Law & Order Special Victims Unit s14e24 Episode Script
Her Negotiation
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.
Billy was a train-driving man he went from one side to the other side of town he went to bed with the light on Hey, bri, there's an exhibit of the plein air painters at the Whitney.
What do you say we head uptown and grab some brunch? Sound good? A museum? Talking to me? I'll take that as a no.
So another Sunday watching roller bladers in the park.
I thought we might change it up.
We will.
Next Sunday.
Yo, shearling, your turn.
With the wind Don't call me that.
Something we never Aah, dang! That water is hot.
It don't bother you? Seriously? That's not hot.
Even when there was someone he felt apart, alone alone - This is hot.
- Alone It's mind over matter.
You're crazy, man.
You'll burn your fingers off.
Ooh.
Ooh! Burnt flesh.
You smell that? They're waiting Where you going? We got kitchen cleanup.
Both of us.
We can't leave till it's done.
No! No! Aah! Aah! You can't leave.
Unless you got a problem with that.
No, it's good! He made his way to the liquor store Yo! Fin, what are you doing here? Where's Munch? Good to see you too, Captain.
He sent me in to pinch hit for him.
He says our tickets are right behind first base.
Wait, I got stood up by Munch? - What, is he feeling okay? - Oh, no, he's good.
His date went a little over last night.
It's noon.
Never mind, come on.
I don't want to miss batting practice.
Remember, you have to always be ready, all right? - Keep your eye on the ball.
- Hit it to me, dad.
All right, heads up.
Here we go.
- Oh.
- I got it! I got it! Here you go.
Thanks.
I catched it! I catched it! Uh, you caught it.
Not "catched," "caught.
" Nick, let her be.
For you to come along Good girl, Fran! Good girl! Good girl.
Come here.
- Help! - Stop that man! - Help! - Stop him! - Stop that man! - Help! Frannie, go get him! Hey, police! Stop! Hey! Police! Billy was a train-driving man he got lost Good girl.
Oh, good girl, yeah! - Someplace in the wind - Frannie, come.
- Good girl.
- He got lost is there a problem, officer? Someplace in the wind You can throw him into holding while I sort out these witness statements.
Officer, I didn't flash those girls.
This is such a misunderstanding.
Shut up! Astrid, Tilde, if-- - How long will this take? - We have tickets to Mamma Mia! Girls, you need to tell the police what happened, - so that man can be prosecuted.
- Exactly.
Go ahead, please, and Ms.
Parker, um, you can wait in here, okay? - Wherever you need me, dear.
- Thank you.
Detective We may have a problem.
You burned off your fingerprints? An accident.
Hot griddle.
We can try running them again, but I don't think it's gonna do any good.
And you've got no ID at all? Not on me, sweetheart.
I told you, I left it at the halfway house.
And you've got nobody that can verify who you say you are? I ride alone.
How about we call this disorderly conduct, everybody goes home? So Rollins does know that it's the weekend, right? Now, what did you do, tie Cassidy to a "no parking" sign? He can come in.
Uh, yeah, I think that he's happy.
I left him at a sports bar watching the Mets game.
Matt Harvey working on a perfect game.
Wow, she called you all in? Rollins is out of control.
- Well, she's your partner.
- Oh, it's fine.
Only six innings into a perfect game.
Uh, eight.
Even better.
You called us all in on a Sunday for a lewdness mis-D? But there's more, okay? The perp, William Lewis-- if that's his real name-- he's got no ID, he's unemployed, he says he lives at a halfway house in Brooklyn.
- I've got a call in-- - So he has a record.
Yeah, he should, but I can't find anything, - because I can't run his prints.
- What are you talking about? They're burned off.
Both hands, fresh.
He claims it's a kitchen accident.
So he deliberately burns his fingers, and goes into the park to flash? He was just getting started.
I think he was gonna go and assault those girls.
I think he would have if Frannie hadn't cornered him.
- Frannie? - Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, she knew.
- She chased him down.
- Okay.
But who is that in my office? That's Alice Parker.
