Law & Order Special Victims Unit s27e03 Episode Script
A Vicious Circle
1
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.
So, this is what being
an SVU detective is?
Transporting bodily fluids?
We're not just picking
up any bodily fluid.
That's what I'm saying.
I mean, what we're
getting is evidence.
Yeah, sure. But it's also
Would you have a
problem holding blood?
No.
You know I wouldn't.
Saliva?
This ain't gonna be blood or saliva.
I don't think you appreciate
the top-notch detective work
that's gone into
this field trip, Griffin.
A rape suspect donated
his sperm three years ago.
We have a warrant to take
possession of said donation.
If we get a DNA match to the rape kit,
one less sicko on the street.
So, grow up and imagine
it's the tiny scales of justice
you're holding in here.
OK. Fine.
Why am I the one that's gotta carry
some suspect's crotch milk?
'Cause you're the new guy.
[EXPLOSION BOOMING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
10-66, we have an
explosion at 129 West 18th.
Send everybody.
Two SVU portables going in.
♪
[ALARM RINGING]
[PEOPLE COUGHING]
Hey, hey, hey. Come here.
Hey, come on.
Come here.
I got you.
You all right?
OK.
[COUGHING]
Damage was confined to
the back part of the clinic.
Luckily, that part was
clear when it happened.
But wait, let me understand.
Why did SVU respond?
Oh, we were already on the premises.
Yeah, we were trying
to collect a sample
to match DNA from a rape kit.
What's your suspect's name?
Ted Simons.
You think he's good for a bomb?
Would be a first for
him, but never say never.
I-I thought it was
another earthquake,
like that one we had this summer.
And, uh, the patients
were helping me up,
and, smoke was pouring from the back.
And what what's
located in the back?
Uh, doctors' offices and the lab.
Uh, that would be where
they store the donor sperm?
Yeah.
Why?
Excuse me.
What happened?
I need to get past.
This is my clinic, I work here.
Uh, that's Dr. Mukherjee.
She owns this place.
It's her whole life.
- OK, thank you.
- Please, can someone help me?
Please, let me go!
Officer, let her through, please.
I'm Captain Benson.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Oh, my God, did anyone get hurt?
No, no, no. Nobody
is seriously hurt here.
- Now, this is your clinic?
- Yes.
I can't believe someone would do this.
What's going on? What happened?
The FBI is, uh, working
with the possibility
that somebody may
have mistook your practice
for an abortion clinic.
No, that's never been
what we've done here.
- No.
- We help people get pregnant.
- It's strictly fertility treatments.
- Yeah, OK.
So I'm gonna put you
together with the FBI here.
And then when you're done with them,
I'd like to ask you a few questions
about a sperm donor, OK?
- All clear.
- How's it looking up there?
Single ordnance, homemade.
Any chance we could take a peek,
see if our evidence is intact?
- Oh, it's not.
- How do you know?
Were you guys looking
to collect ash and dust?
So my entire lab?
Fire got everything.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
That's 10,000 embryos.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
I'm so sorry, Dr. Mukherjee.
I was gonna do a
procedure in an hour.
She'd been trying for five years.
We just got viable embryos.
What am I supposed to tell her?
I'm so sorry.
Why don't we why
don't we step over here?
- Oh, my
- I'm so sorry.
♪
Well, you got your wish, Griff.
I take it all back.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
FBI says the IED was in a bathroom
next to the clinic's lab.
A combination of potassium perchlorate
and aluminum flash powder
shoved in a cardboard tube.
Shotgun shells for fragmentation.
4th of July in a toilet roll.
Well, Ted Simon sure is good
at keeping his DNA under wraps.
No matter what we do,
we can't seem to get it.
OK, so how long have we had
- eyes on his trash?
- Months.
Guy must bleach
his takeout containers.
Haven't even gotten a hint of saliva.
He does know the judge is being
a stickler for the DNA swab.
So if he figured out
that we're trying to get
his DNA from the clinic
But planning a bomb?
That's a huge change in his behavior.
So is going to prison.
OK.
I think it's time to bring
Mr. Simons in for a chat.
[TIRES SCREECHING]
- Give me a break.
- [HORN HONKS]
Yo!
What did I do?
Transporting an extra
piece of trash in the back.
Come on, this is my workplace.
I just thought up some
new questions for you.
I've talked to you three times now,
given you a statement.
Can we just move on?
I didn't know the girl.
And this, OK, is harassment.
[TRUCK HISSES]
Juan, what the heck?
Oh, shoot.
That wasn't very nice of Juan.
Hey, do you
Do you need a ride?
This guy is a twerp.
We press him, I bet
he folds in two minutes.
You remind me of someone.
Mr. Simmons.
Simons.
I'm Captain Curry.
This is Detective Velasco.
Water?
Where's Detective Bruno?
I can see you two bonded,
but this isn't his case.
Do you prefer coffee or a soda?
[SCOFFS] Please.
You sure you don't want any water?
We all know the
second I take a drink,
one of you is gonna swipe the bottle
and run it back there to test my DNA.
And what's so bad about that?
You cops frame people
every day of the week.
I'm not guilty, and
I'm not stupid, OK?
Ask Detective Bruno.
Again, this isn't his case.
We're not here to talk
about Katie Wilkins' rape.
You're not?
No.
Detective Bruno's closing that case.
He's already got your DNA.
- No, he doesn't.
- Oh, yes, he does.
From the fertility clinic.
Roosevelt Women's Health.
You had a romantic affair
with a plastic cup, 2022.
You don't have my
permission for that.
It turns out we don't
need your permission.
Yeah, because we have a warrant.
Detective Bruno's already testing
that sample as we speak.
So, we don't need to
talk about that case.
We're here about the bomb you set.
What bomb?
The one you made
and set off this morning.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
You were trying to destroy evidence.
You went from a small rape
charge to, what is it, arson?
No, no, no.
You're gonna be
charged federally now.
But I-I
I didn't do anything.
Malicious use of explosives,
use of a weapon of mass destruction,
domestic terrorism.
You're looking at
multiple life sentences.
♪
Oh, my God.
Oh, my
OK, OK.
Please, please, listen.
I swear, I swear,
I don't know what
you're talking about.
How am I gonna
explain that to the Feds?
Particularly when
your sample comes back
a match to the DNA that
was found inside Katie Wilkins.
Hey, Feds, I know he lied
about the rape, but, yeah,
let's trust him about the bomb.
♪
OK, OK.
Fine, fine.
Maybe I did sleep with the girl.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
I was drunk.
And you know what?
She was coming on to me.
Hard.
Whoa, whoa.
He has always said he never met her.
Until now.
Let's see if they can
get him all the way.
But I did not bomb
anything, all right?
Are there people who can
account for your whereabouts
yesterday and today?
- Yes. Yes.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
You're not believing this guy.
You should.
Believe me, please.
I'll talk to the DA.
Come on.
But you, gotta help me help you.
- OK.
- Write down every minute,
every second of your past 48.
And put down the
names and the contact info
for anyone who can vouch for you, OK?
OK, of course.
Thank you.
Um, I, uh
[MUMBLING]
Uh, the
Thank you.
♪
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
You can't take that!
You can't take that! Give it back!
Give that back!
Hey!
I doubt that this weasel
has the balls to bomb anything.
I'll call Agent Bradstreet.
But if the FBI wants to look
into him for the bombing,
they can find him at Rikers.
