Law & Order Special Victims Unit s19e21 Episode Script
Guardian
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.
Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on! It's not going through, man! You need to make that call! Malik, come on, man, that's what I'm saying! [both talking at once.]
Hey, man! [all indistinct shouting.]
- Look at his face! - What's your problem? You gonna pay for this? Look, man, it's an accident! [all shouting.]
Whoa, whoa, whoa, he's got a gun, there? - No! - I'm calling the police! You ain't gonna call no police, man! Jay, Jay, come on.
Let's go, let's go, let's go, man! [sirens wailing.]
- Damn! - Stop right there! Put your hands where we can see them! - We didn't do anything! - Shut your mouth, and keep your hands where I can see them.
- They tried to rob me! - No, we didn't! Shut up, shut up.
I was trying to use the bodega phone.
I was taking my cell out the pocket, just to show him it was dead! - You been drinking? - Sir, listen to me You listen to me! You keep your hands on the hood.
We need help! His sister! She's she's being raped! - Raped? - I was trying to call 911.
My sister She's 16, she She's in the playground around the corner, please! We gotta go get her! Please, we gotta go get her! How long ago did the assault happen? About an hour.
Guy says, he and his sister were held up at gunpoint.
They threw Tiana to the ground Officer said you ran.
There were six of them, sir.
Over here! We got her! She's right here.
Hey, Tiana? Hey, it's okay, we got you, baby.
Okay, can you sit up? There you go.
Somebody call a bus! Here you go.
Can you tell us what happened? Oh, thank God you're okay, T.
Look, the guys that raped you, I swear to God, I swear to God, I'ma kill 'em, okay? - Back up! - I swear to God! [weeping.]
Help me, I was raped! [indistinct weeping.]
I'm sorry, Malik! [sobbing.]
It's okay.
I'm sorry! [sirens wailing.]
[dramatic music.]
- Hey.
- Sorry for calling you so earlier.
It's okay.
The victim is 16? - Yeah.
- You call the mother? Well, the mother is in Bedford Hills Correctional.
There's no father in the picture.
Her older brother, Malik, is her legal guardian.
Okay, and Malik is the one who reported the rape? Yeah, so he and his friend, Jerome, were apparently trying to call for help, and the bodega owner thought it was a robbery.
So much for community relations.
And can Malik or his friend ID the rapist? It was dark; They say that there were six of them, one of them with a gun.
We're canvassing now.
We're pulling security cams.
Detectives? - You're from SVU? - We are.
I just examined Tiana Williams.
- How is she? - Scrapes, bruising on her knees, palms, genital trauma on the rape kit.
Semen in her throat and underwear.
Okay, well, let's get that to the lab, and see if we can get lucky enough to get a DNA hit.
She was pretty out of it when we found her.
What came up on the tox screen? Traces of heroin, and her blood alcohol - was .
19.
- A 16 year-old girl, alone in the middle of the night in that kind of shape.
You don't wanna know how many times we see that in here.
Okay, so did you call Child Services? Tiana's been crying, asking for her brother.
I direct Child Services into this, they're gonna bust up the only family she has.
That's your call.
Where is she? - Right over there.
- Thank you.
How's Tiana? I need to see her.
My lieutenant is with her at the hospital.
We'll know more soon.
All right, that thing at the bodega.
Jerome and I, we were just trying to find help, man.
Let's talk about what happened before that.
What were you and Tiana doing at the playground? Well, Tiana came home.
She said she had a good grade on her biology test.
So I went to the store, bought some vodka to celebrate.
Vodka? She's 16.
Well, it's not a regular thing, you see Tiana's smart, and she's And she's our ticket out the hood, so, I wanted to do something special for her.
So we went to the playground, and just hung out.
Okay, what happened then? These guys, six dudes, they pulled up, man.
White? Black? Latino? How old? Black, young.
I don't know, my age? But one of them threatened me.
Threatened you how? One of them lifted they shirt up, showed a gun in they waistband.
Said I had to leave, and Tiana had to stay.
And you just left her there? Well, they said they were gonna shoot me otherwise.
I had no choice.
Sure, you had a choice.
You take a bullet.
You don't leave your little sister alone.
Yo, Malik came bookin' out the playground, said Tiana was in trouble.
Wait, so you weren't at the playground? No, no, no, I was out doing my thing, hanging with my girl, you know? But we got in a fight, so I went out for a walk while things blew over.
She got a short memory.
I ran into Malik.
[scoffs.]
And then what? I think you know and then what.
So you didn't actually see the guys - who attacked Tiana? - No.
But Malik said they in a gang.
- Which gang? - I don't know! But they real hard dudes.
I mean no one messes with them.
Let's get back to the six guys.
Height, weight.
Hair, tats, clothing.
It was dark.
I heard you say, at the playground, that you would kill them.
Hell yeah.
You know them? Nah.
You sure? Yes.
You trying to help your little sister or not, Malik? You didn't protect her.
This is your chance to make that right.
- This isn't Malik's fault.
- What we want to focus on right now is catching the men who did this to you.
Can you tell us anything? How many there were? What they looked like? Um Yeah, three of them, I think.
It all happened so fast, and I was out of it.
- I-I I don't know, I don't know.
- Okay.
Okay.
[coughing.]
I need my inhaler.
Um where where's my bag? We didn't find anything at the scene.
Oh, so they robbed me, too? Hold on, listen, Tiana.
Is there anything that was in your bag that might help us identify who took it, like a credit card? Our food card.
Our food card.
How am I gonna do the shopping for this week? - We don't have any money! - Okay.
- What's gonna happen to us? - Tiana, we can help you - with that, okay? - I don't want your help! I want my bag! And I want to see Malik! Can we excuse me, can we get a doctor in here please? [gasping.]
- She needs her inhaler.
- Okay.
[air hissing.]
Just breathe.
Slowly now, okay.
10 milligrams Albuterol.
Good.
Good, good, good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[breathing deeply.]
Malik said that there were six assailants? Black, young, possibly gang affiliated.
Malik didn't give us much to go on.
Well, neither did Tiana.
She said that there were three of them.
- She was pretty high.
- [scoffs.]
What about the friend, Jerome? He backs up Malik's story.
I've got a call into the gang unit.
If this was some type of initiation, somebody's probably telling their friends how it went down.
Hey, I've got something on Malik's SNAP card.
What, the food card? Yeah, it was flagged last night at 2am.
Somebody tried to use it.
It was denied at Lee's Liquors, 105th Street.
- I know that place.
- Great, then they'll have no problem telling you who tried to use Tiana's card.
Lee.
I thought your boys don't drink on the job anymore.
We're not thirsty.
We need the footage from your security cams, last night, around 2am.
Or what? Seriously? They really know you around here, huh? Man, get your ass up and go get me that footage.
Stop playing with me.
I was just making a little joke.
Don't quit your day job.
Send me everything you got.
Thanks, Ramos, I owe you one.
Gang unit recognize this guy? Yeah, they call that guy "Four Stroke," AKA Ray Wallis.
He's on parole for aggravated assault.
They got a last known? Nah, but this guy's a fighter and a lover.