She's an eyewitness.
She caught him on her camera.
She says she's seen him there before.
And look, guys, I know we were all supposed to have the day off, but I just want to get the witness statements ASAP.
- You know, I'll take the perp.
- Just slow down.
Slow down, Rollins.
Captain, I've got a feeling about this guy.
I get that.
Benson, Amaro, you go.
I want fresh eyes.
You had a run-in with him.
You and Fin talk to the girls.
And since you've made her comfortable in my office, - I'll talk to the photographer.
- Okay.
I, um, photograph bridges, arches, architectural detail.
In all of that nature, I'm drawn to what's man-made.
Well, you do know that the entire park is man-made.
Yes, Frederick Law Olmstead, the founder of landscape architecture.
So Detective Rollins tells me you've seen this man before? I've watched him.
He is as much a predator as any animal in the park.
I knew something like this would happen.
And what exactly did happen? I heard the girls scream.
He had his privates out.
I snapped a picture.
- He took off.
- Mm-hmm, okay.
Is it possible you misconstrued? Absolutely not.
I heard him.
- He--he said something to them.
- Yes.
And what was it? I'm not comfortable repeating it.
Okay, um Do you think you could write it down? That old lady, she's got some kind of problem with me.
But honestly, I have no idea why.
I mean, I've never spoken two words to her.
Yeah, but you do know her, right? I-I run along the pond.
She's always out with the camera.
Uh, well, maybe I accidentally ran through one of her photos.
Oh, is that what happened today? You ran through a photo with your fly open? You know, there are kids playing in that park.
I explained this to the blonde detective.
This--this is such a misunderstanding.
I was out running.
I got, uh, chafed, and so I had to stop to-- to make a little adjustment.
- An adjustment.
- Have you tried powder? You know, these girls say you approached them, exposed yourself, and made sexually suggestive comments.
Do they even speak English? They're young.
They're from, what, Finland? This is just bad timing.
I mean, really, I-- Hey, what do you say I-- I apologize to them, and we all go home.
No, not just yet.
Now, you said that you went running, yeah? Yeah, sound body, sound mind.
You always go running in jeans and work boots? I'm between jobs right now.
I don't have a lot of money to spend on running gear.
I don't think I deserve this kind of attitude, Detective.
Guys.
Hey, I got in touch with the halfway house.
It's Brooklyn Beginnings.
Some kind of shady operation they've got going over there.
They faxed me his New York state ID.
William Lewis, DOB 8-23-78.
- How long has he been there? - Three months.
They say he came from an inpatient addiction facility - on Long Island.
- Mm-hmm.
Where was he before that? So you're staying at a halfway house.
Yeah, I'm trying to turn things around.
I had some problems with pills after a work site accident.
Back pain.
It's the worst.
But, uh, my record was clean, so the judge said that if I did rehab and then went to the halfway that, um, the charges would be Uh, come on, what do you call it? - Expunged.
- Yeah.
Listen, I-I feel awful about what these girls think happened.
Do you? Or you're just worried that it's gonna screw up your parole? Well, that's my point.
I mean, why would I risk my recovery just to spook some tourists? And my mother raised me to respect women.
Right.
What about your fingers? Man, they hurt.
KP duty.
It was a hot stove.
Well, the thing is, with your fingers burnt like that, we're having a rough time checking your prints, so Would you mind telling us where you're from? I'm from--from all over.
Texas, Florida, Delaware.
A military family.
But I've been in New York for the last couple of years.
And before the halfway house, you live alone? - With roommates? - With a girlfriend.
But we didn't exactly part on the best terms.
So how exactly did you part? You know something, Detective? I'm not getting a real sense of a benefit of the doubt here.
I'm entitled to an attorney, if I ask for one.
Isn't that right? This guy's a piece of work.
- Good call, Amanda.
- Thanks.
Where's the fire, Rollins? Where were you, on your yacht? Not my yacht.
What are we looking at? William Lewis, unemployed drifter.
We have three witnesses who saw him - expose himself in Central Park.
