Original subtitles

- 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.

- Come on, Curry!

- Work the jab! Start with the jab!

- Come on, let's go. - Keep that left up, Curry!

- Come on! Let's go, killer!

Keep it up. Keep it up.

Careful, careful!

- Get off the ropes!

- Come on, Curry. Get in there, get in there!

Yeah!

Come on, Curry!

Yes!

Yes!

Devastating. Never doubted you for a second.

- Killer Curry! Next stop Golden Gloves, am I right?

- Hey, how ya feelin', champ? Huh?

- I don't know, after months of training,

I kind of wish it went longer.

- That makes one of us.

Nice work in there, partner.

- OK, well,

this was the easiest 100 bucks that I ever made.

You were great! - Thanks, Cap.

- So, guys, drinks on me at Longshots?

- Mm-hmm. - Definitely.

- I'm not going to say no, you know?

All right.

I'll grab a shower and I'll meet you all there.

- Good. - OK.

- All right. - Hey.

Tremendous.

- Chief.

Didn't see you out there.

- I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I have always been a fan, Captain.

- Always? All the way from Philly?

That's-- that's quite a compliment.

- Let's just say I've been educating myself.

A captain who's so dedicated to the mission of SVU

that she takes what is essentially a demotion

to work in that unit.

That's dedication.

- Well, it's a fulfilling assignment.

No regrets.

- Not much room for advancement, though.

You and I both know the challenges

in this department for women like us.

We're held to a different standard.

And yet, as far as you've come, here you are,

in a redundant position with no real authority.

But the good news is

there is a path to change that perception.

- Victim's name is Leyla Hartman.

Report came in to hotel security about an hour ago.

- OK, what is all this?

- The best we can figure out is some sort of fan convention.

I've seen them on TikTok.

- All right, who's in charge here?

- Hotel manager, Nate Smith.

- Mr. Smith.

Hi, I'm Captain Benson, SVU.

Where's the victim?

- She's with the paramedics now.

- Right.

- She was an attendee of the convention.

She said she was, um,

raped last night.

- OK. Did she say where the rape occurred?

- In a room on the 15th floor just after midnight.

Captain, if you could use some discretion.

We don't want to alarm our guests.

- Right, OK.

So I'm going to need footage

from every single elevator and from the stairwells.

- We don't have cameras in the elevators or the floors.

My team checked the stairwell cameras and the elevator logs.

No one has come or gone from the 15th floor since midnight.

- Lock it down.

- You got it. - Lock it? You can't.

- Mr. Smith, this hotel is a crime scene now,

so nobody leaves without an interview.

- So is there any insight to all of this?

- Yeah, it's weird.

This Romeo kid, a potential suspect,

is some sort of ballet prodigy.

He blew up on social media, had over 300 fans here last night.

- OK, but the kid's talented, so what's--what's weird?

- It's the fans. They're intense.

They travel all over the country to these conventions.

They pay thousands of dollars to be, quote, "Superfans."

They pay for private lessons. They're obsessed.

- OK, well, I had a college boyfriend

that followed the Dead for almost a decade.

- Yeah, but your college boyfriend wasn't

sending the Dead college money and fantasizing

about the turning 18, so it would be legal.

- How old is this kid?

- 16. Every person we talked to was a woman, 40s, 50s.

Said Romeo changed their lives, made them feel young again.

- Mm. - Definitely gives you the ick.

His mom supposedly runs everything.

Sets up all the cons, controls all the access to him.

- OK, you two head up to the 15th floor, interview everyone.

I'm going to talk to the victim.

And find this mother.

I want to talk to her.

- After the VIP event, Romeo asked me

to come to his room to help him talk to his mother.

- W-what do you mean?

- He wanted to stop performing

and he was afraid of her reaction.

Uh, I told him that I would be there for moral support.

- Oh, so

he must have really trusted you

to ask you for that kind of help.

- I thought so.

- OK, so you went to his room, right?

And what room was that?

Do you remember?

- Um...

1550.

- OK.

So can you walk me through what happened next?

- It was like a--a-- a switch flipped.

He just got this look.

like, an evil look,

and he attacked me.

- OK. You know what?

We don't need to do this now, OK?