He got four baby-mamas in four different neighborhoods.
Living dangerously.
What do we do now? We just sit on all four addresses and wait on daddy to come home.
Stay inside, ma'am.
Stone says we're good.
NYPD! Hey, where you goin', Ray? Where you going? Where you going? Come here.
Stop.
Come here.
Don't shoot my baby.
Hey, I didn't rape that bitch, man.
What makes you think we're here about a rape? Talk about this down at the station.
- Put my chicken in the - How could you? We got a baby! [all shouting.]
I won't press charges.
I won't press charges! You just gonna let her assault me? - You saw that, right? - I ain't see nothing.
So Ray Wallis isn't one of the rapists.
Might not be, there are three separate DNA samples from the rape kit.
- He's not one of them.
- Could have used a condom.
His girlfriend is alibi'ing him.
I know, I know.
Ray, if you don't cooperate with us, you're just setting yourself up for rape in the first.
We got you with a gun.
You're on parole.
You know that's a violation, five years mandatory federal time.
Okay, cool, I'll just call your P.
O.
You know one hand washes the other? You gotta help us help you.
Otherwise the only way you see your babies again is from behind bars.
[phone ringing.]
It's ringing.
Wait.
[phone beeps.]
I got the SNAP cards from some kids.
Some kids? Yeah.
Kids.
Young.
How young? [scoffs.]
Too young to use it.
And they were bragging about how all three of them had sex with some girl at the playground.
[knocking.]
Mrs.
Hall? Detectives Carisi and Tutuola.
We're with Special Victims Unit.
- You mind if we come in? - Special? Why are you special? 'Cause of our good looks.
So you the police? Mmhmm.
Hmm, all right, come in.
So which one you here for? Which one? My boys.
I know you ain't here for this old bag of bones.
I used to have two beautiful girls of my own.
Lost them both the same year to some damn powder and the needle.
We're sorry to hear that.
I can see them.
They still alive in my grandkids.
I made a promise I'd take care of them.
And that's Darryl and DeShawn.
They twins, 14 years old.
And their cousin, Leonard.
He's 15.
Do you know where your grandkids are right now? Down there.
Thank you for your time.
Pass it! Come on, bro.
Pass it.
Come on.
Cops! Run! Hey! Where do you think you're going, huh? Pro tip: Next time, run in different directions.
Let's go.
This is Mrs.
Hall.
The three young men are her grandsons.
They are innocent! They told me what really happened! Boys, why don't you have a seat? - Come this way.
- Let's go.
I've called a lawyer, Ron Carter.
- Good to see you.
- There he is.
I heard of him.
He's a legend.
Oh, yeah, he worked for the good guys at the hate crime unit.
And now, he's every prosecutor's nightmare.
Let's hope Carisi has a rabbit foot somewhere.
Mr.
Carter.
I'm Lieutenant Benson.
- This is Detective Tutuola.
- Oh, boy.
When I left the DA's office, I thought the days of dim precincts and their terrible coffee were behind me.
Lucky for you, we're having French roast today.
Mm! Well, I'm gonna assume you haven't spoken to those boys without their attorney present.
Not at all.
We play by the book here.
Let's hope so, Detective.
You should know that the victim is on her way down here to make an ID.
Well, since these boys are innocent, that shouldn't be a problem at all.
Well, then, you should also know that we have DNA from the rape kit.
And all three boys bragged about having sex - with the victim.
- Sex? Consensual sex.
These boys ain't raped anybody.
Your victim is a prostitute.
We had sex with that girl, but we didn't rape her! It it can't be rape, not if we paid for it! Okay, then, why don't you just tell us what happened? Go ahead, son, you can talk.
Me, Darryl, DeShawn were hanging on the playground.
We saw this girl and guy together.
They were drinking Absolut.
We asked if they wanted to party.
And then what happened? The guy was a pimp.
He took me aside, and said that we could all do her for 200 bucks.
And tell them what you told me.
So I went home, got my mom's ring, pawned it, gave the guy 200 bucks.
We had sex with the girl.
- I'm sorry, Grandma - We will talk - about that later.
- My clients, they're not proud of what they did.
But this is not a rape.
- Not by a long stretch - Hold on.
- No, you hold on, I'm Ta - This victim - was incapacitated.
- She had drugs and alcohol - in her system.
- Did you know this? She went along.
She seemed fine.
Okay, the guy that was with her, the pimp.
You get a name? Malik.
DeShawn and Darryl confirm Leonard's version - of what happened.
- Yeah, they're accused of rape; Maybe they're just making up an excuse.
Well, they're 14 and 15 years old.
That's a sophisticated story.
Client is telling the truth.
Pawned his mother's ring last night at 10:30.
So Malik was pimping out his little sister.
Then this story he told the cops, about needing to use - the bodega phone? - Probably trying to call his dealer, then something got busted, and he made up this rape thing.
But Tiana said she was raped, too.
He got to her.
On the playground.
And she had to back up her brother's story.
Go pick him up.
[knocking on door.]
NYPD.
Open up, Malik.
Where's your sister at? Whywhat? What you need? You know why we're here.
Get out of the way.
Tiana! - Look, don't worry about her.
- Hey, baby.
She's just tired.
She's a little tired.
- Shut up! - She just tired, aight? - She's tired? - She's just tired! [both shouting.]
Man, get your hands off me! What you gonna do? What? Know what? You ain't even worth it.
Turn around.
You're under arrest.
- Hey, Tiana? Tiana - Yeah So Tiana was passed out cold? Rollins took her to the ER.
- And Malik? - He's being processed.
Child endangerment, possession, and promoting prostitution.
- He ask for a lawyer? - Nope.
It's not like he's gonna confess to trafficking his own sister.
No, that is gonna have to come from Tiana herself.
I doubt if that happens, either.
You had no right to arrest Malik! Malik's your guardian.
You were getting high together.
It's so what? So, that's not taking care of you.
Says who? Huh? Wh Child Services? They don't know anything! I'm not going there! Well, you're not going home again.
I was raped! You guys are supposed to be on my side! We are, Tiana, but But some questions have come up.
Like what? Well, your brother takes care of you.
He pays the bills.
Everything that SNAP doesn't cover.
- Yeah.
- Well, that's Gotta be hard on him.
You help him out, with that? Um, sometimes.
So maybe you get paid to babysit, or run errands, or Hang out with his friends? If that's what's going on, we get it.
You're not in any trouble, here.
But we do need you to tell us the truth.
So we can help you, Tiana.
So we can help your brother, too.
Huh? So you're asking me if I sold my little sister to three banger wanna-be's? - Did you? - No! And we're supposed to believe you now, after you told us it was six guys with a gun? When it was three teenagers who said that they paid you? They raped Tiana! All right? They'll say anything! So will you! You're in big trouble right now! Why, because Tiana went through my stash when I wasn't home? She shouldn't be doing drugs, and she knows that! [scoffs.]
Daddy left when I was ten.
And Mama went to prison when I was 14.
Malik was the one that made me waffles.
He braided my hair.
[chuckles.]
He got me to school.
No TV if I didn't finish my homework.
[chuckles.]
