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.

Who found her?

One of our custodians saw Pamela run out

of an empty classroom.

She say what happened?

She won't tell us.

But whoever attacked her ripped her clothes and hit her.

Thanks. How's she doing?

Vitals are stable.

No apparent fractures, but he did a number on her face.

She may need a few stitches.

Pamela, my name is Olivia. I'm a detective.

Please, leave me alone.

Who attacked you?

I don't want to talk about it.

I know that you're scared.

It was just an argument, okay?

Did he rape you?

I said something nasty to him.

It's my fault.

I'll ride with her.

Detectives,

custodian said a boy was running down the hall

just as Pamela came out of the classroom.

- He say who it was? - Didn't see his face.

But he was wearing baseball team

practice sweats.

Come on, man.

All right.

Everybody line up for batting team practice.

Can I help you?

Police.

Any of your players not show up today?

No, they're all here.

Fin...

Take a look at his jersey.

Is it all right if we talk to your pitcher?

L.T.!

Front and center.

Yes, sir.

These police officers need a couple seconds.

What can I do for you guys?

Tell us how that got on your shirt.

Sure it's not from beating the crap

out of Pamela Sawyer?

Get off me.

My Dad's a cop.

Get him up.

What's his name?

Pete Breslin.

You're Luke.

Yeah.

You know him?

His father was my radio car partner.

Did you call my dad yet?

Yeah, he's on his way.

He's gonna kill me.

Well, look, you let me talk to him first.

I've known him a long time.

Yeah, I sort of remember you now.

Hey, did I--did I do something wrong?

You beat up Pamela Sawyer.

Did she say I did that?

When we called you on it,

you threw a right hook at me,

almost knocked me on my ass.

I don't remember.

What do you remember?

Um, eighth period. Calculus.

The bell rings. I get dressed for practice.

Then what?

And then I'm sitting alone in the back of your car.

Okay. Um...

How did Pamela's blood wind up on your shirt?

I swear, I don't know.

She does.

Oh, my God. Is she okay?

Can I talk to her?

No, you're going to sit,

and we're gonna sort this out.

Hey, John.

Sit with Luke here for a few minutes, will you?

Right.

You should have a doctor look at your head.

I'm okay.

You need a statementfrom me?

For what?

61 on Luke for taking a swing at you.

When's the last time you saw that kid?

Five, six years ago.

He ever been in trouble before?

I'll check, but I doubt it.

His old man would've killed him.

He's jammed up enough.

I don't need to collar him for hitting me.

You might as well stop asking

because I'm not going to change my mind.

Okay. We have Luke Breslin.

Luke's here?

How'd you know?

Your blood is on his shirt.

What's going to happento him?

That's up to the Assistant District Attorney.

He's never done anything like this.

There must be something wrong with him.

Well, if you tell us what he did,

maybe we can help him.

I stayed late at school to work on a math project.

I was on my way out,

and Luke was running down the hallway.

He was all hyped up and weird.

He grabbed me and started kissing me on the lips

like we're going out.

So what did you do?

I pushed him away.

He got really, really mad.

Then he pulled me into the classroom

and ripped my shirt.

I kicked him and he hit me in the face.

And then he just walked out.

We're best friends, but I don't know.

Maybe I said or did something

to lead him on.

He had no right

to attack you, Pamela.

And you need to press charges.

He'd be kicked out of school.

He wouldn't graduate.

What's everybody going to say

if I do this to him?

Pamela, you can't protect him.

Her parents are here.

Detective Stabler

will be handling the investigation.

Fin already filled them in.

Is Pamela okay?

Well, she's a little bruised up,

had a couple stitches,

but otherwise, I think she's all right.

Pamela's been friends with him since second grade.

He's always at our house.

We're like surrogate parents to him.

How could he do this?

Did--did you arrest him?

We can't. Pamela won't press charges.

- Well, then we will. - Well, it's her choice.