So what's going to happen next is

I'm going to have the ambulance take you to the hospital

where you're going to get a SAFE exam.

- I'm not sure that I want that.

- Oh, OK.

OK, well, it's entirely your decision.

You should know that it might help us with the investigation,

so, you know, why don't you-- why don't you

talk to the doctor about it?

- All right.

Thank you.

- Of course.

She's ready to go.

Go ahead.

Bruno, the crime scene room is 1550.

- Body's cold.

No pulse. She's gone.

- Captain, we got a body, female.

- I think it's Romeo's mother.

Yeah, it's Diane Martin.

- Possible blunt force trauma to the head.

We're in Romeo's room.

- I'm on my way up.

- Somebody went out the window.

Must have climbed into another room on this floor.

Trail stops three windows down.

- That's room 1533.

- Open it.

- It's locked from the inside.

- Take it.

- NYPD!

- Hey.

- Please help me.

- Get him up.

- Let's go.

- Hey. There's no dad in the picture--he died six years ago.

Did Romeo ask for a lawyer yet?

- Not a word,

but I wanted to take a peek in what we're dealing with.

- Right.

- Kid's got over 2 million followers.

- Oh.

- You are worthy.

You deserve love.

You deserve to love yourself,

and I'm going to help you.

I'm going to keep you accountable.

We'll do this together.

Let's go.

- Well, he seems like a sweet kid.

Has he done anything questionable?

- Not that I can tell. It's all pretty wholesome.

- Great, yes!

Everybody give it up for Alison!

Drop a thumbs up, drop a comment down below.

- So I looked into the mother's financials.

- Mm-hmm.

- Past two years, she's taken in 600,000 in donations,

all from fans.

Supposedly for his college fund,

but they all went into her account.

- That sounds like wire fraud.

- Or pimping him out.

- Or that.

- Take me home with you!

- Romeo, I want your lips next to mine.

I want your body against me.

- I know it sounds crazy.

I mean, he's my son's age, for God's sake,

but Romeo has made me rethink my entire life.

He's just so positive, so encouraging.

I love how he touches me when we dance.

My sex life?

Let's just say way more active.

- He awakened something...

- They know he's a kid, right?

- Oh, yeah, they know. Check out the comments.

- "If my thoughts were actions, I'd be in handcuffs."

"If he was a couple years older,

I'd do a plié on his face"?

Lovely. - Yeah.

I just think there's more to the story here.

- Clearly, oh.

Let's go find out.

- Now that I read you your rights,

are you willing to speak with us regarding these allegations?

- Hey, Romeo.

A woman by the name of Leyla Hartman has made some

pretty serious allegations against you.

But we are willing to listen to your side of the story, OK?

Hmm?

- Listen, kid.

If you want to help yourself out here,

you should really talk to us.

Let me take a shot here?

- Hey, Romeo.

You should listen to him.

Because he might be able to help you.

- Before I can talk to you,

you need to verbally acknowledge

that you want to talk to me.

I promise you I understand.

Just let me know that you're cool with us talking.

- OK.

- I asked my captain to leave the room

'cause I'm going to share something with you

that is very private to me.

Something that I honestly think may help you.

When I was 15,

something happened to me that changed my life.

I was sexually assaulted in my bedroom

by one of my mother's friends.

I was--I was, um, too young to process

what happened.

Um, and when I began to understand it,

I felt...

incredibly confused.

Why didn't I feel lucky that she chose me?

Why didn't I appreciate the lesson?

Why did I feel so

incredibly ashamed?

And then pretty soon,

that feeling went from shame to guilt.

Like, was it my fault?

Did I do something to bring this on?

And then that feeling...

That feeling went to anger.

I began to hurt myself,

drank alcohol to quiet my thoughts.

I wanted to kill myself.

And then I wanted to kill everybody around me.

Look, I don't know what happened last night.

I only know what I'm being told.

But...

I promise you

that if you tell me what happened,

I'll understand.

Because I've been there.

- She killed my mother.

- Hey, Whalen, how you doing?

Homicide said someone was coming over?

- Yeah, kid. - You catch a case?

- Yeah. City never sleeps, right?

- Right.

- You want to run it down for me?

- Yeah. So the crime scene's on 15.

- Mm? - Victim's Diane Martin.