Captain, a call from
Detective Gallagher, Homicide.
There's a body.
They think it belongs to us.
♪
Whole building's vacant.
Businesses moved out, never came back.
Work from home, videoconferencing.
Now everyone says AI is next.
It's getting to be the
only time people will meet
face to face is to commit murder.
What a world.
Heard you're on the
fertility clinic bombing.
Yeah.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Real estate agent found her.
ID said Mukherjee.
The bomb was meant for her.
All right, so Dr. Mukherjee
was 44 years old.
She was married and owned and operated
Roosevelt Women's Health.
So I guess Ted Simons really
is off the hook for the bombing.
Yeah, and we're on the hook for it.
The IED was in the
bathroom next to the lab.
We assumed the lab was the target.
But on the other side
was Dr. Mukherjee's office.
Right, but the ME
thinks that she was killed
someplace else and then dumped.
Now, the ligature marks on
her neck indicate asphyxiation.
There was no murder weapon found.
But the bruising and
lacerations on her neck,
there's this particular
spiral pattern.
Maybe exercise
equipment with springs?
Maybe.
So her phone was found on her.
- Anything?
- TARU's still working on it.
OK.
So the husband.
Husband is Chris Clemente.
He's 44 years old. They have no kids.
He has been a master
plumber for the last 15 years.
They've been married for 12.
Here's a wrinkle.
Mukherjee filed a summons
with notice for divorce
three months ago, and Clemente
moved to a studio
apartment in Astoria last year.
Right.
Well, divorce means lawyer.
And she may be dead,
but,
maybe, we can still
get her side of the story.
Anything you can tell us
would be useful, Mr. Olson.
I-I can't believe she's dead.
Was the divorce contentious?
You know death does not free me
from attorney-client privilege.
Can you tell us anything
that doesn't violate privilege?
Yeah.
My client wanted to settle.
I wanted to settle.
The husband's
attorney wanted to settle.
But the loser of a
husband, Chris Clemente
Why did he refuse a settlement?
Because he's a
jealous, drunken leech
who wanted all of her money,
making up these outlandish
claims about her fidelity.
Was she having an affair?
Come on.
How do you know?
Because I'm her divorce lawyer.
I've seen every credit card
bill, every bank statement,
every dollar that was
spent and earned.
Trust me, all Mukherjee did was work.
All Clemente did was drink.
You know he tried to
to choke out a guy
after a bar fight, right?
She had to bail him out,
even then, when they were separated.
When was that?
This past January.
[CHUCKLING] He's a plumber,
about to earn a doctor's inheritance.
Mr. Clemente.
I'm assuming this ain't
about a clogged sink.
Your wife, Dr. Ila Mukherjee
She accusing me of something?
She's dead.
She's
What?
[TENSE MUSIC]
You know anything about that?
How?
Wh-what happened?
Sorry for your loss,
but, where were you yesterday?
I was on a job site all day.
When was the last time you
spoke to or saw Dr. Mukherjee?
- The last court appearance.
- OK.
You two didn't really
get along, did you?
Was the divorce amicable?
I've known her since college.
- It's hard.
- It's hard? Why?
Why, because she was cheating on you?
No.
I don't know.
What, didn't you
want more in alimony?
I mean, we used all my savings
to open up her clinic.
I at least wanted to
She cucked you.
You should get the
lion's share, right?
Right?
I didn't say that.
Do I need a lawyer?
If you want one, that is your right.
But for right now, we're just trying
to get your side of the story.
I loved her.
And fine, yeah, we might have
been having a really hard time,
but I would never, ever hurt her.
You have one of those
tools that you use to, uh,
unclog a drain?
You know, it's made of metal.
You pull it out, it's in
the shape of a spiral.
- An auger.
- Yeah.
Can we look at it?
What do you mean?
Why?
Because if you want us to think that
you're being cooperative, cooperate.
Let me find it.
Don't touch anything.
We need to take photos of it in place.
Gloves and bag are in the trunk.
♪
Hey, what about those
death threats she was getting?
Did anyone look into them?
She was getting death threats?
"Life is a death sentence."
"Your life ends with you.
You were born without your consent."
"Suicide is a gift."
This is messed up.
Mukherjee's clinic received
these four months ago.
They started showing up at
her residence the past month.
Never a return address.
I saw this snake and sword
outside Mukherjee's office.
Yeah, it's a broken ouroboros,
the symbol of the
antinatalism movement.
Yeah, so I've heard of
that, and they believe that
procreation is unethical.
All of it?
Well, they think life is suffering
and coming into existence
only causes harm.
How do you even like, what,
so the endgame is just letting
the human race go extinct?
Sounds like a death cult.
A death cult with a Discord,
which says that
they're having a protest
tomorrow at Astor Place.
And, Captain, an antinatalist
bombed a fertility clinic
in Palm Springs last May.
OK, where are we
with the husband's auger?
In the lab, waiting on results.
All right, so hit this protest
and see if you can get anyone to talk.
OK.
What's up?
Chief of Ds wants to see me.
OK.
She say why?
I think it's pretty obvious.
She probably heard
about the service I did
for the DEA or her dog
Griffin maybe saw something.
I don't know what.
Maybe.
But, you're supposed to
report to her, and you didn't.
What, am I supposed
to rat you out now?
- I'm not a rat.
- OK.
- I'm just gonna tell her
- You're gonna tell her the truth.
And not a word otherwise.
I
Velasco, you were by the book.
You did what you did.
I did what I did.
I can handle myself.
OK?
OK.
Excuse me, ladies.
Life is a death sentence.
It's not too late for you.
Ladies, consider a condom next time.
Just a thought.
Hi. Let's put an
end to pain. Help us.
Sir, have you
considered having kids,
and can I convince you otherwise?
Help us put an end to pain.
Hi.
Help us put an end to pain.
I'd love to.
Can I ask you some questions?
Come on.
We got a runner.
We got a runner!
♪
[GRUNTS]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
NYPD.
You're under arrest.
Look, Adrian,
I'm just trying
to understand what you do.
Your group hands out
flyers in places of business,
like, say, a fertility clinic?
Is handing out flyers illegal?
No, but it is illegal
to bomb a fertility clinic.
Well, I didn't do that.
But I am glad that it happened.
Are you?
The unborn get to stay unborn.
Nobody asked me if I wanted to exist.
Using up all of Earth's resources
while grinding my ass off to survive?
I wouldn't wish life on anybody.
What about death?
Would you wish death on Dr. Mukherjee?
Who's that?
She owned a clinic you
guys seem real interested in.
Graffiti, flyers.
OK, so?
Maybe this will jog your memory.
That's what she looked like.
Jeez.
Dude.
Mm.
Damn.
Was she killed?
You really don't know
anything about her?
I'm not saying a thing
until I know that Kirk is OK.
OK, Kirk is here in the station.
- He's fine.
- He might have a concussion.
Has a medical professional
looked after him?
Because barreling him over
was completely uncalled for.
Well, clearly you care
a lot about Kirk, huh?
So?
So nothing.
It's just
It's just nice to see.
Are you two in a relationship?
I don't care how old he is.
There's nothing wrong
with him being older.
I didn't say that there was.
He's not like guys my age.
He's kind and compassionate
and super smart,
and, he really believes in our cause.
So
How, how did you two meet?
- Reddit.
- Mm-hmm.