The most we could charge him with

is misdemeanor assault.

That's all?

Yeah.

It may not be worth it

to make Pamela relive what happened at trial.

Hi, I'm Detective Benson.

Pamela's right in there. You can see her now.

Can I talk to you for a minute?

What the hell was that?

I'm giving them the facts.

Luke Breslin assaulted Pamela Sawyer.

End of story.

And I'm having a hard time - believing that. - Why?

Because he's the son of your ex-partner?

Because he's got some kind of memory loss.

Oh, that's convenient.

Elliot, if this was any other kid,

there'd be no discussion.

I left a message for Huang.

He's gonna come in and talk to him.

Since when do we call the shrink

before we make the collar?

I just think there's another explanation.

"It may not be worth it

to make Pamela relive what happened"?

Who are you kidding?

You're trying to make this go away.

I've known Luke since he was a baby.

Always a sweet kid.

Elliot, you haven't seen him

since before he hit puberty.

And he's not so sweet anymore.

Where are you going?

To see if Pamela's parents had any luck

changing her mind.

Pete!

Elliot.

Man, I'm lucky you caught this.

It's been a long time.

So where's Luke?

You didn't put him in with the mutts.

No, he hasn't been booked. He's not in the system.

He's in with another detective right now.

I tried to call Lily.

Did she get another job or something?

Uh, Lily moved out six years ago.

Oh, I didn't know that.

Where is she?

Michigan.

She don't call.

Not even Luke.

How's Kathy and the kids?

Fine. They're all staying - with Kathy's mom. - Sorry.

Occupational hazard, right?

So how bad is this for Luke?

Well, the detective he slugged

doesn't want to collar him

and the girl's not making a complaint.

You know, uh,

Luke keeps saying that, uh,

he doesn't remember anything.

You interrogated him

without giving me the courtesy

of waiting till I got here?

I'm not trying to run a game on your son. Come on.

Let me talk to him.

All right, look, he's in there.

Detective's name is John Munch.

Just tell him who you are.

Parents tried. No dice. Pam's not talking.

Well, there's not much we can do

without a complaining witness.

What evidence have we got?

Well, the tape of the call to 9-1-1,

photos of Pamela's injuries,

and we will have her DNA from the blood on Luke's shirt.

That's plenty.

We'll charge him the same way

as a batterer whose wife cooperate.

Prosecute him without the victim.

Pamela finds out we can do it without her,

maybe she'll change her mind, give us a complaint.

It's an awful lot of work for a misdemeanor.

She's lucky

that he didn't kill her or disfigure her.

It shouldn't be a misdemeanor.

I'll put it in motion.

Get Luke

into the system now.

Elliot, I got your message.

Thanks for coming in. What do you think?

Well, I have to talk to him first.

Yeah, of course. How's it going?

Swimmingly. Everyone's behaving.

- Am I relieved? - Yeah.

Anyone is looking,

I'll be in the porcelain reading room.

Luke, Pete Breslin. Dr. George Huang.

He's a psychiatrist.

How you doing?

Do you mind if I spend a few moments with your son?

No. If it'll help, sure.

Come on, let's talk.

Luke told me the same thing.

He doesn't remember.

I'm worried about him.

Pete, I gotta ask you something.

Luke ever have a problem with drugs?

He's a straight-A student.

He's got a 98 mile an hour fastball,

and he hits home runs.

And everybody loves him.

Sound like a kid on drugs to you?

I gotta collar him. Captain's orders.

He's got colleges.

Scouts from the minors and majors looking at him.

We both know he's not going to be doing any time on this.

He gets popped,

he's got to report it to every school, every team.

His life is over before it even started.

Pete, he punched a girl. Three times.

This is serious.

Call a lawyer.

You're not gonna do anything?

I heard what those cops did for your daughter on a DUI.

My daughter didn't hurt anyone.

She could've killedsomeone.

And then I'd be in the same boat as you

doing exactly what I'm telling you to do.

