviction,

I will consider your request.

Only offer. Yes or no.
Right now.

Roy knew
never to keep records,
but he had one weakness.

Videotapes.

Of what?
Him.

With his victims.
He used to send them to us.

STABLER: You got these tapes?

That was his thing, not mine.

That's not good enough.
We need tangible evidence.

So you've got
this overdose kid.

I guarantee Roy
sent him tapes, too.

He couldn't help it.

Mrs. Cavanaugh,
we're very sorry to intrude.

May we speak with you
for a moment?

What are you doing here?

We have some new information
about Mr. Barnett
and your son,

and it's extremely important
that you allow us
to search your home.

No. Leave.

Mrs. Cavanaugh, we can't begin
to understand your Ioss,

but we can arrest
the man who molested Sam.

You could have taken out
your gun and shot my son
in the head.

It would have been the same
thing. Maybe better.

I don't ever want to
see you people again.

It's okay.

Did you tell her
what we were Iooking for?

Well, before or after she
started yelling for security?

Does it matter?

Write her a note
and slip it under the door.

Leave a message
on the answering machine.

Do you really think
she cares about helping us
make our case?

Make her care.

Well, we've still got this
other victim, Ben Tucker.

Never in a million years.
STABLER: Why?

You were sitting
right across the table
from him, EIIiot.

Just based on that,
do you think
he is a good witness?

Make him a good witness.

I can't make his priors
disappear.

Besides, that case would never
get past a grand jury.

AII of a sudden you just
take cases you can win?

I try the cases I am handed
by this squad.

You don't Iike the evidence
I've got, find me some more.

I can't do your job, too.

You can't do my what?
Out of Iine, AIex.

I am not out of Iine,
and I don't work for you.

You work for me,
at my discretion.

Your sole purpose in this
process is to bring me
a case I can prosecute,

not one I have to fix.
Fine.

Then you tell us, Counselor,
how can we help you
put this man away?

What would you
Iike us to do?

Nothing.

You've done all you can.

PETROVSKY: Are the People
ready to proceed?

Request a continuance,
Your Honor.

We've been here before,
Ms. Cabot.

The People need more time
to gather additional evidence.

Well, unfortunately,
the People's time has expired.

As the defendant has the right
to a speedy trial,

and pursuant to
CPL Section 30.30,

I have no choice
but to dismiss this case.

Mr. Barnett,
you're free to go.

Stalking me, Counselor?

I need a search warrant.
What are we searching for?

Videotapes of Roy Barnett
engaged in sex acts
with minors.

You're kidding.
Where are they?

Sam Cavanaugh's house.
Oh.

And his mother
would rather see you dead
than Iet you search the place.

Information from
a reliable source?
Don't start.

He was a victim of Barnett's
until five years ago.

Which is old news.
What's the rest of the story?

He's in Sing Sing for
aggravated sexual abuse one,

plus a separate
fraud conviction.

I can't believe
you're even asking.

Roy Barnett is
a serial child molester.
He will not stop.

Neither of which is a reason
to grant a warrant.

The tapes are.

You have no idea
whether they even exist.

This is our Iast chance.
I have to risk it.

I won't order a search based
on the dubious word
of a convicted pedophile.

You Iook Iike hell, AIexandra.
Get some sleep.

Hey, where were you?
We gotta go.
Coffee. What's up?

Cabot called.
She wants us to meet her
at the Cavanaughs' now.

We got a search warrant?

She must've called in
a big favor.

Mrs. Cavanaugh,
I'm here to inform you

these premises are considered
a crime scene

and subject to search
by the police.

What crime?

Your son's alleged
suicide attempt.

Until we can prove otherwise,

we are required to treat it
as an attempted homicide.

Right. Maybe someone stuffed
the pills down his throat.

Maybe I did it.
Is that what you're saying?
Mrs. Cavanaugh, I...

I'd Iet you talk to him
yourself, but he can't speak.

He's in a rehabilitation
hospital.

Know when he's coming home?
I am not here to upset you.

Never.

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 Iet Roy Barnett
get away with what he did.

Any restrictions
on the search warrant?

Nope. Whatever you can find.

Liv.

BENSON: What have you got?

I don't know.

Return address is Barnett's.

Never bothered to open it.

Oh, he's Ieaving town.