He did everything for me.
He was the one that had to drop out, so, yeah, whatever I can do to help him, I do it.
Tiana Did those boys pay to have sex with you? 'Cause if they did, it is not on you.
- They hurt me.
- And even if they did pay your brother, if you didn't want to, that's rape.
Just tell us what happened.
And then you're gonna let Malik go? Why don't we take it one step at a time, okay? So that's a no.
All right, I'm out of here.
No, you're not.
Tiana, I'm sorry, but that's not gonna happen.
Child Services is already On their way here.
No.
No, if if if you put me in foster care, I will run away.
Okay, well What if I say that I wasn't raped? No crime, no police, right? - Tiana - Nobody raped me! I wanted to do those boys! Th This wasn't Malik's idea.
This was all my idea! - No victim, no case.
- Whether or not Tiana was pimped out, she was drugged.
Incapable of consent, that's rape.
Not if she doesn't testify.
We've just handed the defense a motion to dismiss on a silver platter.
[knocking.]
Mr.
Stone? Mr.
Carter's here.
On schedule.
Send him in, Carmen.
Mr.
Stone! Lieutenant Benson.
This is my daughter, Regina.
I'll be representing Malik Williams.
- What can we do for you? - I just want to know, why you haven't dropped the charges - against my clients? - Because whether or not money was exchanged, the victim did not consent.
She told police that she was assaulted.
But that's not what she's saying now.
If I call a press conference, this case? It's gonna make the Central Park Five debacle look like a public relations triumph.
And, remind me, how much did the city pay out to those boys? We realize what we're looking at.
So you're gonna drop the charges.
I need to review the evidence.
Well, take all the time you need Until 5:00 PM.
Because that's when I call the press, and explain how the NYPD and the DA are railroading innocent young black men.
Including Tiana's brother.
Come on, you know that that's not what's going on.
We'll be in touch.
Thank you.
- Hey.
- We ran Malik's financials, what there are of them.
He and Tiana get 352 a month in SNAP benefits.
No other legit income.
Yeah, and the rent for the public housing apartment is 200.
But this guy's got a phone, he's got cable, he's got a big-screen TV.
- Okay, expenses, clothing.
- Uh-huh.
So he's making up the extra.
We just have to prove it's from pimping out Tiana.
Yeah, so we pulled Malik's phone records, tracked a dozen of his associates.
They're gang members, drug dealers.
- Johns? - Not that anyone's - admitted so far.
- But they all have records.
It's just a matter of time before they get picked up - and need to deal.
- Like my friend here.
You gonna introduce us? Yeah, this is Bobby Jackson.
Just got busted by narcotics with four kilos of cocaine in the trunk of his town car.
He's also Malik and Tiana's driver.
Malik? He treats Tiana pretty good.
By pimping her out? Keeping her addicted to heroin? He doesn't beat her, take a taste for himself, know what I mean? So we're supposed to feel great about this guy because he doesn't sexually abuse his own sister? - I'm just saying.
- Yeah, let's stick to the usual program.
You're gonna tell us who you saw, what you saw, how many times you saw it.
Bobby drove Tiana to all her appointments.
He also kept his eyes on the road when she had to handle business in the back seat.
He has names, dates, and cash amounts.
- On an Excel spreadsheet? - No.
Pencil and paper.
He kept a written record so he could keep track of his cut.
Did you really just get this lucky? Luck favors the prepared.
I called in a favor in Narcotics.
This bust is legit.
Absolutely.
Okay, I'll call Stone.
You really want to get Malik.
He's the worst kind of predator.
He betrays his own.
I mean his sister really loves him, and he's throwing her away.
On the charge of endangering a minor and sex trafficking, how do you plead? Not guilty, Your Honor.
- People on bail? - We request remand.
Up until two days ago, the defendant was the guardian of his 16-year-old sister, who he's now charged with trafficking.
We believe he could be a danger to her.
My client's main concern is his sister's wellbeing.
Mr.
Williams would like to clear his name, regain custody of Ms.
Williams, and Tiana.
What are you You cannot be here.
You cannot be in here! I ran away.
I told you I would.
You cannot be here! My brother didn't do anything! It was all my idea! Ms.
Carter.
Mmy apologies, Your Honor.
She's with me.
Then take her out - of my courtroom! - Okay, of course.
Let's go, come on.
Now, now.
You can't do this to Malik! Listen to me.
We don't have a choice.
I'm not going back to Child Services! We can arrest you for filing a false report, send you to juvie.
Well, maybe you want to take me home, daddy? Stop it, you don't have to be like that.
- You're no fun.
- Tiana, you do have a choice, actually.
Either you go back to Child Services or we arrest you right now.
You, too? So all that nice lady, being my friend with that other detective, that was all BS? Fine! Take me back.
Take her back.
I'll radio a squad car to drive her.
You know, you say you care about me.
You're lying.
I know my brother loves me! I worked for Malik Williams for two years.
Drove him to drug buys, drove his sister Tiana to her dates.
And by dates, you mean Meeting with guys who paid to have sex with her.
And who collected the cash? I did, mostly.
I'd take 10%, and give the rest to Malik.
Did Tiana go along with this? Aside from her being 14 when it started She was so drugged up, she couldn't put two words together.
Did you or Malik use a weapon on Tiana? Or did you lock the car doors? No, I would never do that.
So she was free to go at any time.
Well, like I said, she was so drugged up that Did she ever tell you she was frightened of her brother? Or ask you for help to escape? No.
In fact, didn't she talk about how well he took care of her? How she was happy? You can look at me, not the ADA who dropped charges against you in exchange for your testimony against my client Your Honor.
Testimony that doesn't include anything you just told us about the real criminals, here.
Men who paid for sex with a drugged-out teenager.
Just answer the question, Mr.
Jackson.
She seemed okay.
She always hugged him when we got home.
Redirect, Your Honor.
Did Tiana tell you how happy she was when she was incapacitated? Being raped by strangers, in the back seat of a town car, so her brother could support - his drug habit? - Objection! Overruled.
The witness may answer.
No.
She didn't say much of anything, then.
Tiana.
What did you tell the police, when they found you on the playground? I don't know.
What did you tell them in the hospital? Permission to treat the witness as hostile, Your Honor? Granted.
Tiana? You need to answer the questions.
Do you understand? Yes.
You initially told the cops that you had been raped, isn't that right? Yes.
Was that true? No.
You lied to protect your brother, because he had pimped you out for $200? No, that was my idea.
My brother didn't do anything.
Didn't he lie to the cops? Tell them you'd been raped? No, he was trying to make sure that I didn't get into trouble.
So you went along with his lie the same way you are right now.
- Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Do you love your brother? Yes.
He's been your sole caretaker since you were 14.
- Yes.
- If your brother's convicted, you'll end up in foster care indefinitely.
Wouldn't you say anything to keep that from happening? - Objection, Your Honor - Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
Tiana Is your brother Malik drugging you or forcing you into prostitution? No.
No, he's not.
We've heard testimony that you've engaged in sexual solicitation.
I'm not proud of that.
I needed money.
So this was all your idea? [sighs.]
I had to.