She's the mother of the kid who's being interviewed at SVU.

- Wait, you saying you think he's good

for your rape and my murder?

- That's what we're trying to sort out.

You seem skeptical.

- I'm always skeptical.

And cynical.

All right, I'm going to head up to 15.

Have your captain notify me

if she wants me to take a crack at that kid.

- 10-4.

- You know, I knew your old man.

- Oh, yeah?

- Yeah.

- After my performance, my mom organized a VIP meet-and-greet.

- What happens there?

- The Superfans pay for alone time with me.

I walk around the room and talk to them.

- What do you talk about?

- You know, I tell them they look great,

give them the stretching tips, take selfies.

- So it's just normal conversation?

- It doesn't feel normal.

Feels weird.

- How so?

- Um, at first they're nice, but...

they've usually been drinking and they--

I don't know...

start talking about, um, sexual stuff.

What they want to do to me when I get older.

- You ever tell your mother?

- She just said ignore it, but I hated it.

- Because it's inappropriate.

Your mother should have put a stop to it.

What happened last night?

- It was late.

Uh, my mom told me to go back to the room.

Leyla got on the elevator with me.

She...was really drunk.

She tried to put her hand under my shirt, but--

I told her to stop, but she just laughed.

- What happened when you got back to your room?

- I told her not to come in.

She did anyway.

She--

She pushed me onto the bed.

She pulled down my pants and put her mouth down there.

- That's a crime.

She was assaulting you.

- I told her to stop, but she kept going.

And I remember she had a condom and--

I don't know, I just froze.

And then...

it was over and she just, like...

smiled at me.

She was so happy.

I felt so weird.

- Because it is weird.

- Then Mom came in.

She saw us. She just flipped out.

Started screaming.

Leyla grabbed this marble thing and hit her in the head.

There was so much blood.

- Then what did Leyla do?

- She just stood there like nothing happened.

And then she said we could be together forever.

I was so scared.

I...

climbed out onto the ledge and tried a couple of windows

until I found one that was unlocked.

- I'm so sorry this happened to you, Romeo.

It isn't right.

- She wasn't perfect, but...

she was my mom.

- That was excellent work, Terry.

- He's 16. He's a kid.

And that woman took advantage of him.

You saw, right? His story was solid.

I pressed, and he held up. - I saw.

- And I know--I know we all bring our prior experiences

and demons into this job. - Yes, we do--

- But I am clear on this, Captain.

Crystal clear.

- And so am I.

And I believe you, Terry, and I believe him.

- But our perp is claiming to be a victim.

So what did Leyla Hartman tell you?

- She's tricky. She--

she seemed reluctant to get a rape kit done at the hospital

and, you know, I mean, that's not totally uncommon, but...

I don't know.

Something's flagging.

We need to be very careful

how we approach this.

- All right.

Good.

Good.

- You all right?

- Yeah.

Just makes me wish I had somebody like you

in my life when I was a kid.

- You mean someone like you?

Who's brave enough to share their story

to help someone else?

Look at all of these.

I mean, she must have attended every event.

- So what are we looking for in here?

- How about the murder weapon?

- I'll see if they can rush the prints.

- Yeah.

- Well, you're not going to believe this.

- What?

- You're the sex cops. Is that what I think it is?

- Yes, that is a used condom.

- Oh, how sweet.

Your so-called victim kept a memento.

- Hospital took good care of you?

- Yes. Uh, thank you. - Good.

So the doctor said that you declined the SAFE exam.

- Well, they-- they said it wasn't necessary

since I knew my attacker.

- Oh, OK. Um...

So Leyla, as you know, we've arrested Romeo Martin,

and we're just looking to shore up our case.

- How is he?

I-is he OK?

- It must be so confusing

to feel empathy for the person that

assaulted you.

- He's just--

I--I still think of him as the person I believed he was.

- Well, that makes sense.

I mean, you two had grown close.

- Did he say that?

- You said that.

You--you told me that he confided in you

about wanting to quit ballet,

so you were obviously

special to him.

- He's a very special person.

Or, uh, I thought he was.

- How did you two meet?

- I was interested in getting back into ballet,

and a friend of mine told me about this kid

who was offering sessions online.

She said he was a prodigy.