He wanted to learn
more about antinatalism,
and, he just went all in.
I mean, now he believes in it
more than anyone else I know.
Enough to murder someone?
[TENSE MUSIC]
Because that's why we're here, OK?
We're investigating a murder.
You know he's in the
Triple Nine Society?
That's better than Mensa.
Wow, that is smart.
And he ran track in high school.
He set the record for the
400 that still stands today.
Well, then it's kind of amazing,
that he
Couldn't outrun my detectives.
♪
OK.
One of these things
is not like the other.
What's a 53-year-old
man doing hanging out
with a bunch of 20-year-olds?
- Do you really need to ask?
- Nope.
Mr. Kirk Young has a
record of 10 disorderly conducts
over a span of 20 years.
OK.
You, in with me
Go get Lauden.
Your rap sheet, Mr. Young.
OK.
So we have 2003,
in front of City Hall,
part of a group of Heteros
for Marriage Equality.
2014, now the Westside
Highway for Black Lives Matter.
And then in 2019,
we're back at City Hall
for prison abolition.
Well, you certainly
get around, don't you?
Look, I know I've got one
outstanding disorderly conduct fine.
I'll happily pay it.
Yep. That's 2024.
Right, Google headquarters.
[SCOFFS]
The movement for
technological minimalism?
Well, I live out of a Winnebago,
so I don't get to check
my PO box that often.
Right.
Right.
So all these other times,
I see that you were taken
into custody without incident.
But this time, you ran.
Why is that?
I didn't realize you were cops.
But, Captain Curry identified herself.
Try again.
Yeah, I just thought it
was a false flag operation.
False flag operation.
OK.
All right.
Mr. Young, do you
wanna know what I think?
I don't think that you
care about activism.
I don't think that you care
about change or progress.
I think that you like 'em young.
I think that you're in
it not for the cause,
but you're in it for the girls.
But the good news for you,
is that is not a crime.
So, as soon as Mr. Young
pays his outstanding disorderly,
he's free to go.
All right.
All right.
Look this over, sign
on the marked spots.
So I, uh I just
I gotta ask.
Is it true?
She
The cute girl,
she's your girlfriend?
- Lauden?
- Yeah.
Yeah.
I know her.
Wow, seriously, man.
Seriously, congratulations.
Thanks.
She's hot.
Yeah, I mean, you know, I
I enlisted with the academy
for the, the dress blues,
the gun, the badge, the status.
But you, man [SCOFFS]
You got the game figured
out.
You know what?
You have to initial these pages too.
Yeah.
Well, let's just say that, uh,
social activism attracts
a youthful passion.
Oh, I'm sure, yeah.
I bet these, uh..
These, like, rebellious-type girls,
I bet they're super spirited
in and out of the sack.
Oh, you'd be surprised.
[CHUCKLES]
- My advice?
- Yeah.
You need to check out a
Blue Lives Matter protest.
Tons of badge bunnies.
They'll be lining up
to lick your nightstick.
- [CHUCKLES] Oh, man. Really?
- Yeah.
Which cause has the hottest girls?
You know, that's
That's a very good question.
I wanna say it's a toss-up
between pro-choice and pro-life.
[CHUCKLING]
He did it.
He killed Autumn.
Sorry, what?
Who
Who's Autumn?
Autumn was the
purest person I ever knew.
- Mm.
- She was my TA in college.
She introduced me to antinatalism.
She dedicated her
life to not hurting a soul.
She was vegan.
She would literally sweep her walkway
so that you wouldn't step on the ants.
So why did Kirk kill her?
Because she wanted him to.
OK, did she tell you that?
No.
Kirk did.
They used to talk
for hours, all night.
Mm-hmm.
Kirk said he was
like a therapist for her.
Mm-hmm.
Autumn had anxiety and depression,
which makes sense.
There's no other rational
way to react to this world.
Kirk said that she asked him
to help her end her suffering.
OK, so what exactly did Kirk do?
Shot her in the head
while she was asleep.
Were you present when he shot her?
He said I couldn't handle it.
[SIGHS]
But he said it was peaceful, that
that she didn't even know.
Am I in trouble?
What did he do with the body?
He left it in a park in the Bronx.
♪
Lauden, have you ever
considered the possibility
that he
That he made up this story?
And maybe he killed
her for his own reasons?
♪
Well, one thing bugged me.
What?
If you knew someone
was coming to kill you,
how could you ever fall asleep?
[SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Got something.
Frozen treat.
♪
Kirk Young, get up.
What?
You're under arrest for
the murder of Autumn Diaz.
What are you talking about?
Well, we found your gun.
We also found a Jane Doe in the morgue
matching Autumn's description.
Oh, look. I
Look.
Autumn wanted to die.
I was helping her out.
- She wrote me a letter.
- I don't need to see the letter
because I saw the autopsy report.
Autumn was pregnant.
But I'm sure that you knew that.
I mean, how can you date
a new, young antinatalist girlfriend
when your current one is
about to have your baby?
Let's go.
That's one murder solved.
Just not the one we're looking for.
His alibi checks out.
He and Lauden were up in Beacon,
the day when Mukherjee was killed.
♪
Yeah.
Detective Velasco,
thanks for joining us.
I believe you know DEA
Agents Hill and Pruner already.
Yo, Joe.
Good seeing you.
Make yourself comfortable.
Can you close the door behind you?
Listen, Chief.
I was stuck between a
rock and a hard place.
I don't know what they told you, but
Detective Velasco, there's
nothing for you to worry about.
We're just gonna have a chat.
Share our feelings.
See if we have the
same goals and desires.
Easy-peasy.
I have to be honest,
this is one of the
best parts of my job.
Helping everyone
achieve their mutual goals.
So thank you.
You've actually made my day.
The door
Hey, any word on
Mukherjee's ex-husband?
Chris Clemente's plumbing auger
was completely clean.
No blood, skin, no
trace of any chemical
that would have been used to clean it.
Plus the spiral pattern
doesn't quite match
the one on Dr. Mukherjee's throat.
TARU unlocked Mukherjee's phone.
Anything?
Well, there's certainly
an oddity in her calendar.
She was scheduled to
meet her divorce lawyer
the same day that she was killed.
What's weird about that?
Well, it wasn't Mark Olson.
Someone named Lindsey Kruger.
She has a second divorce lawyer?
I had a preliminary phone
call with Dr. Mukherjee.
When she no-showed our meeting,
I assumed she just
had a change of heart.
About what?
Hiring me.
Were you aware she
was already working
with another lawyer?
Very much so,
but Dr. Mukherjee was ready to settle,
and move on with her life.
Well, couldn't Mark Olson do that?
Do you know what
banging and billing is?
Yeah, when a lawyer drags
out a case to bill more hours.
And in a divorce, the way to do that
is to advocate an extremely
adversarial approach
to keep the meter running.
So you're saying Olson
was the one refusing to settle?
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Who the hell are you?
Alec Henry.
The Henry in Stafford Spitz Henry.
And yourselves?
You wanna explain why Mark Olson
was in your office the other day?
Oh, yeah.
I let Marky use the
space from time to time.
Professional courtesy.
He doesn't have an office?
Honestly, his new
digs are a hellhole.
♪
- So the guy's office
- The real one.
Is a literal block from where
Mukherjee's body was found.
Financial records show
multiple unpaid credit cards
and a townhouse in Park
Slope that was foreclosed on.