You know, we're really
going to miss you.
Now what?

We're helping you pack.

You think all that stuff's
gonna fit in his cell?

Probably not.

Barnett's being processed.
We're heading to Mulligan's
to celebrate.

Probably not gonna
want to do that.

And why's that?

Dad's mad.

Get your asses in my office.

You searched the Cavanaugh
place without consent?

What?

Barnett's attorney's
on the horn with every city
official he can think of,

screaming
Fourth Amendment violation.

We didn't need consent.
Cabot had the search warrant.

Try again.

Are you saying Cabot told you
she had a warrant?

I don't remember.

Don't give me that crap.

You better start saving
your own jobs and stop
covering for the A.D.A.

She didn't actually say
that she had a warrant.

But she specifically told you
to meet her for a search,

implying she had a warrant.

She's out of her mind.

Captain, it was a good faith
search. As far as we knew,
there was a warrant.

EIIiot, good faith doesn't
cover Cabot Iying to you.

BENSON:
She did that to protect us.

What are you now, her Iawyer?

Those tapes showed Barnett
with half a dozen other boys.

If we hadn't found them,

we would have never known
about his other victims.

And if a judge
throws those tapes out,
we know nothing.

Linda Cavanaugh
never consented
to any search.

The Assistant District
Attorney Iied her way in

by claiming the apartment
was a crime scene.

Sam Cavanaugh's
alleged suicide attempt
was never investigated.

Ms. Cabot, you're not
going to sell that here.
Don't even try it.

This was a blatant
Fourth Amendment violation,
sanctioned

and indeed carried out
by the People.

Therefore, any evidence found
must be suppressed.

Mr. Barnett's Fourth Amendment
rights were not violated.

Linda Cavanaugh's
certainly were,
but she isn't the defendant.

Mr. Barnett is.

He has no standing
to contest a search
of someone else's home.

Are you actually arguing

that you can march in Iike
the Gestapo and search
any private residence?

I am arguing I can search
any private residence

that doesn't belong
to your client.

And it will have no bearing
on these proceedings.

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 defendant's privacy
was not violated,

and therefore he has
no Iegal standing
to contest the search.

Motion to suppress
the evidence is denied.

Ms. Cabot, I scarcely
know where to begin.

The Iiberties you have taken,

the disdain you have shown
toward the Iaw in this court,

are highly unethical
and a disgrace
to your position.

Be assured,
I will recommend your office
to Iook into your actions.

And you have done yourself
a real disservice
in my courtroom.

I won't forget it.

The tapes are in.
Good.

What about you?

Petrovsky acted
Iike I killed her dog.

Just one more enemy
to add to the Iist.

You took a big chance.

You were never in jeopardy.
I made sure of that.
It will all fall on me.

You should've told us.

I am sorry.

No, you're not.

I am sorry you were ever
in the middle of this.

But you're right.

I'm not sorry about the rest.

I have to go.
I have an arraignment.

"Docket number 51024. People
v, Roy Johnathan Barnett,

"Six counts Sodomy
in the Second Degree.

"Six counts Use of a Child
in a Sexual Performance.

"Six counts Promoting
an Obscene Sexual
Performance by a Child.

"Six counts Possessing
an Obscene Sexual
performance by a Child.

"Six counts Sexual abuse
in the Second Degree."

PETROVSKY: How do you plead?

DONNELLY: One month's
suspension without pay,
and that's a gift,

so you can save
the arguments.

I have no argument.

Linda Cavanaugh decided not to
file a civil suit against you,
me, the police department,

and the city
for your illegal search.

So may I offer you
a big congratulations

on successfully
setting civil Iiberties
back 200 years?

It was her choice.

Oh, she had a choice?

Deciding her right to privacy

wasn't as important
as putting her son's
molester in prison.

No, AIex,
you decided that for her.

And you think
that's just fine.

You think that makes you
passionate and righteous.

The ends justify the means
because you got away with it.

I take full responsibility
for my actions.

Of course.

You did it for the greater
good, the safety of society.

Bull. You did this for you.

I did this for hundreds
of Barnett's future victims.

One. One victim.

Sam Cavanaugh. Did it work?

Did it assuage your guilt?

No.

I don't think that's gonna
happen any time soon.

I got news for you.

It won't happen. Ever.