- And you were a Superfan, right?

So you paid for private--

private lessons?

- Well, yes.

Lots of VIPs did that.

- But you were the only VIP that he confided in.

I mean, that must have--

must have made you feel

really good.

- I actually felt sorry for him

'cause his mother was a monster.

- How much--

how much interaction did you actually have with Diane?

- Uh, not much. Um, hardly at all.

- But she did ban you, right?

From--from the group?

When--when did that happen?

- I don't remember.

- Do you remember why she banned you?

- Romeo told her I was supporting

his decision to quit dance.

She didn't like that. She wanted to control him.

- It wasn't because you were obsessed with Romeo?

- That's a-a lie.

A-a-and what does any of this

have to do with the fact that I was raped?

- Hey, Captain, I'm sorry to interrupt.

Can I talk to you for a second?

- Stay here.

- I'd really like to leave.

- Yeah, I'll just be a minute. Stay here, please.

- Leyla is in the system for a DUI from last year.

CSU said her prints were all over the murder weapon.

- What about Romeo?

- Nothing. Just Leyla's.

- Bruno, you're with me.

Leyla Hartman,

you're under arrest for the sexual assault of Romeo Martin

and for the murder of his mother, Diane Martin.

- What?

- Stand up, put your hands behind your back.

- You don't understand.

He begged me for it.

I was saving him from that woman who was ruining his life.

He begged me for it!

- Obviously, the arraignment judge

saw right through the People's case

and agreed to release my client on bond.

What we have here, ladies and gentlemen,

is yet another instance where the so-called

Special Victims Unit rushed to judgment.

But the most outrageous thing about this case

is that my client is the victim.

She was assaulted by Romeo Martin.

- Mr. Olin. Mr. Olin--

- Quick question. will Ms. Hartman be testifying?

- I will not try this case in the press,

and I will have no further comment here.

See you in court, my friends. - Just one question.

- Uh, Danny, only a prick announces

that he won't try his case in the press

at a press conference that he called.

- All the world's a stage, Carisi.

I guess that makes you the court jester.

See you at the show, sonny boy.

- Olin sure has a bee in his bonnet about you, Carisi.

What's his problem? - I got no idea,

but I'm getting sick and tired of his games.

- Yeah, we all are. - Well, we made a good case.

The guy's just a shark. - He definitely made a fool

of me last night.

- Yeah, you gotta shake that off.

- All right, so court records say that

Leyla Hartman's husband filed for divorce six months ago.

He might have something to say about this.

- All right, Curry, Rollins, see if you can get him to talk.

- How is Romeo doing?

- Look, he's a kid, but he'll be ready.

- Let's hope so.

I feel good about the, uh,

fingerprints on the murder weapon,

but he's our only eyewitness,

so this kid has got to hold up under Olin's cross.

If he folds, Leyla walks.

- Leyla and I are legally separated.

I hired a lawyer, but she apologized,

so we tried again, you know, for the kids.

- Mm.

- Uh, then I caught her talking to that Romeo kid again,

so it's complicated.

- So she's still talking to him

and you're on the fence about divorce?

- Look, my kids are only eight.

I didn't think they were ready to give up on her.

But now, I guess this is finally the last straw.

- Mr. Gibson, Leyla's about to be on trial

for murder and sexual assault.

Will you be willing to testify for the prosecution?

- Oh, I don't know.

It's--I don't think I'm comfortable with that.

- Why not?

- She's still the mother of my children.

- Who is a murderer and who assaulted a minor.

- Look, I d--I don't know about what happened with all that,

but if I testify and she's convicted,

I'm the one who has to explain to my kids

why I sent their mom to prison.

I can't do that. Sorry.

- Hey, John. What brings you in?

- Just dropping off some paperwork.

You got a second?

- Sure. Come in.

- I don't know what's going on with you and Tynan,

but all of a sudden, she's up my ass.

- Oh, well, I know the feeling.

Why, what's she asking about?

- Well, she's guarded. You know, she always has been.

She's asking about the progress of the case, but--

- But what?

- Well, it feels like she's just poking around

about you and this unit.

- Well, uh, Chief Tynan and I

have, uh, definitely had our issues,

but they have nothing to do with this case.

- Yeah.