So, we're really aiming at a lawyer
for the murder of his own client?
Look, at the very
least, he had no problems
misleading the detectives
who were looking
into his client's death.
We need a background on him,
and we don't wanna raise
any alarms, you know?
Yeah, I know.
Look, just because he's a lawyer
doesn't make him as
morally upstanding as you are.
OK, let me do some digging.
I'll see what I can find out.
Olson used to be the
boogeyman in these halls.
Nowadays, half the time
he doesn't even show up.
What happened to him?
His nose got redder.
It's just a theory, but I
think he fell off the wagon
and took every bottle
of Macallan with him
on the way down.
Thanks for meeting me, Judge.
What could you tell me
about the Mukherjee case?
Delay after delay.
And all because of Olson.
Talk about incompetence.
I told him I was on the
verge of sanctioning him.
Plus I suggested that poor woman find
someone else to represent her.
And to think five years ago
I used Olson for my own divorce.
- Thanks, Judge.
- What's the matter?
- What did Olson do?
- I can't tell you that.
This guy's credibility
is in the toilet,
but it gets so much worse than that.
He put $100,000 lien
on Mukherjee's property,
for bogus unpaid legal bills.
And when her estate is sold?
- He gets a six-figure payday.
- OK.
I think it's time for a warrant.
Well, you hate to see it.
Captain?
Can I have a word?
Yeah.
All right, out with it.
The DEA asked the chief
of Ds if they can have me.
OK.
To
To do more undercover work?
Yeah.
But in San Diego.
In San Diego?
[CHUCKLES]
Chief thinks is a good idea.
What do you think?
- Me?
- Yeah.
You.
I mean, I don't like the way
they went over our heads
But?
This guy they're
after, he's a bad dude.
He runs packs in Tijuana.
He just murdered a witness
that was gonna testify against him,
along with her husband and her kids.
Well, that sounds like
somebody needs to take him down.
I know.
[SOFT MUSIC]
With Fin out
I don't wanna be the one
who leaves you empty-handed.
♪
Velasco, I haven't stayed
with SVU out of loyalty.
I would never expect
anyone to do that.
I'm here because
I think that it's the place
that I can do the most good.
You need to be where
you can do the most good.
[SIGHS]
I gotta tell you,
this last job I did for them,
I didn't sleep for four nights.
I
I was up, and I wasn't scared.
It was just like
I was buzzed.
You know, I was excited.
Well, then you better get some rest,
because I don't think you're
gonna get a whole lot of it
on the West Coast.
♪
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Mark Olson, we have a warrant
to search your office.
Boys, what is this?
All right.
Come on, boys.
Is this necessary?
[CLATTERING]
♪
Bingo.
[SIGHS]
Bruno.
I bet this particular
spiral pattern's a match.
♪
All right, boys, let's talk.
Sure.
Well, you know you have
the right to remain silent.
And anything you say can and will be
used against you in a court of law.
[SIGHS]
A lawyer killing his own client.
Just when I think that
I've seen everything,
the world proves me wrong.
Are you OK?
How do you feel when you
have to take down a dirty cop?
The worst.
Bust your ass to get through
law school, pass the bar.
Do all this work so you
What, you can take
advantage of somebody?
Initial tests came back.
The auger we found in the office
was cleaned with bleach.
So we can't prove it's
the actual murder weapon.
- OK.
- But, the spiral pattern
lines up with the bruising
on Mukherjee's throat.
OK, got it.
How you gonna
play this interrogation?
Not an interrogation.
It's a trial.
Sonny.
You know I used to work for the, uh,
Staten Island DA's office, yeah?
Jimmy Silverberg's
a good friend of mine.
Oh, yeah?
And you're certain you
don't want a lawyer?
Want a lawyer?
I
I am a lawyer.
Good.
Sit down.
'Cause, uh, I need some
advice, lawyer to lawyer.
I'm gonna present my case to you,
and I want you to tell me
if you think I got a
shot at a conviction.
You're gonna show me your evidence?
OK, sure.
I'll play along.
All right.
So, the defendant, uh,
this guy used to
be a star in his field,
but, uh, he caught
some bad breaks at work,
went through a divorce.
Yeah, he fell on hard times.
- So he's human, aren't we all?
- Yeah.
So he turns to drugs.
We found cocaine in his office,
and his apartment,
which we just searched.
Come on.
It's New York City.
You can find traces of
powder literally anywhere.
Yeah, well, the drugs for this guy,
they just make his work
suffer even more, so
That's a catch-22,
because now he needs more
money to pay for the
The drugs.
So
What he does is he
starts delaying cases,
either because he's
too busy getting high
or because he needs to get
as much money as he can
from his clients.
I'd heard such big
things about you, Sonny.
But what you're doing right
now is performative slander.
I don't see relevance.
I don't see substance.
The victim
The victim, who
Who trusted the defendant,
her lawyer,
she wanted to settle her divorce.
But that was a big
problem for the defendant,
because he needed her money.
And even worse,
if she were
to switch to another lawyer,
then his malfeasance
would be uncovered,
and he was gonna lose his license.
And the defendant, he
couldn't let that happen.
So you know what he does?
He sees a protest outside
the victim's fertility clinic.
He goes, there.
There's some suckers to frame.
And he googles
Googles
How to make a bomb.
But this guy, I'm telling you,
nothing ever goes this guy's way.
When that doesn't work
out, he goes to plan B
Frame the jealous husband.
Establishing method, motive.
Fair enough.
But Sonny, a good story is
not the same as a good case.
We retrieved the murder
weapon from your office,
and it matches the
bruises on the victim's neck.
You're referring to a
common household tool?
You know what, let me pose
some questions of my own.
Yeah?
You mind?
Isn't it true that your detectives
first looked into a Chris Clemente?
Oh, you gotta be kidding me.
The husband who was trying to get
more money out of the victim.
Why exactly was he ruled out?
And then did they interrogate
a group of French extremists
who actually did threaten the victim?
Your Honor, I think
what we have here is
a fishing expedition by a department
who is clearly trying
to keep their stats up,
is what I would say.
Easy to understand and honest.
But, you know, what do I know?
[TENSE MUSIC]
What you got?
♪
Come on, don't do
Don't do this dog and
pony show with me.
♪
[SIGHS]
You messed up.
You cleaned the auger.
You even cleaned
the couch in your office.
But as in court, such in life,
you got no follow-through.
We found stains,
inside the couch cushions.
And those stains just tested
positive for Mukherjee's blood.
You washed the sleeve covers,
but you didn't bother
about the cushions.
And that, that fits every story
that I've heard about
you like a glove.
Too lazy to do the job in full.
Sound about right, counselor?
♪
OK, lawyer to lawyer,
let's cut a deal.
[CHUCKLES]
I don't recall inviting you over here
for my "Love Island" watch party.
How's PT going?
What, you came here to nurse me?
At least my last girl
was clean-shaven.
[GROANS]
You know, I was
thinking about that time
that we talked about how you and I
both did, like, bad things,
and we try to balance out the scales.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I realized something.
I realized that when I'm in
it, when I'm doing the job,
I don't think about the scale anymore.
Like, I don't think
about myself at all.
[SOFT MUSIC]
You going somewhere?
♪
I just wanna say thank you,
for everything.
Velasco, you don't
have to say a word.
I already know.
♪
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.