Call a lawyer.

Used to give a guya break.

Pete, go home.

Luke's going through the system.

I can't do anything about it.

What are you doing?

You told the Sawyers that Pamela's better off

not making a complaint.

Olivia tell you that?

No, Pamela's parents.

This is worse than breaking the rules this time.

You put the entire squad's credibility on the line.

Captain--

You did everything you could

to get your ex-partner's - kid a pass. - Captain--

As of right this minute you are on vacation.

Just get your ass out of my sight

before I do something we both regret.

I don't understand it.

I've never punched anyone my entire life.

You know, my Dad,

he taught me to hit back

if somebody were to swing at me first.

But Pamela wouldn't hit me and I'm stronger than her.

Luke, are you okay?

Yeah, why?

You seem anxious.

Well, I'm sitting in a police station

and I'm talking to a shrink

about how I don't remember

ripping my best friend's clothes off

and slugging her and a cop.

Yes, I'm--I'm a little stressed out.

Okay, besides what happened today,

have you been feeling stressed out lately?

Not really.

You got a lot on your plate

juggling baseball and studying.

That's not a big deal.

How are things going at school? Good.

Your grades. I have a 3.8 GPA.

How do you manage that when you're playing baseball?

I don't know. I stay up late.

How late? All night if I have to.

Do you have a lot of energy?

Yeah. Most of the time.

Do you ever have a bad day?

Everybody does.

Like when?

Sometimes I wake up feeling so down

I can barely get out of bed.

Wait.

Why--why--why are you trying to confuse me?

I'm not trying to confuse you.

Everything's great.

School's great. Baseball's great.

I have no idea why I punched Pamela or the cop,

but I'm sorry, okay?

I'm sorry.

No way stress made Luke go off like he did.

Well, his father agreed to have him tested for drugs.

I don't think that's what's wrong with him.

What is?

During the interview,

he was talking fast

and he described periods of intense energy

and severe depression.

You think he's bipolar.

He's 17.

He's the right age for the onset of symptoms.

But what about his attack on Pamela?

Rage brought on by a manic state.

What Luke did to Pamela was horrible.

But if he is bipolar, he needs to be on medication.

Thanks, Doc.

I see a psych defense coming a mile away.

Before Novak arraigns Luke,

she's got to know

if he has a history of blowing his stack.

Let's talk to his friends.

Start with Pamela.

I've never seen Luke get mad--ever.

Even when he should.

Why should he be mad?

His father.

Why?

Because nothing Luke does is ever good enough for him.

Well, he bragged about Luke to my partner.

Yeah, but when Luke gets an A on a test,

his father says it should've been an A-plus.

First game of the season, Luke pitches a two-hitter.

His father says it could've been a no-hitter.

And after Luke had this operation,

the doctor said that if he didn't stop playing

all year 'round, he'd never pitch again.

How did his father react?

He blamed Luke.

Said it wouldn't have happened if he worked out more.

And then he gave Luke money to join a gym.

Sure, I know Luke. Joined just before summer.

Worked out like a fiend until last week.

You train him?

I spotted him a few times.

Luke doesn't need a trainer.

You ever see him have problems with anyone?

He got into it with one of the members.

Thought the guy was taking too long

- on the bench press. - They fight?

Luke slugged the guy.

Went to hit him again. I jumped in. Broke it up.

Haven't seen him since.

Okay. If you think of anything else,

give me a call.

Uh, he's got a locker.

I was gonna box up his stuff.

- Sneakers. Socks. - Shorts.

What the hell is this?

Oh, no.

Deca, Depo, Andro.

Luke's on steroids, and he's stacking.

You running a juice bar here, buster?

That stuff will give you pimples

and shrink your balls.

I swear I don't know where it came from.

You better not be lying to me.

Look, I'll cooperate any way I can.

Somebody's selling that stuff in my gym, I want them busted.

You let us put a undercover in here?