After Mama was sent away, Malik worked construction.
And he got into a fight.
It wasn't his fault, but he got fired.
Assistance barely paid rent.
When I was 13, all I wanted was a puppy.
Malik said that we couldn't afford that.
[sighs.]
So no movies, no going out.
Um I couldn't sleep nights, worrying about what might happen if we couldn't make rent.
I just wanted that feeling to go away, I didn't To not be worried.
My stomach hurting all the time.
Thinking, maybe, it might be better if I got shot.
Mostly I just wanted the bad stuff to just go away for a little while.
I l I love my brother.
He's all I have.
Thank you, Tiana.
People rest, Your Honor.
Ms.
Carter? Defense calls LaShonda Williams.
The defendant's mother? This witness wasn't on the list, Your Honor.
She's been in the infirmary in Bedford Hills Correctional after an attack by her cellmate.
We weren't sure if she'd be able to testify.
We just found out she's recovered enough to travel.
I'll need time to prepare, Your Honor.
You can take the lunch recess, Mr.
Stone.
We're adjourned.
Malik has always been the real man of the family.
My husband was a waste of skin.
Well, Malik, he saved me and Tiana.
After my husband left, we had a real nice life.
Then you were convicted of assault? Yeah, I had my struggles.
Drink and drugs.
Regret my mistakes, but I'm working on being a better mother.
The court appointed Malik as an interim guardian while you served your time? He was taking care of her, taking her to visit me, taking her to school, making sure she stay out of trouble.
Has he succeeded? Not always.
[chuckles.]
Tiana headstrong, she willful.
She does what she wants.
Including acting out sexually? - Objection.
- Overruled.
Witness may answer.
Yeah.
I seen that in her, even as a 14-year-old.
So these charges against your son, where do you think they [laughs.]
The cops, the DA, they making a mistake.
They know how bad these teenage girls be.
Malik loves Tiana.
He would never do nothin' to hurt her.
Thank you, Ms.
Williams.
No further questions.
Is everything all right, Mr.
Stone? Your witness.
Uh, what's he doin' here? The man you assaulted, Luke Snell? Objection.
What's going on, Mr.
Stone? It's my cross examination, Your Honor.
How is any of this relevant? Goes to credibility.
Best I can do on short notice.
I'll allow it.
Ms.
Williams, two years ago, you slashed Luke Snell with a straight-razor.
Yes, I did.
Everybody knows that.
Does everybody know why? Objection.
Again, relevance.
I'll allow it, Ms.
Carter.
Why did you slash his face? I'll take the 5th.
You don't want to incriminate yourself? Is that because you assaulted Mr.
Snell in an argument about money after he paid your pimp who also happens to be your son? Objection.
No, it wasn't Malik's fault.
He was going through a bad patch.
We needed the cash! Now, I pled guilty.
So nobody needed to know that part.
Malik was working as your pimp, trafficking you? The same way he's trafficking your daughter now? Objection, Your Honor! Withdrawn.
The jury will disregard.
The witness is excused.
We're in recess.
[gavel bangs.]
Tiana.
Is it true? My daddy used to rape my mama.
And then Malik does that to her I know he's your big brother, and I know you think you owe him.
But you don't.
Let me get you back to ACS.
Malik trafficked his mother, too? And they're both blaming it on Tiana.
Man, that family had it rough.
Same as everyone that grows up in the Projects.
Some will make it out, some won't.
But we all make our own choices.
You don't talk about your childhood much.
Back at you, Lieu.
[phone buzzing.]
Lieutenant Benson.
What? Where? - What happened to Tiana? - Heroin overdose.
- Where was she found? - In her apartment.
Neighbors called 911.
She gonna make it? EMTs said they're not sure.
It's their tenth OD tonight.
- How is she? - Lucky to be alive.
She got a hotshot of China white.
The EMTs said her heart stopped in the ambulance.
Well, she didn't do this on her own.
No, probably not.
We're pulling security cams - from the housing projects.
- Fin's canvassing the neighborhood.
He's leaning on narcotics, - the gang unit.
- Anybody talk to Malik? His lawyer says that he's devastated, and he does not know anything about it.
Okay, check the call logs, visitor records.
- Keep me posted.
- On it.
Look, I got a bad dose.
It happens.
So who did you buy it from? - I don't know his name.
- But it was one - of your brother's dealers.
- Okay, I'm not telling you that.
When is the last time you talked to Malik? I'm not telling you that either.
You do know that the calls are recorded at Rikers, right? Fine, I-I-I called him this afternoon.
I asked him if what he said was true.
And what did he say? He said it wasn't true.
So your mother's lying.
Tiana, your brother is making her a liar, just like he's making you a liar and a whore and an addict, Is that what you want your life to be? Because I don't think that it is.
Just shut up! You don't know anything about me! I don't know, you're right! I don't know a lot.
But I do know some things, because I talked to your teachers.
And you know what they told me? They told me that you were a straight-A student.
They told me that you like superheroes, especially Wonder Woman.
And your freshman English teacher told me that you wrote one of the best, best essays that she has ever read.
She said that you that you wanna be like Wonder Woman, 'cause you want to help people.
I can't do that now.
I was stupid then.
You're not stupid, you weren't.
Listen to me.
You can be whatever you want to be.
I know that Malik is your family.
But just because he's your family doesn't mean that he wants what's best for you.
I know this one.
Believe me.
Okay, I got him.
Thanks.
I'm saying, like, it don't it don't matter.
You know what I'm saying? Like you get where you supposed to be, you where you supposed to be Jerome.
Hey! Don't make me chase you.
And don't make me shoot you.
Come on.
It wasn't my idea, I swear.
- Whose idea was it then? - Malik's.
You tryin' to tell us Malik told you to give his own sister a hot shot and kill her? He said to take care of her, that if she testified against him, it was all over.
I'm sorry, Tiana.
Do not feel sorry for me.
We don't.
We know how strong you are.
And we also know that you're gonna be okay.
Our daddy didn't just rape our mama.
He beat Malik.
He beat the hell out of him.
- You shut up.
- You protected us! After he left, it was okay for a while, but It was like you hated yourself for what he did to us.
For what he did to you.
The drugs helped.
But then we needed more drugs.
More money.
The money had to come from somewhere.
I don't hate you, Malik.
I don't want to testify.
But I will if I have to.
I think we can reach a deal, spare Tiana from testifying.
What are you offering? Let's talk.
Can I take Tiana home? Yeah, thank you for coming in.
I love you, T.
So Malik took a deal.
Fifteen years.
Good.
Fin Look, it's no excuse for what he did to Tiana, but But he was brutalized, too.
And we both know it doesn't matter what happens to you in life; It's how you deal with it.
How about you get out of here? [laughs.]
What, and go home and feed my parakeet? Something like that.
Good night, Fin.
Good night, Liv.
[phone beeps, rings.]
- [baby coos.]
- [laughs.]
What's up, Jaden? You answering the phone now? What's up? Heard you said "Pop-Pop"! That's what's up! Tell your dads I'm coming over.
I'ma get some pizza.
You like pizza, little man? Yeah? You're a big ol' boy.