So, this is what being
an SVU detective is?
Transporting bodily fluids?
We're not just picking
up any bodily fluid.
That's what I'm saying.
I mean, what we're
getting is evidence.
Yeah, sure. But it's also
Would you have a
problem holding blood?
No.
You know I wouldn't.
Saliva?
This ain't gonna be blood or saliva.
I don't think you appreciate
the top-notch detective work
that's gone into
this field trip, Griffin.
A rape suspect donated
his sperm three years ago.
We have a warrant to take
possession of said donation.
If we get a DNA match to the rape kit,
one less sicko on the street.
So, grow up and imagine
it's the tiny scales of justice
you're holding in here.
OK. Fine.
Why am I the one that's gotta carry
some suspect's crotch milk?
'Cause you're the new guy.
[EXPLOSION BOOMING]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
10-66, we have an
explosion at 129 West 18th.
Send everybody.
Two SVU portables going in.
♪
[ALARM RINGING]
[PEOPLE COUGHING]
Hey, hey, hey. Come here.
Hey, come on.
Come here.
I got you.
You all right?
OK.
[COUGHING]
Damage was confined to
the back part of the clinic.
Luckily, that part was
clear when it happened.
But wait, let me understand.
Why did SVU respond?
Oh, we were already on the premises.
Yeah, we were trying
to collect a sample
to match DNA from a rape kit.
What's your suspect's name?
Ted Simons.
You think he's good for a bomb?
Would be a first for
him, but never say never.
I-I thought it was
another earthquake,
like that one we had this summer.
And, uh, the patients
were helping me up,
and, smoke was pouring from the back.
And what what's
located in the back?
Uh, doctors' offices and the lab.
Uh, that would be where
they store the donor sperm?
Yeah.
Why?
Excuse me.
What happened?
I need to get past.
This is my clinic, I work here.
Uh, that's Dr. Mukherjee.
She owns this place.
It's her whole life.
- OK, thank you.
- Please, can someone help me?
Please, let me go!
Officer, let her through, please.
I'm Captain Benson.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Oh, my God, did anyone get hurt?
No, no, no. Nobody
is seriously hurt here.
- Now, this is your clinic?
- Yes.
I can't believe someone would do this.
What's going on? What happened?
The FBI is, uh, working
with the possibility
that somebody may
have mistook your practice
for an abortion clinic.
No, that's never been
what we've done here.
- No.
- We help people get pregnant.
- It's strictly fertility treatments.
- Yeah, OK.
So I'm gonna put you
together with the FBI here.
And then when you're done with them,
I'd like to ask you a few questions
about a sperm donor, OK?
- All clear.
- How's it looking up there?
Single ordnance, homemade.
Any chance we could take a peek,
see if our evidence is intact?
- Oh, it's not.
- How do you know?
Were you guys looking
to collect ash and dust?
So my entire lab?
Fire got everything.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
That's 10,000 embryos.
[SOMBER MUSIC]
I'm so sorry, Dr. Mukherjee.
I was gonna do a
procedure in an hour.
She'd been trying for five years.
We just got viable embryos.
What am I supposed to tell her?
I'm so sorry.
Why don't we why
don't we step over here?
- Oh, my
- I'm so sorry.
♪
Well, you got your wish, Griff.
I take it all back.
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
FBI says the IED was in a bathroom
next to the clinic's lab.
A combination of potassium perchlorate
and aluminum flash powder
shoved in a cardboard tube.
Shotgun shells for fragmentation.
4th of July in a toilet roll.
Well, Ted Simon sure is good
at keeping his DNA under wraps.
No matter what we do,
we can't seem to get it.
OK, so how long have we had
- eyes on his trash?
- Months.
Guy must bleach
his takeout containers.
Haven't even gotten a hint of saliva.
He does know the judge is being
a stickler for the DNA swab.
So if he figured out
that we're trying to get
his DNA from the clinic
But planning a bomb?
That's a huge change in his behavior.
So is going to prison.
OK.
I think it's time to bring
Mr. Simons in for a chat.
[TIRES SCREECHING]
- Give me a break.
- [HORN HONKS]
Yo!
What did I do?
Transporting an extra
piece of trash in the back.
Come on, this is my workplace.
I just thought up some
new questions for you.
I've talked to you three times now,
given you a statement.
Can we just move on?
I didn't know the girl.
And this, OK, is harassment.
[TRUCK HISSES]
Juan, what the heck?
Oh, shoot.
That wasn't very nice of Juan.
Hey, do you
Do you need a ride?
This guy is a twerp.
We press him, I bet
he folds in two minutes.
You remind me of someone.
Mr. Simmons.
Simons.
I'm Captain Curry.
This is Detective Velasco.
Water?
Where's Detective Bruno?
I can see you two bonded,
but this isn't his case.
Do you prefer coffee or a soda?
[SCOFFS] Please.
You sure you don't want any water?
We all know the
second I take a drink,
one of you is gonna swipe the bottle
and run it back there to test my DNA.
And what's so bad about that?
You cops frame people
every day of the week.
I'm not guilty, and
I'm not stupid, OK?
Ask Detective Bruno.
Again, this isn't his case.
We're not here to talk
about Katie Wilkins' rape.
You're not?
No.
Detective Bruno's closing that case.
He's already got your DNA.
- No, he doesn't.
- Oh, yes, he does.
From the fertility clinic.
Roosevelt Women's Health.
You had a romantic affair
with a plastic cup, 2022.
You don't have my
permission for that.
It turns out we don't
need your permission.
Yeah, because we have a warrant.
Detective Bruno's already testing
that sample as we speak.
So, we don't need to
talk about that case.
We're here about the bomb you set.
What bomb?
The one you made
and set off this morning.
I don't know what
you're talking about.
You were trying to destroy evidence.
You went from a small rape
charge to, what is it, arson?
No, no, no.
You're gonna be
charged federally now.
But I-I
I didn't do anything.
Malicious use of explosives,
use of a weapon of mass destruction,
domestic terrorism.
You're looking at
multiple life sentences.
♪
Oh, my God.
Oh, my
OK, OK.
Please, please, listen.
I swear, I swear,
I don't know what
you're talking about.
How am I gonna
explain that to the Feds?
Particularly when
your sample comes back
a match to the DNA that
was found inside Katie Wilkins.
Hey, Feds, I know he lied
about the rape, but, yeah,
let's trust him about the bomb.
♪
OK, OK.
Fine, fine.
Maybe I did sleep with the girl.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
I was drunk.
And you know what?
She was coming on to me.
Hard.
Whoa, whoa.
He has always said he never met her.
Until now.
Let's see if they can
get him all the way.
But I did not bomb
anything, all right?
Are there people who can
account for your whereabouts
yesterday and today?
- Yes. Yes.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
You're not believing this guy.
You should.
Believe me, please.
I'll talk to the DA.
Come on.
But you, gotta help me help you.
- OK.
- Write down every minute,
every second of your past 48.
And put down the
names and the contact info
for anyone who can vouch for you, OK?
OK, of course.
Thank you.
Um, I, uh
[MUMBLING]
Uh, the
Thank you.
♪
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
You can't take that!
You can't take that! Give it back!
Give that back!
Hey!
I doubt that this weasel
has the balls to bomb anything.
I'll call Agent Bradstreet.
But if the FBI wants to look
into him for the bombing,
they can find him at Rikers.