I put in the undercover request to narcotics.

They laughed.

They find something funny about this?

It's not a priority in the department.

Nobody who abuses steroids

is out robbing and killing people

to get buy money.

Yeah, they're usually Captain

of the high school baseball team.

So Luke could've been in a 'roid rage

when he attacked Pamela.

Absolutely.

The symptoms are indistinguishable

from bipolar disorder.

Luke's rage was caused by too much testosterone.

And the depression?

Prolonged use of steroids

shuts down your natural production of testosterone.

Stop taking them,

you go into a severe depression

until your hormones start flowing again.

Pamela's lucky he didn't go further.

Very lucky.

I once saw a guy in a 'roid rage

open a steel door by ripping it off its hinges

and throwing it.

Took two shotgun blasts to stop him.

Like someone on PCP thinks they're Superman.

So Luke wants to make his dad proud.

Goes for a quick fix so he can bulk up fast.

And why shouldn't he

when his role models in the majors

are breaking records using this stuff?

And Congress lets kids buy it over the counter.

A certain senator made a little backroom deal

with the supplement industry to keep DHEA on the market.

They're not sending a very good message, are they?

So you're sure that Luke

didn't know what he was doing when he attacked Pamela.

With no previous history of violent behavior,

it's likely the steroids made him do it.

You going to invite me in?

I don't want to talk about it, though.

You sound like Pamela Sawyer.

And that's not why I'm here.

Well, why are you here?

Came to apologize.

You were right about Luke Breslin.

He's been juicing up on steroids

for the last six months.

Pamela says it's because of the pressure

that his father's been putting on him.

His father know about the drug?

No, Luke begged us not to tell him.

Someone's got to.

Don't do it.

Calling Breslin is only going to make it worse.

He's going to court tomorrow.

Arraignment's first thing in the morning.

Docket ending.

497. People versus Luke Thomas Breslin.

One count assault in the third degree.

One count criminal possession of a controlled substance

in the third degree.

What are you talking about? My kid's not on drugs.

I will have it quiet

or you will be ejected, sir.

How does the defendant plead?

Not guilty.

I'll hear the People.

The defendant assaulted a classmate

and the beating required stitches.

The police found three different types

of anabolic steroids in his gym locker.

Your Honor, my client has no previous history

of violence or drug use.

No arrest record and is not a flight risk.

His father is a police officer

with NYPD.

We're requesting ROR release

to his custody.

Ms. Novak?

The People have no objection.

The defendant is released

on his own recognizance

into the custody of his father pending trial.

Take ten.

What's going on in there?

Guy's beating up some kid.

I'm a cop. Go get help.

You're a failure!

You can't be a man without drugs.

Now the whole world has to hear--

Pete, get off.

Stay out of this!

Pete, get off of him.

You've done enough damage!

You stupid, stinking,

sorry piece of crap.

You're a screw-up, a failure!

Who's the failure, you son of a bitch?

You want some damage?

I'll show you some damage.

Hey! Hey!

Stand down.

Stand down.

Let me go. I'm a cop.

Hey, it wasn't him. It wasn't him.

The one on the floor was hitting the kid.

Elliot.

Leave me alone.

What happened?

I don't know.

Yeah?

Doc.

Come in.

Tell me what happened.

I just beat the hell out of a guy.

Was he threatening you?

His son. He was hitting his son.

One second he's got his kid up against a wall,

and the next... I was...

I was busting his face wide open.

That's it?

Can you remember anything else?

Looking in the mirror.

What did you see?

What difference does that make?

What's wrong with me? What's wrong with me?

What's wrong with me?

Why did you come here?

I had no place elseto go.

My Captain sent me home. I'm lucky he didn't suspend me.

You didn't go home.

What's the point? No one's there.

My wife left me last year. She took the kids with her.

Why did she leave?

She was tired of me being angry all the time.

Did you ever talk about it?

Yeah, I went to a priest for counseling.