Love you!
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, come on, come on, come on, come on! It's not going through, man! You need to make that call! Malik, come on, man, that's what I'm saying! [both talking at once.]
Hey, man! [all indistinct shouting.]
- Look at his face! - What's your problem? You gonna pay for this? Look, man, it's an accident! [all shouting.]
Whoa, whoa, whoa, he's got a gun, there? - No! - I'm calling the police! You ain't gonna call no police, man! Jay, Jay, come on.
Let's go, let's go, let's go, man! [sirens wailing.]
- Damn! - Stop right there! Put your hands where we can see them! - We didn't do anything! - Shut your mouth, and keep your hands where I can see them.
- They tried to rob me! - No, we didn't! Shut up, shut up.
I was trying to use the bodega phone.
I was taking my cell out the pocket, just to show him it was dead! - You been drinking? - Sir, listen to me You listen to me! You keep your hands on the hood.
We need help! His sister! She's she's being raped! - Raped? - I was trying to call 911.
My sister She's 16, she She's in the playground around the corner, please! We gotta go get her! Please, we gotta go get her! How long ago did the assault happen? About an hour.
Guy says, he and his sister were held up at gunpoint.
They threw Tiana to the ground Officer said you ran.
There were six of them, sir.
Over here! We got her! She's right here.
Hey, Tiana? Hey, it's okay, we got you, baby.
Okay, can you sit up? There you go.
Somebody call a bus! Here you go.
Can you tell us what happened? Oh, thank God you're okay, T.
Look, the guys that raped you, I swear to God, I swear to God, I'ma kill 'em, okay? - Back up! - I swear to God! [weeping.]
Help me, I was raped! [indistinct weeping.]
I'm sorry, Malik! [sobbing.]
It's okay.
I'm sorry! [sirens wailing.]
[dramatic music.]
- Hey.
- Sorry for calling you so earlier.
It's okay.
The victim is 16? - Yeah.
- You call the mother? Well, the mother is in Bedford Hills Correctional.
There's no father in the picture.
Her older brother, Malik, is her legal guardian.
Okay, and Malik is the one who reported the rape? Yeah, so he and his friend, Jerome, were apparently trying to call for help, and the bodega owner thought it was a robbery.
So much for community relations.
And can Malik or his friend ID the rapist? It was dark; They say that there were six of them, one of them with a gun.
We're canvassing now.
We're pulling security cams.
Detectives? - You're from SVU? - We are.
I just examined Tiana Williams.
- How is she? - Scrapes, bruising on her knees, palms, genital trauma on the rape kit.
Semen in her throat and underwear.
Okay, well, let's get that to the lab, and see if we can get lucky enough to get a DNA hit.
She was pretty out of it when we found her.
What came up on the tox screen? Traces of heroin, and her blood alcohol - was .
19.
- A 16 year-old girl, alone in the middle of the night in that kind of shape.
You don't wanna know how many times we see that in here.
Okay, so did you call Child Services? Tiana's been crying, asking for her brother.
I direct Child Services into this, they're gonna bust up the only family she has.
That's your call.
Where is she? - Right over there.
- Thank you.
How's Tiana? I need to see her.
My lieutenant is with her at the hospital.
We'll know more soon.
All right, that thing at the bodega.
Jerome and I, we were just trying to find help, man.
Let's talk about what happened before that.
What were you and Tiana doing at the playground? Well, Tiana came home.
She said she had a good grade on her biology test.
So I went to the store, bought some vodka to celebrate.
Vodka? She's 16.
Well, it's not a regular thing, you see Tiana's smart, and she's And she's our ticket out the hood, so, I wanted to do something special for her.
So we went to the playground, and just hung out.
Okay, what happened then? These guys, six dudes, they pulled up, man.
White? Black? Latino? How old? Black, young.
I don't know, my age? But one of them threatened me.
Threatened you how? One of them lifted they shirt up, showed a gun in they waistband.
Said I had to leave, and Tiana had to stay.
And you just left her there? Well, they said they were gonna shoot me otherwise.
I had no choice.
Sure, you had a choice.
You take a bullet.
You don't leave your little sister alone.
Yo, Malik came bookin' out the playground, said Tiana was in trouble.
Wait, so you weren't at the playground? No, no, no, I was out doing my thing, hanging with my girl, you know? But we got in a fight, so I went out for a walk while things blew over.
She got a short memory.
I ran into Malik.
[scoffs.]
And then what? I think you know and then what.
So you didn't actually see the guys - who attacked Tiana? - No.
But Malik said they in a gang.
- Which gang? - I don't know! But they real hard dudes.
I mean no one messes with them.
Let's get back to the six guys.
Height, weight.
Hair, tats, clothing.
It was dark.
I heard you say, at the playground, that you would kill them.
Hell yeah.
You know them? Nah.
You sure? Yes.
You trying to help your little sister or not, Malik? You didn't protect her.
This is your chance to make that right.
- This isn't Malik's fault.
- What we want to focus on right now is catching the men who did this to you.
Can you tell us anything? How many there were? What they looked like? Um Yeah, three of them, I think.
It all happened so fast, and I was out of it.
- I-I I don't know, I don't know.
- Okay.
Okay.
[coughing.]
I need my inhaler.
Um where where's my bag? We didn't find anything at the scene.
Oh, so they robbed me, too? Hold on, listen, Tiana.
Is there anything that was in your bag that might help us identify who took it, like a credit card? Our food card.
Our food card.
How am I gonna do the shopping for this week? - We don't have any money! - Okay.
- What's gonna happen to us? - Tiana, we can help you - with that, okay? - I don't want your help! I want my bag! And I want to see Malik! Can we excuse me, can we get a doctor in here please? [gasping.]
- She needs her inhaler.
- Okay.
[air hissing.]
Just breathe.
Slowly now, okay.
10 milligrams Albuterol.
Good.
Good, good, good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[breathing deeply.]
Malik said that there were six assailants? Black, young, possibly gang affiliated.
Malik didn't give us much to go on.
Well, neither did Tiana.
She said that there were three of them.
- She was pretty high.
- [scoffs.]
What about the friend, Jerome? He backs up Malik's story.
I've got a call into the gang unit.
If this was some type of initiation, somebody's probably telling their friends how it went down.
Hey, I've got something on Malik's SNAP card.
What, the food card? Yeah, it was flagged last night at 2am.
Somebody tried to use it.
It was denied at Lee's Liquors, 105th Street.
- I know that place.
- Great, then they'll have no problem telling you who tried to use Tiana's card.
Lee.
I thought your boys don't drink on the job anymore.
We're not thirsty.
We need the footage from your security cams, last night, around 2am.
Or what? Seriously? They really know you around here, huh? Man, get your ass up and go get me that footage.
Stop playing with me.
I was just making a little joke.
Don't quit your day job.
Send me everything you got.
Thanks, Ramos, I owe you one.
Gang unit recognize this guy? Yeah, they call that guy "Four Stroke," AKA Ray Wallis.
He's on parole for aggravated assault.
They got a last known? Nah, but this guy's a fighter and a lover.
He got four baby-mamas in four different neighborhoods.