Captain, a call from
Detective Gallagher, Homicide.
There's a body.
They think it belongs to us.
♪
Whole building's vacant.
Businesses moved out, never came back.
Work from home, videoconferencing.
Now everyone says AI is next.
It's getting to be the
only time people will meet
face to face is to commit murder.
What a world.
Heard you're on the
fertility clinic bombing.
Yeah.
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Real estate agent found her.
ID said Mukherjee.
The bomb was meant for her.
All right, so Dr. Mukherjee
was 44 years old.
She was married and owned and operated
Roosevelt Women's Health.
So I guess Ted Simons really
is off the hook for the bombing.
Yeah, and we're on the hook for it.
The IED was in the
bathroom next to the lab.
We assumed the lab was the target.
But on the other side
was Dr. Mukherjee's office.
Right, but the ME
thinks that she was killed
someplace else and then dumped.
Now, the ligature marks on
her neck indicate asphyxiation.
There was no murder weapon found.
But the bruising and
lacerations on her neck,
there's this particular
spiral pattern.
Maybe exercise
equipment with springs?
Maybe.
So her phone was found on her.
- Anything?
- TARU's still working on it.
OK.
So the husband.
Husband is Chris Clemente.
He's 44 years old. They have no kids.
He has been a master
plumber for the last 15 years.
They've been married for 12.
Here's a wrinkle.
Mukherjee filed a summons
with notice for divorce
three months ago, and Clemente
moved to a studio
apartment in Astoria last year.
Right.
Well, divorce means lawyer.
And she may be dead,
but,
maybe, we can still
get her side of the story.
Anything you can tell us
would be useful, Mr. Olson.
I-I can't believe she's dead.
Was the divorce contentious?
You know death does not free me
from attorney-client privilege.
Can you tell us anything
that doesn't violate privilege?
Yeah.
My client wanted to settle.
I wanted to settle.
The husband's
attorney wanted to settle.
But the loser of a
husband, Chris Clemente
Why did he refuse a settlement?
Because he's a
jealous, drunken leech
who wanted all of her money,
making up these outlandish
claims about her fidelity.
Was she having an affair?
Come on.
How do you know?
Because I'm her divorce lawyer.
I've seen every credit card
bill, every bank statement,
every dollar that was
spent and earned.
Trust me, all Mukherjee did was work.
All Clemente did was drink.
You know he tried to
to choke out a guy
after a bar fight, right?
She had to bail him out,
even then, when they were separated.
When was that?
This past January.
[CHUCKLING] He's a plumber,
about to earn a doctor's inheritance.
Mr. Clemente.
I'm assuming this ain't
about a clogged sink.
Your wife, Dr. Ila Mukherjee
She accusing me of something?
She's dead.
She's
What?
[TENSE MUSIC]
You know anything about that?
How?
Wh-what happened?
Sorry for your loss,
but, where were you yesterday?
I was on a job site all day.
When was the last time you
spoke to or saw Dr. Mukherjee?
- The last court appearance.
- OK.
You two didn't really
get along, did you?
Was the divorce amicable?
I've known her since college.
- It's hard.
- It's hard? Why?
Why, because she was cheating on you?
No.
I don't know.
What, didn't you
want more in alimony?
I mean, we used all my savings
to open up her clinic.
I at least wanted to
She cucked you.
You should get the
lion's share, right?
Right?
I didn't say that.
Do I need a lawyer?
If you want one, that is your right.
But for right now, we're just trying
to get your side of the story.
I loved her.
And fine, yeah, we might have
been having a really hard time,
but I would never, ever hurt her.
You have one of those
tools that you use to, uh,
unclog a drain?
You know, it's made of metal.
You pull it out, it's in
the shape of a spiral.
- An auger.
- Yeah.
Can we look at it?
What do you mean?
Why?
Because if you want us to think that
you're being cooperative, cooperate.
Let me find it.
Don't touch anything.
We need to take photos of it in place.
Gloves and bag are in the trunk.
♪
Hey, what about those
death threats she was getting?
Did anyone look into them?
She was getting death threats?
"Life is a death sentence."
"Your life ends with you.
You were born without your consent."
"Suicide is a gift."
This is messed up.
Mukherjee's clinic received
these four months ago.
They started showing up at
her residence the past month.
Never a return address.
I saw this snake and sword
outside Mukherjee's office.
Yeah, it's a broken ouroboros,
the symbol of the
antinatalism movement.
Yeah, so I've heard of
that, and they believe that
procreation is unethical.
All of it?
Well, they think life is suffering
and coming into existence
only causes harm.
How do you even like, what,
so the endgame is just letting
the human race go extinct?
Sounds like a death cult.
A death cult with a Discord,
which says that
they're having a protest
tomorrow at Astor Place.
And, Captain, an antinatalist
bombed a fertility clinic
in Palm Springs last May.
OK, where are we
with the husband's auger?
In the lab, waiting on results.
All right, so hit this protest
and see if you can get anyone to talk.
OK.
What's up?
Chief of Ds wants to see me.
OK.
She say why?
I think it's pretty obvious.
She probably heard
about the service I did
for the DEA or her dog
Griffin maybe saw something.
I don't know what.
Maybe.
But, you're supposed to
report to her, and you didn't.
What, am I supposed
to rat you out now?
- I'm not a rat.
- OK.
- I'm just gonna tell her
- You're gonna tell her the truth.
And not a word otherwise.
I
Velasco, you were by the book.
You did what you did.
I did what I did.
I can handle myself.
OK?
OK.
Excuse me, ladies.
Life is a death sentence.
It's not too late for you.
Ladies, consider a condom next time.
Just a thought.
Hi. Let's put an
end to pain. Help us.
Sir, have you
considered having kids,
and can I convince you otherwise?
Help us put an end to pain.
Hi.
Help us put an end to pain.
I'd love to.
Can I ask you some questions?
Come on.
We got a runner.
We got a runner!
♪
[GRUNTS]
[BOTH GRUNTING]
NYPD.
You're under arrest.
Look, Adrian,
I'm just trying
to understand what you do.
Your group hands out
flyers in places of business,
like, say, a fertility clinic?
Is handing out flyers illegal?
No, but it is illegal
to bomb a fertility clinic.
Well, I didn't do that.
But I am glad that it happened.
Are you?
The unborn get to stay unborn.
Nobody asked me if I wanted to exist.
Using up all of Earth's resources
while grinding my ass off to survive?
I wouldn't wish life on anybody.
What about death?
Would you wish death on Dr. Mukherjee?
Who's that?
She owned a clinic you
guys seem real interested in.
Graffiti, flyers.
OK, so?
Maybe this will jog your memory.
That's what she looked like.
Jeez.
Dude.
Mm.
Damn.
Was she killed?
You really don't know
anything about her?
I'm not saying a thing
until I know that Kirk is OK.
OK, Kirk is here in the station.
- He's fine.
- He might have a concussion.
Has a medical professional
looked after him?
Because barreling him over
was completely uncalled for.
Well, clearly you care
a lot about Kirk, huh?
So?
So nothing.
It's just
It's just nice to see.
Are you two in a relationship?
I don't care how old he is.
There's nothing wrong
with him being older.
I didn't say that there was.
He's not like guys my age.
He's kind and compassionate
and super smart,
and, he really believes in our cause.
So
How, how did you two meet?
- Reddit.
- Mm-hmm.