Next thing I know, she wanted out.

I did everything that I was supposed to do.

You know, I work hard, I got a good job.

I never cheated on my wife.

I've lost my kids. I've lost my children.

It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

But it did.

What about what happened today?

Did that make you feel better?

What kind of question is that?

Are you judging me?

I'm not judging you.

Don't work me like a perp.

I came here--

This was a mistake.

Where are you going?

How many times have you thought

about eating your gun?

Suicide's a sin.

So is divorce.

How long have you beenat SVU?

12 years.

Average tour is two.

I love my job.

What do you love about it?

Getting justice for the victims

and the pervs off the street.

And I'm not burned out.

Were you burned out on your marriage?

I told you she bailed,

not me.

If you want to cut me loose,

you know, give me a clue.

Did your Captain give you a clue

before he cut you loose?

Only about a million times.

I just, uh, always blow it.

What can I tell you?

I, uh, don't like being ordered around.

You don't like being ordered around?

Why'd you become a cop?

My father was on the job.

He must be proud of you.

He's dead.

Did he want you to go into the family business?

Kathy was pregnant. I needed the money.

Was it what you wanted?

What, to be a cop? All my life.

Then why wasn't your father proud?

I never said that.

You never answered the question.

You're putting words in my mouth.

Don't put words in my mouth. I don't like it.

Did your father like being a cop?

Yeah, until the job screwed him. Yeah.

Screwed him? How?

It forced him to rat out his friends

to the Knapp Commission.

So your father was isolated as a snitch?

My father was no rat.

He never testified.

I'm surprised he had a choice.

He didn't. They fired him. And he lost his pension.

How did he take that?

Like it was the end of the world.

And I'm not him.

I never said you were.

Why all these questions?

I have to know you to help you.

What was your relationship like with your dad?

What did you used to do together?

Watch TV. Play ball. Go fishing.

Anything else?

Like what?

You tell me.

He worked 4:00 to 12:00,

so we didn't spend a lot of time together.

He never helped you with your homework?

Once when I was in fifth grade.

I had to make this diorama.

Do you remember those things?

The models that you put in shoe boxes?

Sure.

It was about the Civil War.

And he told me where to put the cannons

and the soldiers and the trees.

Never forget it.

Did you get a good grade?

What?

Did you get a good grade?

What difference does that make?

It's just a question.

I don't understand what you want from me.

The truth.

I want you to start talking.

Really talking.

What grade did you get on the diorama?

An F.

You failed.

I didn't hand it in.

Why not?

I moved one of the trees.

And my father saw it as I was leaving for school.

He took it out of my hands,

and he threw it on the ground and he stomped on it.

It must've really hurt when he did that.

He took off his belt and he beat me with it.

Because I cried.

And only pan-pansies...

cry.

He said I was weak.

And called me a failure.

Called me that a lot.

What did you see in that mirror today, Elliot?

The guy my father always saw.

You're not weak.

You're so busy being strong

and helping everyone,

you've got nothing left for yourself.

It takes a lot more balls to talk about your problems

than beat the hell out of a ghost.

Pete.

Pete.

Elliot.

You hang in there.

Hang in there.

This is Detective Stabler.

Shield 6313. 10:13.

MOS shot, 202 Fieldston Avenue in Riverdale.

I need a bus now.

Is he gonna make it?

Won't know till we get to the E.R.

Hang on.

I can't even get that right.

What didn't you get right, Pete?

Blowing my brains out.

Well, I'm glad you didn't.

Luke's a great kid.

It's all my fault.

He's in cardiac arrest.

Pete, wake up for me.

Pete!

You gotta wake up.

Pete!

What happened?

You left us for a couple seconds.

How you feeling?

Like my chest is going to explode.

What now?

Pulse is racing, 180.

Why? I don't know.

Never seen this before.

Pete, you gotta staywith me.

Pete? Pete! Open your eyes.

That's it. We're almost there.

Detective.