Living dangerously.
What do we do now? We just sit on all four addresses and wait on daddy to come home.
Stay inside, ma'am.
Stone says we're good.
NYPD! Hey, where you goin', Ray? Where you going? Where you going? Come here.
Stop.
Come here.
Don't shoot my baby.
Hey, I didn't rape that bitch, man.
What makes you think we're here about a rape? Talk about this down at the station.
- Put my chicken in the - How could you? We got a baby! [all shouting.]
I won't press charges.
I won't press charges! You just gonna let her assault me? - You saw that, right? - I ain't see nothing.
So Ray Wallis isn't one of the rapists.
Might not be, there are three separate DNA samples from the rape kit.
- He's not one of them.
- Could have used a condom.
His girlfriend is alibi'ing him.
I know, I know.
Ray, if you don't cooperate with us, you're just setting yourself up for rape in the first.
We got you with a gun.
You're on parole.
You know that's a violation, five years mandatory federal time.
Okay, cool, I'll just call your P.
O.
You know one hand washes the other? You gotta help us help you.
Otherwise the only way you see your babies again is from behind bars.
[phone ringing.]
It's ringing.
Wait.
[phone beeps.]
I got the SNAP cards from some kids.
Some kids? Yeah.
Kids.
Young.
How young? [scoffs.]
Too young to use it.
And they were bragging about how all three of them had sex with some girl at the playground.
[knocking.]
Mrs.
Hall? Detectives Carisi and Tutuola.
We're with Special Victims Unit.
- You mind if we come in? - Special? Why are you special? 'Cause of our good looks.
So you the police? Mmhmm.
Hmm, all right, come in.
So which one you here for? Which one? My boys.
I know you ain't here for this old bag of bones.
I used to have two beautiful girls of my own.
Lost them both the same year to some damn powder and the needle.
We're sorry to hear that.
I can see them.
They still alive in my grandkids.
I made a promise I'd take care of them.
And that's Darryl and DeShawn.
They twins, 14 years old.
And their cousin, Leonard.
He's 15.
Do you know where your grandkids are right now? Down there.
Thank you for your time.
Pass it! Come on, bro.
Pass it.
Come on.
Cops! Run! Hey! Where do you think you're going, huh? Pro tip: Next time, run in different directions.
Let's go.
This is Mrs.
Hall.
The three young men are her grandsons.
They are innocent! They told me what really happened! Boys, why don't you have a seat? - Come this way.
- Let's go.
I've called a lawyer, Ron Carter.
- Good to see you.
- There he is.
I heard of him.
He's a legend.
Oh, yeah, he worked for the good guys at the hate crime unit.
And now, he's every prosecutor's nightmare.
Let's hope Carisi has a rabbit foot somewhere.
Mr.
Carter.
I'm Lieutenant Benson.
- This is Detective Tutuola.
- Oh, boy.
When I left the DA's office, I thought the days of dim precincts and their terrible coffee were behind me.
Lucky for you, we're having French roast today.
Mm! Well, I'm gonna assume you haven't spoken to those boys without their attorney present.
Not at all.
We play by the book here.
Let's hope so, Detective.
You should know that the victim is on her way down here to make an ID.
Well, since these boys are innocent, that shouldn't be a problem at all.
Well, then, you should also know that we have DNA from the rape kit.
And all three boys bragged about having sex - with the victim.
- Sex? Consensual sex.
These boys ain't raped anybody.
Your victim is a prostitute.
We had sex with that girl, but we didn't rape her! It it can't be rape, not if we paid for it! Okay, then, why don't you just tell us what happened? Go ahead, son, you can talk.
Me, Darryl, DeShawn were hanging on the playground.
We saw this girl and guy together.
They were drinking Absolut.
We asked if they wanted to party.
And then what happened? The guy was a pimp.
He took me aside, and said that we could all do her for 200 bucks.
And tell them what you told me.
So I went home, got my mom's ring, pawned it, gave the guy 200 bucks.
We had sex with the girl.
- I'm sorry, Grandma - We will talk - about that later.
- My clients, they're not proud of what they did.
But this is not a rape.
- Not by a long stretch - Hold on.
- No, you hold on, I'm Ta - This victim - was incapacitated.
- She had drugs and alcohol - in her system.
- Did you know this? She went along.
She seemed fine.
Okay, the guy that was with her, the pimp.
You get a name? Malik.
DeShawn and Darryl confirm Leonard's version - of what happened.
- Yeah, they're accused of rape; Maybe they're just making up an excuse.
Well, they're 14 and 15 years old.
That's a sophisticated story.
Client is telling the truth.
Pawned his mother's ring last night at 10:30.
So Malik was pimping out his little sister.
Then this story he told the cops, about needing to use - the bodega phone? - Probably trying to call his dealer, then something got busted, and he made up this rape thing.
But Tiana said she was raped, too.
He got to her.
On the playground.
And she had to back up her brother's story.
Go pick him up.
[knocking on door.]
NYPD.
Open up, Malik.
Where's your sister at? Whywhat? What you need? You know why we're here.
Get out of the way.
Tiana! - Look, don't worry about her.
- Hey, baby.
She's just tired.
She's a little tired.
- Shut up! - She just tired, aight? - She's tired? - She's just tired! [both shouting.]
Man, get your hands off me! What you gonna do? What? Know what? You ain't even worth it.
Turn around.
You're under arrest.
- Hey, Tiana? Tiana - Yeah So Tiana was passed out cold? Rollins took her to the ER.
- And Malik? - He's being processed.
Child endangerment, possession, and promoting prostitution.
- He ask for a lawyer? - Nope.
It's not like he's gonna confess to trafficking his own sister.
No, that is gonna have to come from Tiana herself.
I doubt if that happens, either.
You had no right to arrest Malik! Malik's your guardian.
You were getting high together.
It's so what? So, that's not taking care of you.
Says who? Huh? Wh Child Services? They don't know anything! I'm not going there! Well, you're not going home again.
I was raped! You guys are supposed to be on my side! We are, Tiana, but But some questions have come up.
Like what? Well, your brother takes care of you.
He pays the bills.
Everything that SNAP doesn't cover.
- Yeah.
- Well, that's Gotta be hard on him.
You help him out, with that? Um, sometimes.
So maybe you get paid to babysit, or run errands, or Hang out with his friends? If that's what's going on, we get it.
You're not in any trouble, here.
But we do need you to tell us the truth.
So we can help you, Tiana.
So we can help your brother, too.
Huh? So you're asking me if I sold my little sister to three banger wanna-be's? - Did you? - No! And we're supposed to believe you now, after you told us it was six guys with a gun? When it was three teenagers who said that they paid you? They raped Tiana! All right? They'll say anything! So will you! You're in big trouble right now! Why, because Tiana went through my stash when I wasn't home? She shouldn't be doing drugs, and she knows that! [scoffs.]
Daddy left when I was ten.
And Mama went to prison when I was 14.
Malik was the one that made me waffles.
He braided my hair.
[chuckles.]
He got me to school.
No TV if I didn't finish my homework.
[chuckles.]
He did everything for me.