He wanted to learn
more about antinatalism,
and, he just went all in.
I mean, now he believes in it
more than anyone else I know.
Enough to murder someone?
[TENSE MUSIC]
Because that's why we're here, OK?
We're investigating a murder.
You know he's in the
Triple Nine Society?
That's better than Mensa.
Wow, that is smart.
And he ran track in high school.
He set the record for the
400 that still stands today.
Well, then it's kind of amazing,
that he
Couldn't outrun my detectives.
♪
OK.
One of these things
is not like the other.
What's a 53-year-old
man doing hanging out
with a bunch of 20-year-olds?
- Do you really need to ask?
- Nope.
Mr. Kirk Young has a
record of 10 disorderly conducts
over a span of 20 years.
OK.
You, in with me
Go get Lauden.
Your rap sheet, Mr. Young.
OK.
So we have 2003,
in front of City Hall,
part of a group of Heteros
for Marriage Equality.
2014, now the Westside
Highway for Black Lives Matter.
And then in 2019,
we're back at City Hall
for prison abolition.
Well, you certainly
get around, don't you?
Look, I know I've got one
outstanding disorderly conduct fine.
I'll happily pay it.
Yep. That's 2024.
Right, Google headquarters.
[SCOFFS]
The movement for
technological minimalism?
Well, I live out of a Winnebago,
so I don't get to check
my PO box that often.
Right.
Right.
So all these other times,
I see that you were taken
into custody without incident.
But this time, you ran.
Why is that?
I didn't realize you were cops.
But, Captain Curry identified herself.
Try again.
Yeah, I just thought it
was a false flag operation.
False flag operation.
OK.
All right.
Mr. Young, do you
wanna know what I think?
I don't think that you
care about activism.
I don't think that you care
about change or progress.
I think that you like 'em young.
I think that you're in
it not for the cause,
but you're in it for the girls.
But the good news for you,
is that is not a crime.
So, as soon as Mr. Young
pays his outstanding disorderly,
he's free to go.
All right.
All right.
Look this over, sign
on the marked spots.
So I, uh I just
I gotta ask.
Is it true?
She
The cute girl,
she's your girlfriend?
- Lauden?
- Yeah.
Yeah.
I know her.
Wow, seriously, man.
Seriously, congratulations.
Thanks.
She's hot.
Yeah, I mean, you know, I
I enlisted with the academy
for the, the dress blues,
the gun, the badge, the status.
But you, man [SCOFFS]
You got the game figured
out.
You know what?
You have to initial these pages too.
Yeah.
Well, let's just say that, uh,
social activism attracts
a youthful passion.
Oh, I'm sure, yeah.
I bet these, uh..
These, like, rebellious-type girls,
I bet they're super spirited
in and out of the sack.
Oh, you'd be surprised.
[CHUCKLES]
- My advice?
- Yeah.
You need to check out a
Blue Lives Matter protest.
Tons of badge bunnies.
They'll be lining up
to lick your nightstick.
- [CHUCKLES] Oh, man. Really?
- Yeah.
Which cause has the hottest girls?
You know, that's
That's a very good question.
I wanna say it's a toss-up
between pro-choice and pro-life.
[CHUCKLING]
He did it.
He killed Autumn.
Sorry, what?
Who
Who's Autumn?
Autumn was the
purest person I ever knew.
- Mm.
- She was my TA in college.
She introduced me to antinatalism.
She dedicated her
life to not hurting a soul.
She was vegan.
She would literally sweep her walkway
so that you wouldn't step on the ants.
So why did Kirk kill her?
Because she wanted him to.
OK, did she tell you that?
No.
Kirk did.
They used to talk
for hours, all night.
Mm-hmm.
Kirk said he was
like a therapist for her.
Mm-hmm.
Autumn had anxiety and depression,
which makes sense.
There's no other rational
way to react to this world.
Kirk said that she asked him
to help her end her suffering.
OK, so what exactly did Kirk do?
Shot her in the head
while she was asleep.
Were you present when he shot her?
He said I couldn't handle it.
[SIGHS]
But he said it was peaceful, that
that she didn't even know.
Am I in trouble?
What did he do with the body?
He left it in a park in the Bronx.
♪
Lauden, have you ever
considered the possibility
that he
That he made up this story?
And maybe he killed
her for his own reasons?
♪
Well, one thing bugged me.
What?
If you knew someone
was coming to kill you,
how could you ever fall asleep?
[SIGHS]
[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
Got something.
Frozen treat.
♪
Kirk Young, get up.
What?
You're under arrest for
the murder of Autumn Diaz.
What are you talking about?
Well, we found your gun.
We also found a Jane Doe in the morgue
matching Autumn's description.
Oh, look. I
Look.
Autumn wanted to die.
I was helping her out.
- She wrote me a letter.
- I don't need to see the letter
because I saw the autopsy report.
Autumn was pregnant.
But I'm sure that you knew that.
I mean, how can you date
a new, young antinatalist girlfriend
when your current one is
about to have your baby?
Let's go.
That's one murder solved.
Just not the one we're looking for.
His alibi checks out.
He and Lauden were up in Beacon,
the day when Mukherjee was killed.
♪
Yeah.
Detective Velasco,
thanks for joining us.
I believe you know DEA
Agents Hill and Pruner already.
Yo, Joe.
Good seeing you.
Make yourself comfortable.
Can you close the door behind you?
Listen, Chief.
I was stuck between a
rock and a hard place.
I don't know what they told you, but
Detective Velasco, there's
nothing for you to worry about.
We're just gonna have a chat.
Share our feelings.
See if we have the
same goals and desires.
Easy-peasy.
I have to be honest,
this is one of the
best parts of my job.
Helping everyone
achieve their mutual goals.
So thank you.
You've actually made my day.
The door
Hey, any word on
Mukherjee's ex-husband?
Chris Clemente's plumbing auger
was completely clean.
No blood, skin, no
trace of any chemical
that would have been used to clean it.
Plus the spiral pattern
doesn't quite match
the one on Dr. Mukherjee's throat.
TARU unlocked Mukherjee's phone.
Anything?
Well, there's certainly
an oddity in her calendar.
She was scheduled to
meet her divorce lawyer
the same day that she was killed.
What's weird about that?
Well, it wasn't Mark Olson.
Someone named Lindsey Kruger.
She has a second divorce lawyer?
I had a preliminary phone
call with Dr. Mukherjee.
When she no-showed our meeting,
I assumed she just
had a change of heart.
About what?
Hiring me.
Were you aware she
was already working
with another lawyer?
Very much so,
but Dr. Mukherjee was ready to settle,
and move on with her life.
Well, couldn't Mark Olson do that?
Do you know what
banging and billing is?
Yeah, when a lawyer drags
out a case to bill more hours.
And in a divorce, the way to do that
is to advocate an extremely
adversarial approach
to keep the meter running.
So you're saying Olson
was the one refusing to settle?
[TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Who the hell are you?
Alec Henry.
The Henry in Stafford Spitz Henry.
And yourselves?
You wanna explain why Mark Olson
was in your office the other day?
Oh, yeah.
I let Marky use the
space from time to time.
Professional courtesy.
He doesn't have an office?
Honestly, his new
digs are a hellhole.
♪
- So the guy's office
- The real one.
Is a literal block from where
Mukherjee's body was found.
Financial records show
multiple unpaid credit cards
and a townhouse in Park
Slope that was foreclosed on.