- Sounds like there's more to the story.

- I'm not one to tell tales.

But if you're at war with her,

there's some things you might want to know.

- All right.

- So 2001, cop is involved in an off-duty shooting,

IAD does a cursory investigation,

they rule it a good shoot,

whole thing goes away.

You know how things were back in the day.

- Oh, I do.

- Well,

rumor was...

that the cop's partner fixed things for him.

- And I take it the cop was Jimmy Griffin.

- And the partner became our new illustrious Chief of Ds.

- Well, I don't know what you want me to do with that.

- I don't expect anything.

Do nothing if that's your decision, hmm?

I'm just passing along information.

- Well, John,

as always, I appreciate you.

- Well, I always liked the way

you handled your business, Captain.

You need any help, you know where to find me.

- Captain.

A word, please.

- Evening, Chief.

- I left you a voicemail.

Two, in fact. You've been busy.

- Yeah, um, sorry, you gave me a lot to think about.

I appreciate your kind words and support and while it's

incredibly flattering to be considered--

- You're turning me down?

- I think that's best for all of us involved.

- You mean Captain Benson?

- No. I didn't tell her about your offer.

I just don't think it's best for me right now.

- I think you're making a mistake, Captain.

- I might be, and that'll be on me.

But I'm also not real interested

in being a pawn in someone else's game.

Respectfully.

- Good night, Captain.

- After the defendant sexually assaulted you, what happened?

- I saw her kill my mother.

- Mr. Martin, did you ever assault Leyla Hartman?

- No.

I never would have done something like that.

I was a virgin.

- Thank you. Nothing further.

- In the last year,

how much money did you take from your fans?

- I-I don't know. My mother--

- Would it surprise you to learn

that it totaled over $600,000?

In addition to the so-called gifts of sneakers

and clothing and jewelry that you solicited from them.

- I don't know.

- Isn't it true, sir, that you preyed

on these poor, lonely women?

- No, no.

- Are these not...

your dirty underwear that you sent to my client

with a request for $1,000--

- Objection, Your Honor.

These were never provided

to the prosecution for inspection.

- Your Honor, my client just discovered these this morning.

- Mr. Olin, put those drawers back in the box.

You know better.

The jury will disregard any mention of the undergarments

unless and until I admit them into evidence.

- Fine, Your Honor.

You took advantage of their loneliness

and their generosity, didn't you?

- I did what my mother told me to do.

- But you wanted more.

We all understand the sexual desires of a 16-year-old boy,

and you decided that money wasn't enough.

You decided to take advantage of my client

by raping her, isn't that true?

- No, no, I-I would never--

- You took the money and you took my client sexually,

isn't that true?

- No!

- I'm done.

- I thought Romeo was a boy who was

being exploited by his mother.

He wanted to stop dancing,

but she was forcing him to continue.

- Did you attend RomeoCon 2026?

- I did.

I just wanted to see if Romeo was OK.

When I saw him in the lobby, he was happy to see me.

He told me he was trying to get his mother to stop,

but that she wouldn't listen to him.

- What happened next?

- He asked me to talk to his mother with him.

- And you agreed?

- Yes.

I went to their room,

but once inside, I realized that we were alone.

- What happened next?

He--he pushed me onto the bed and

ripped off my underwear.

I couldn't believe what was happening.

I--I froze.

He--

He stepped back, he put on a condom, and raped--

raped me.

- Did he say anything?

- He said that nobody would believe me

because he was an innocent 16-year-old boy.

- And after he violently raped you?

- Diane burst into the room screaming.

Romeo picked up a book and-- and hit her in the head.

I was--I was shocked. I ran out.

I didn't want him to kill me.

- Thank you, Leyla.

I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Nothing further, Judge.

- Ms. Hartman,

you heard Detective Bruno testify

that you said that Romeo begged for it.

- I did not. That's a lie.

- Oh, OK.

Well, how did the murder weapon

with only your fingerprints on it end up in your room?

- I know now that it was planted.

- It was planted? By whom?

- Probably the same detectives who are lying about me.

- Well, maybe you can, um,

you can explain to me how a used condom

containing Mr. Martin's seminal fluid ended up

in a coffee cup in your mini-fridge.

- Condom in a coffee cup?