He was the one that had to drop out, so, yeah, whatever I can do to help him, I do it.
Tiana Did those boys pay to have sex with you? 'Cause if they did, it is not on you.
- They hurt me.
- And even if they did pay your brother, if you didn't want to, that's rape.
Just tell us what happened.
And then you're gonna let Malik go? Why don't we take it one step at a time, okay? So that's a no.
All right, I'm out of here.
No, you're not.
Tiana, I'm sorry, but that's not gonna happen.
Child Services is already On their way here.
No.
No, if if if you put me in foster care, I will run away.
Okay, well What if I say that I wasn't raped? No crime, no police, right? - Tiana - Nobody raped me! I wanted to do those boys! Th This wasn't Malik's idea.
This was all my idea! - No victim, no case.
- Whether or not Tiana was pimped out, she was drugged.
Incapable of consent, that's rape.
Not if she doesn't testify.
We've just handed the defense a motion to dismiss on a silver platter.
[knocking.]
Mr.
Stone? Mr.
Carter's here.
On schedule.
Send him in, Carmen.
Mr.
Stone! Lieutenant Benson.
This is my daughter, Regina.
I'll be representing Malik Williams.
- What can we do for you? - I just want to know, why you haven't dropped the charges - against my clients? - Because whether or not money was exchanged, the victim did not consent.
She told police that she was assaulted.
But that's not what she's saying now.
If I call a press conference, this case? It's gonna make the Central Park Five debacle look like a public relations triumph.
And, remind me, how much did the city pay out to those boys? We realize what we're looking at.
So you're gonna drop the charges.
I need to review the evidence.
Well, take all the time you need Until 5:00 PM.
Because that's when I call the press, and explain how the NYPD and the DA are railroading innocent young black men.
Including Tiana's brother.
Come on, you know that that's not what's going on.
We'll be in touch.
Thank you.
- Hey.
- We ran Malik's financials, what there are of them.
He and Tiana get 352 a month in SNAP benefits.
No other legit income.
Yeah, and the rent for the public housing apartment is 200.
But this guy's got a phone, he's got cable, he's got a big-screen TV.
- Okay, expenses, clothing.
- Uh-huh.
So he's making up the extra.
We just have to prove it's from pimping out Tiana.
Yeah, so we pulled Malik's phone records, tracked a dozen of his associates.
They're gang members, drug dealers.
- Johns? - Not that anyone's - admitted so far.
- But they all have records.
It's just a matter of time before they get picked up - and need to deal.
- Like my friend here.
You gonna introduce us? Yeah, this is Bobby Jackson.
Just got busted by narcotics with four kilos of cocaine in the trunk of his town car.
He's also Malik and Tiana's driver.
Malik? He treats Tiana pretty good.
By pimping her out? Keeping her addicted to heroin? He doesn't beat her, take a taste for himself, know what I mean? So we're supposed to feel great about this guy because he doesn't sexually abuse his own sister? - I'm just saying.
- Yeah, let's stick to the usual program.
You're gonna tell us who you saw, what you saw, how many times you saw it.
Bobby drove Tiana to all her appointments.
He also kept his eyes on the road when she had to handle business in the back seat.
He has names, dates, and cash amounts.
- On an Excel spreadsheet? - No.
Pencil and paper.
He kept a written record so he could keep track of his cut.
Did you really just get this lucky? Luck favors the prepared.
I called in a favor in Narcotics.
This bust is legit.
Absolutely.
Okay, I'll call Stone.
You really want to get Malik.
He's the worst kind of predator.
He betrays his own.
I mean his sister really loves him, and he's throwing her away.
On the charge of endangering a minor and sex trafficking, how do you plead? Not guilty, Your Honor.
- People on bail? - We request remand.
Up until two days ago, the defendant was the guardian of his 16-year-old sister, who he's now charged with trafficking.
We believe he could be a danger to her.
My client's main concern is his sister's wellbeing.
Mr.
Williams would like to clear his name, regain custody of Ms.
Williams, and Tiana.
What are you You cannot be here.
You cannot be in here! I ran away.
I told you I would.
You cannot be here! My brother didn't do anything! It was all my idea! Ms.
Carter.
Mmy apologies, Your Honor.
She's with me.
Then take her out - of my courtroom! - Okay, of course.
Let's go, come on.
Now, now.
You can't do this to Malik! Listen to me.
We don't have a choice.
I'm not going back to Child Services! We can arrest you for filing a false report, send you to juvie.
Well, maybe you want to take me home, daddy? Stop it, you don't have to be like that.
- You're no fun.
- Tiana, you do have a choice, actually.
Either you go back to Child Services or we arrest you right now.
You, too? So all that nice lady, being my friend with that other detective, that was all BS? Fine! Take me back.
Take her back.
I'll radio a squad car to drive her.
You know, you say you care about me.
You're lying.
I know my brother loves me! I worked for Malik Williams for two years.
Drove him to drug buys, drove his sister Tiana to her dates.
And by dates, you mean Meeting with guys who paid to have sex with her.
And who collected the cash? I did, mostly.
I'd take 10%, and give the rest to Malik.
Did Tiana go along with this? Aside from her being 14 when it started She was so drugged up, she couldn't put two words together.
Did you or Malik use a weapon on Tiana? Or did you lock the car doors? No, I would never do that.
So she was free to go at any time.
Well, like I said, she was so drugged up that Did she ever tell you she was frightened of her brother? Or ask you for help to escape? No.
In fact, didn't she talk about how well he took care of her? How she was happy? You can look at me, not the ADA who dropped charges against you in exchange for your testimony against my client Your Honor.
Testimony that doesn't include anything you just told us about the real criminals, here.
Men who paid for sex with a drugged-out teenager.
Just answer the question, Mr.
Jackson.
She seemed okay.
She always hugged him when we got home.
Redirect, Your Honor.
Did Tiana tell you how happy she was when she was incapacitated? Being raped by strangers, in the back seat of a town car, so her brother could support - his drug habit? - Objection! Overruled.
The witness may answer.
No.
She didn't say much of anything, then.
Tiana.
What did you tell the police, when they found you on the playground? I don't know.
What did you tell them in the hospital? Permission to treat the witness as hostile, Your Honor? Granted.
Tiana? You need to answer the questions.
Do you understand? Yes.
You initially told the cops that you had been raped, isn't that right? Yes.
Was that true? No.
You lied to protect your brother, because he had pimped you out for $200? No, that was my idea.
My brother didn't do anything.
Didn't he lie to the cops? Tell them you'd been raped? No, he was trying to make sure that I didn't get into trouble.
So you went along with his lie the same way you are right now.
- Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Do you love your brother? Yes.
He's been your sole caretaker since you were 14.
- Yes.
- If your brother's convicted, you'll end up in foster care indefinitely.
Wouldn't you say anything to keep that from happening? - Objection, Your Honor - Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
Tiana Is your brother Malik drugging you or forcing you into prostitution? No.
No, he's not.
We've heard testimony that you've engaged in sexual solicitation.
I'm not proud of that.
I needed money.
So this was all your idea? [sighs.]
I had to.