Bullet lodged in his skull. Never hit the brain.

So he's going to recover?

From the gunshot wound, yes.

But, uh, his heart, well, that's another story.

What's wrong with his heart?

He had a reaction to the epinephrine

the medics gave him.

There was something else in his system.

Like what?

My guess is steroids.

Why would you say that?

Blood work showed his testosterone was elevated.

Look, I'll keep you posted.

Thanks, Doc.

Elliot.

Look, Captain--

We got a call from some lawyer

who saw what happened in the courthouse men's room.

Said you beat up on Pete Breslin to stop him

from killing Luke.

Look, how I handled that Luke thing,

you were right to send me home.

I was out of control.

And I want you to know

that I'm dealing with it.

You have trouble dealing with it,

you come to my office or you call me.

I'd like to stay here

and talk to Pete when he wakes up.

Okay.

Doc says Pete's been taking steroids.

Munch and Fin are at Breslin's house.

I'll have them look for the drugs.

Hey.

You want a kiss for saving my life,

you can forget about it.

I'll settle for a hug.

Pete, how long have you been taking steroids?

You remember that highway cop last year on Staten Island?

Perp took his gun and shot him.

Kenny Teachen. Sure.

He was my next partner after you.

43 years old.

He got soft and got himself killed.

I wasn't going to let that happen to me.

Taking the 'roids to keep your edge on the street.

You gonna tell my CO?

Pete, Crime Scene found your stash.

There's no way to keep that quiet.

It was bound to happen anyway after our fight.

I knew I was going to get fired,

lose my pension.

That's why I tried to end it.

Pete, don't lie to me.

I'm not lying.

Why are there powder burns on the side of your head?

Where's Luke?

He's my son.

Elliot.

Luke's fingerprint is on the trigger

- of Breslin's .38. - You pick him up?

Cragen wanted me to come here and get you first.

- Luke may be armed. - With what?

His father's duty weapon is missing.

We tore the house apart.

Couldn't find it.

I've already called the school.

Luke was absent today and so was Pamela.

Benson, Stabler. Manhattan Special Victims unit.

What's going on?

9-1-1 called from this address.

Someone inside with a gun.

You come with us. You three, around back.

Who's out there?

Luke, it's Elliot Stabler.

Go away.

I can't do that.

Now, I'm gonna come in there without my weapon.

All right? Relax.

Just leave me alone.

Please, Luke, don't do this.

Pamela, come with me so they can talk. Okay?

I don't--I don't want to talk anymore.

And you don't have to.

I actually came here to apologize

for what I did to your father.

Nothing compared to what I did to him.

What'd you do?

After court,

my aunt took me to her house.

But I wanted to talk to Dad.

So you went home.

I walk in

and he lays into me about the steroids again.

I said he can't make me stop taking them

if he's taking them himself.

How'd you find out?

The juice I was taking,

I stole it from his room.

I told him that.

He said I should get out.

I was so mad.

So I went,

I grabbed his old gun,

I came back into the living room,

and I said--I said, "Dad, look at me."

Look at me.

But he wouldn't.

And the next thing I know,

he's lying on the floor bleeding.

He was right.

About what?

I'm a failure.

Luke, listen to me. You're not a failure.

I am. I know you're scared

and you may think this is the only way out of it,

but it's not.

Luke, it's the steroids.

When was the last time you took them?

I took them over a week ago.

You're going through withdrawal.

This is why you're so depressed.

I murdered my father.

He's alive. Luke, he's alive.

Please don't lie to me. I shot him in the head.

No, it grazed him. He's gonna be okay.

There was blood all over the floor.

Listen to me. I just talked to him an hour ago.

He wanted me to tell you that he's sorry.

He said all of this is his fault.

You're the only good thing in his life.

No. He wouldn't say that.

You'll have to take my word for it.

Let him tell you himself.

I can see him?

He wants to see you.

Hi, Dad.

I'm sorry.