How ridiculous does that even sound?

Obviously they have been railroading me from the outset.

- Mrs. Hartman...

You're separated, correct?

I am.

- And isn't it true that you and your husband

separated over your obsession with Romeo Martin?

- That is not true.

My husband is a liar.

He abandoned us.

- But a family court judge awarded him

joint custody of your children, correct?

- My husband is a criminal and a liar.

He paid off that judge.

- Oh, OK, just so that I got it straight,

uh, the detectives lied, they planted evidence,

the judge was paid off, and your husband's a criminal?

Is that your testimony?

- It is not only my testimony, Mr. Carisi,

it's the truth.

- What's this subpoena?

I told your detectives I'm not testifying.

- I understand, but before you make your final decision,

I want you to hear what Leyla said on the stand.

Hey, Lucy?

Lucy, can you--all right.

OK, sit down.

Can you please read back Leyla's cross-examination

for Mr. Gibson?

- The defendant--my husband, is a criminal and a liar.

He paid off that judge.

Mr. Carisi--OK, just that I got it straight,

the detectives lied, planted evidence,

the judge was paid off, and your husband is a criminal.

Is that your testimony?

The defendant--it is not only my testimony, Mr. Carisi,

it's the truth.

- Mr. Gibson, are you a liar?

- No, sir.

- Have you ever been arrested or even charged with a crime?

- Absolutely not.

- But the defendant testified that you are a criminal.

- It's not the first time she's lied about me.

- Do you have any evidence of that?

- I have a recording of a voicemail she left me.

- Objection.

No recording was ever turned over to the defense.

- Approach.

What's this all about, Mr. Carisi?

- This is a transcript of the recording

which will show that the defendant lied on the stand.

Your Honor, this is outrageous.

No recording was turned over during discovery.

- We just learned of the existence of this recording.

It goes directly to the defendant's credibility,

which is always at question.

And since she testified--

- She may have committed perjury.

I agree with Mr. Carisi.

I'm going to allow it.

- Judge-- - Step back.

- Mr. Gibson, you said that you had received a voicemail

from the defendant.

Could you please play that recording for the jury?

- Christopher, you messed with the wrong woman.

Back off or I am going to tell the judge that you raped me

and I will tell your boss that you are embezzling money.

I will get sole custody

and you'll be humiliated.

Do not test me.

- As to the charge of sexual assault in the first degree.

- Guilty.

- And murder in the second degree.

- Guilty.

- Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,

thank you for your service.

- You know, I always want to puke a little

when people call me brave,

but I'm going to call you brave.

You were great.

You should be proud of yourself.

- Thanks.

- How do you feel?

- I don't know.

Glad it's over.

I kind of hoped it would make things better,

but I don't really feel any different.

- I get that.

It takes time.

You know you can call me anytime.

I gave your grandmother the name

of a therapist I really like.

You'll go, right?

- I'll go.

- What happened is not your fault.

Remember that.

- It wasn't yours either, Terry.

- Hey.

- Oh, my God, what's with all the closed-door meetings?

What's up?

- Chief Tynan offered me the SVU Deputy Chief position.

- I'm sorry?

- I turned her down

and I am sorry I didn't tell you earlier,

but it's done and handled.

- Hold on, just wait.

Chief Tynan--

Chief Tynan offered you Deputy Chief?

- Yeah.

Dropped some "women like us" solidarity nonsense too.

- OK. Uh, look,

first of all, Renee,

you can't just turn this down.

- We know what she's doing.

It's a play, and I'm not about to be played.

- I'm so sorry that you got caught up in all of this.

And...

I don't know what her game is, I really don't, but--

but I promise you--

- There's more.

- There's more?

- I just got off the phone

with the Deputy Commissioner for Personnel

and I'm being reassigned.

- No.

- Executive officer here at the 16th.

- No, that's not happening.

I'm going to stop that.

- I'm going to ask you not to do that.

I never needed anyone to fight my battles,

and I'm not going to start now.

- This is not your battle.

She's doing this to get to me.

I'm not letting that happen.

I'm sorry.

- Can you let me handle this

the way that I want to handle it, please?

She's the chief of detectives.

I mean, there's not anything you can do about it anyway.

- I'm not so sure about that.