So, we're really aiming at a lawyer
for the murder of his own client?
Look, at the very
least, he had no problems
misleading the detectives
who were looking
into his client's death.
We need a background on him,
and we don't wanna raise
any alarms, you know?
Yeah, I know.
Look, just because he's a lawyer
doesn't make him as
morally upstanding as you are.
OK, let me do some digging.
I'll see what I can find out.
Olson used to be the
boogeyman in these halls.
Nowadays, half the time
he doesn't even show up.
What happened to him?
His nose got redder.
It's just a theory, but I
think he fell off the wagon
and took every bottle
of Macallan with him
on the way down.
Thanks for meeting me, Judge.
What could you tell me
about the Mukherjee case?
Delay after delay.
And all because of Olson.
Talk about incompetence.
I told him I was on the
verge of sanctioning him.
Plus I suggested that poor woman find
someone else to represent her.
And to think five years ago
I used Olson for my own divorce.
- Thanks, Judge.
- What's the matter?
- What did Olson do?
- I can't tell you that.
This guy's credibility
is in the toilet,
but it gets so much worse than that.
He put $100,000 lien
on Mukherjee's property,
for bogus unpaid legal bills.
And when her estate is sold?
- He gets a six-figure payday.
- OK.
I think it's time for a warrant.
Well, you hate to see it.
Captain?
Can I have a word?
Yeah.
All right, out with it.
The DEA asked the chief
of Ds if they can have me.
OK.
To
To do more undercover work?
Yeah.
But in San Diego.
In San Diego?
[CHUCKLES]
Chief thinks is a good idea.
What do you think?
- Me?
- Yeah.
You.
I mean, I don't like the way
they went over our heads
But?
This guy they're
after, he's a bad dude.
He runs packs in Tijuana.
He just murdered a witness
that was gonna testify against him,
along with her husband and her kids.
Well, that sounds like
somebody needs to take him down.
I know.
[SOFT MUSIC]
With Fin out
I don't wanna be the one
who leaves you empty-handed.
♪
Velasco, I haven't stayed
with SVU out of loyalty.
I would never expect
anyone to do that.
I'm here because
I think that it's the place
that I can do the most good.
You need to be where
you can do the most good.
[SIGHS]
I gotta tell you,
this last job I did for them,
I didn't sleep for four nights.
I
I was up, and I wasn't scared.
It was just like
I was buzzed.
You know, I was excited.
Well, then you better get some rest,
because I don't think you're
gonna get a whole lot of it
on the West Coast.
♪
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
Mark Olson, we have a warrant
to search your office.
Boys, what is this?
All right.
Come on, boys.
Is this necessary?
[CLATTERING]
♪
Bingo.
[SIGHS]
Bruno.
I bet this particular
spiral pattern's a match.
♪
All right, boys, let's talk.
Sure.
Well, you know you have
the right to remain silent.
And anything you say can and will be
used against you in a court of law.
[SIGHS]
A lawyer killing his own client.
Just when I think that
I've seen everything,
the world proves me wrong.
Are you OK?
How do you feel when you
have to take down a dirty cop?
The worst.
Bust your ass to get through
law school, pass the bar.
Do all this work so you
What, you can take
advantage of somebody?
Initial tests came back.
The auger we found in the office
was cleaned with bleach.
So we can't prove it's
the actual murder weapon.
- OK.
- But, the spiral pattern
lines up with the bruising
on Mukherjee's throat.
OK, got it.
How you gonna
play this interrogation?
Not an interrogation.
It's a trial.
Sonny.
You know I used to work for the, uh,
Staten Island DA's office, yeah?
Jimmy Silverberg's
a good friend of mine.
Oh, yeah?
And you're certain you
don't want a lawyer?
Want a lawyer?
I
I am a lawyer.
Good.
Sit down.
'Cause, uh, I need some
advice, lawyer to lawyer.
I'm gonna present my case to you,
and I want you to tell me
if you think I got a
shot at a conviction.
You're gonna show me your evidence?
OK, sure.
I'll play along.
All right.
So, the defendant, uh,
this guy used to
be a star in his field,
but, uh, he caught
some bad breaks at work,
went through a divorce.
Yeah, he fell on hard times.
- So he's human, aren't we all?
- Yeah.
So he turns to drugs.
We found cocaine in his office,
and his apartment,
which we just searched.
Come on.
It's New York City.
You can find traces of
powder literally anywhere.
Yeah, well, the drugs for this guy,
they just make his work
suffer even more, so
That's a catch-22,
because now he needs more
money to pay for the
The drugs.
So
What he does is he
starts delaying cases,
either because he's
too busy getting high
or because he needs to get
as much money as he can
from his clients.
I'd heard such big
things about you, Sonny.
But what you're doing right
now is performative slander.
I don't see relevance.
I don't see substance.
The victim
The victim, who
Who trusted the defendant,
her lawyer,
she wanted to settle her divorce.
But that was a big
problem for the defendant,
because he needed her money.
And even worse,
if she were
to switch to another lawyer,
then his malfeasance
would be uncovered,
and he was gonna lose his license.
And the defendant, he
couldn't let that happen.
So you know what he does?
He sees a protest outside
the victim's fertility clinic.
He goes, there.
There's some suckers to frame.
And he googles
Googles
How to make a bomb.
But this guy, I'm telling you,
nothing ever goes this guy's way.
When that doesn't work
out, he goes to plan B
Frame the jealous husband.
Establishing method, motive.
Fair enough.
But Sonny, a good story is
not the same as a good case.
We retrieved the murder
weapon from your office,
and it matches the
bruises on the victim's neck.
You're referring to a
common household tool?
You know what, let me pose
some questions of my own.
Yeah?
You mind?
Isn't it true that your detectives
first looked into a Chris Clemente?
Oh, you gotta be kidding me.
The husband who was trying to get
more money out of the victim.
Why exactly was he ruled out?
And then did they interrogate
a group of French extremists
who actually did threaten the victim?
Your Honor, I think
what we have here is
a fishing expedition by a department
who is clearly trying
to keep their stats up,
is what I would say.
Easy to understand and honest.
But, you know, what do I know?
[TENSE MUSIC]
What you got?
♪
Come on, don't do
Don't do this dog and
pony show with me.
♪
[SIGHS]
You messed up.
You cleaned the auger.
You even cleaned
the couch in your office.
But as in court, such in life,
you got no follow-through.
We found stains,
inside the couch cushions.
And those stains just tested
positive for Mukherjee's blood.
You washed the sleeve covers,
but you didn't bother
about the cushions.
And that, that fits every story
that I've heard about
you like a glove.
Too lazy to do the job in full.
Sound about right, counselor?
♪
OK, lawyer to lawyer,
let's cut a deal.
[CHUCKLES]
I don't recall inviting you over here
for my "Love Island" watch party.
How's PT going?
What, you came here to nurse me?
At least my last girl
was clean-shaven.
[GROANS]
You know, I was
thinking about that time
that we talked about how you and I
both did, like, bad things,
and we try to balance out the scales.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I realized something.
I realized that when I'm in
it, when I'm doing the job,
I don't think about the scale anymore.
Like, I don't think
about myself at all.
[SOFT MUSIC]
You going somewhere?
♪
I just wanna say thank you,
for everything.
Velasco, you don't
have to say a word.
I already know.
♪