After Mama was sent away, Malik worked construction.
And he got into a fight.
It wasn't his fault, but he got fired.
Assistance barely paid rent.
When I was 13, all I wanted was a puppy.
Malik said that we couldn't afford that.
[sighs.]
So no movies, no going out.
Um I couldn't sleep nights, worrying about what might happen if we couldn't make rent.
I just wanted that feeling to go away, I didn't To not be worried.
My stomach hurting all the time.
Thinking, maybe, it might be better if I got shot.
Mostly I just wanted the bad stuff to just go away for a little while.
I l I love my brother.
He's all I have.
Thank you, Tiana.
People rest, Your Honor.
Ms.
Carter? Defense calls LaShonda Williams.
The defendant's mother? This witness wasn't on the list, Your Honor.
She's been in the infirmary in Bedford Hills Correctional after an attack by her cellmate.
We weren't sure if she'd be able to testify.
We just found out she's recovered enough to travel.
I'll need time to prepare, Your Honor.
You can take the lunch recess, Mr.
Stone.
We're adjourned.
Malik has always been the real man of the family.
My husband was a waste of skin.
Well, Malik, he saved me and Tiana.
After my husband left, we had a real nice life.
Then you were convicted of assault? Yeah, I had my struggles.
Drink and drugs.
Regret my mistakes, but I'm working on being a better mother.
The court appointed Malik as an interim guardian while you served your time? He was taking care of her, taking her to visit me, taking her to school, making sure she stay out of trouble.
Has he succeeded? Not always.
[chuckles.]
Tiana headstrong, she willful.
She does what she wants.
Including acting out sexually? - Objection.
- Overruled.
Witness may answer.
Yeah.
I seen that in her, even as a 14-year-old.
So these charges against your son, where do you think they [laughs.]
The cops, the DA, they making a mistake.
They know how bad these teenage girls be.
Malik loves Tiana.
He would never do nothin' to hurt her.
Thank you, Ms.
Williams.
No further questions.
Is everything all right, Mr.
Stone? Your witness.
Uh, what's he doin' here? The man you assaulted, Luke Snell? Objection.
What's going on, Mr.
Stone? It's my cross examination, Your Honor.
How is any of this relevant? Goes to credibility.
Best I can do on short notice.
I'll allow it.
Ms.
Williams, two years ago, you slashed Luke Snell with a straight-razor.
Yes, I did.
Everybody knows that.
Does everybody know why? Objection.
Again, relevance.
I'll allow it, Ms.
Carter.
Why did you slash his face? I'll take the 5th.
You don't want to incriminate yourself? Is that because you assaulted Mr.
Snell in an argument about money after he paid your pimp who also happens to be your son? Objection.
No, it wasn't Malik's fault.
He was going through a bad patch.
We needed the cash! Now, I pled guilty.
So nobody needed to know that part.
Malik was working as your pimp, trafficking you? The same way he's trafficking your daughter now? Objection, Your Honor! Withdrawn.
The jury will disregard.
The witness is excused.
We're in recess.
[gavel bangs.]
Tiana.
Is it true? My daddy used to rape my mama.
And then Malik does that to her I know he's your big brother, and I know you think you owe him.
But you don't.
Let me get you back to ACS.
Malik trafficked his mother, too? And they're both blaming it on Tiana.
Man, that family had it rough.
Same as everyone that grows up in the Projects.
Some will make it out, some won't.
But we all make our own choices.
You don't talk about your childhood much.
Back at you, Lieu.
[phone buzzing.]
Lieutenant Benson.
What? Where? - What happened to Tiana? - Heroin overdose.
- Where was she found? - In her apartment.
Neighbors called 911.
She gonna make it? EMTs said they're not sure.
It's their tenth OD tonight.
- How is she? - Lucky to be alive.
She got a hotshot of China white.
The EMTs said her heart stopped in the ambulance.
Well, she didn't do this on her own.
No, probably not.
We're pulling security cams - from the housing projects.
- Fin's canvassing the neighborhood.
He's leaning on narcotics, - the gang unit.
- Anybody talk to Malik? His lawyer says that he's devastated, and he does not know anything about it.
Okay, check the call logs, visitor records.
- Keep me posted.
- On it.
Look, I got a bad dose.
It happens.
So who did you buy it from? - I don't know his name.
- But it was one - of your brother's dealers.
- Okay, I'm not telling you that.
When is the last time you talked to Malik? I'm not telling you that either.
You do know that the calls are recorded at Rikers, right? Fine, I-I-I called him this afternoon.
I asked him if what he said was true.
And what did he say? He said it wasn't true.
So your mother's lying.
Tiana, your brother is making her a liar, just like he's making you a liar and a whore and an addict, Is that what you want your life to be? Because I don't think that it is.
Just shut up! You don't know anything about me! I don't know, you're right! I don't know a lot.
But I do know some things, because I talked to your teachers.
And you know what they told me? They told me that you were a straight-A student.
They told me that you like superheroes, especially Wonder Woman.
And your freshman English teacher told me that you wrote one of the best, best essays that she has ever read.
She said that you that you wanna be like Wonder Woman, 'cause you want to help people.
I can't do that now.
I was stupid then.
You're not stupid, you weren't.
Listen to me.
You can be whatever you want to be.
I know that Malik is your family.
But just because he's your family doesn't mean that he wants what's best for you.
I know this one.
Believe me.
Okay, I got him.
Thanks.
I'm saying, like, it don't it don't matter.
You know what I'm saying? Like you get where you supposed to be, you where you supposed to be Jerome.
Hey! Don't make me chase you.
And don't make me shoot you.
Come on.
It wasn't my idea, I swear.
- Whose idea was it then? - Malik's.
You tryin' to tell us Malik told you to give his own sister a hot shot and kill her? He said to take care of her, that if she testified against him, it was all over.
I'm sorry, Tiana.
Do not feel sorry for me.
We don't.
We know how strong you are.
And we also know that you're gonna be okay.
Our daddy didn't just rape our mama.
He beat Malik.
He beat the hell out of him.
- You shut up.
- You protected us! After he left, it was okay for a while, but It was like you hated yourself for what he did to us.
For what he did to you.
The drugs helped.
But then we needed more drugs.
More money.
The money had to come from somewhere.
I don't hate you, Malik.
I don't want to testify.
But I will if I have to.
I think we can reach a deal, spare Tiana from testifying.
What are you offering? Let's talk.
Can I take Tiana home? Yeah, thank you for coming in.
I love you, T.
So Malik took a deal.
Fifteen years.
Good.
Fin Look, it's no excuse for what he did to Tiana, but But he was brutalized, too.
And we both know it doesn't matter what happens to you in life; It's how you deal with it.
How about you get out of here? [laughs.]
What, and go home and feed my parakeet? Something like that.
Good night, Fin.
Good night, Liv.
[phone beeps, rings.]
- [baby coos.]
- [laughs.]
What's up, Jaden? You answering the phone now? What's up? Heard you said "Pop-Pop"! That's what's up! Tell your dads I'm coming over.
I'ma get some pizza.
You like pizza, little man? Yeah? You're a big ol' boy.
Love you!