- Really? And you called me in here for a class "B" misdemeanor because you wanted to use up all your favors in one fell swoop? It's not like that, okay? This guy is hard-core.
- How bad is his record? - We don't know.
We can't run his prints because his fingers are burned, and if you ask me, he did it deliberately.
And if you ask him, what's his story? Everything happens to him.
His fingers were burned in a kitchen accident.
He wasn't flashing, he was chafed.
Yeah, and we've got two victims, two teenaged tourists.
And we know he wasn't just chafed.
Look, we have an elegant witness who heard him verbally attack the girls.
I had her write down everything he said.
"Get down on your knees Open your mouth and take communion.
" I suppose he thinks that's spiritual.
It's probative of lewdness.
Even so, we get him in front of a judge, - he'll get time served.
- Fine.
I just want him to take the plea so we can get his DNA.
He's hiding something.
I want to know what.
People vs.
William Lewis.
Public lewdness, CPL 245.
Mr.
Barba, I'm surprised to see you slumming.
I miss arraignment court, Your Honor.
It keeps me humble.
I doubt that.
Mr.
Lewis, how do you plead? We'd like to make an offer, Your Honor.
If the defendant pleads guilty, the people will agree to time served and two days' community service.
Defense, Ms Ms.
-- Vanessa Mayer, Your Honor.
Ms.
Mayer, ball is in your court.
Yes, I think we can live with that.
Let me confer with my client.
I'm sorry, Your Honor.
My client respectfully declines the DA's offer.
But that's the best he's gonna get, 24 hours served.
We could waive community service.
I'm sorry, I can't plead guilty to something I didn't do.
So you're pleading "not guilty"? Yes.
I'm not guilty.
Very well, the case is set over for trial, pending motions.
We waive motions, Your Honor.
We're ready to proceed to trial.
- People on bail? - Remand, Your Honor.
The defendant has no ties to the community, no job.
He's a flight risk.
Two minutes ago you were willing to let him walk out of here.
I agree.
Defendant is released on his own recognizance.
Case to be set over for trial.
Bailiff, next case.
He won't take time served.
He doesn't want us to find out who he is, - get his DNA into CODIS.
- Or maybe he's just innocent.
Look, we have three reliable witnesses.
Two of whom are tourists.
His attorney may be legal aid, but she's smart.
She knows that if they leave the country, the judge will throw the case out.
We have Alice Parker and her photo.
She came on the scene after the fact, the photo is not definitive.
Look, this case was a dog from the start.
It just got fleas.
You think he's dirty? Keep digging.
Captain Cragen? I'm sorry to bother you, Ms.
Parker, but you didn't answer your phone.
Was it ringing? I didn't-- No, no, no.
It's all right.
It's all right.
I just wanted to make sure you got your camera back.
TARU downloaded the photos.
Oh.
Well, thank you.
Um, this man, from the park It's going to trial.
We're gonna need you to testify.
Oh.
Oh, well If--if you'll excuse me.
Of course.
Um, good night And take care.
You did very well, darling.
Now, take off that robe.
Get back in the bedroom.
When Alice didn't show up at the lecture series for the "Y," I knew something was wrong.
- And you found her? - I have a key.
It was horrible.
She was tied up, naked, bleeding.
It was him, Lewis, the beast! William Lewis? He's the one who did this to you? Yes, I came home last night at 6:00.
He was inside.
He had a gun.
He tied me up, burned me.
He--he did things.
Okay, do you have any idea what time he left? I don't know.
Noon, maybe.
I heard the church bells.
It's Lewis.
He broke into her apartment, raped and tortured her for 18 hours at gunpoint.
- Ms.
Parker, I am so sorry.
- Just get him.
I'll go with her.
I'll get her statement.
Damn.
I got cans of five krazys, what looks like crystal meth, cigarette butts.
Bag everything.
He burned her with cigarettes? They found pans on the stove with keys and hangers.
He branded her.
She went through hell.
Get the mattress.
She's on a lot of meds.
She's tough, Captain.
She survived this.
She'll be okay.
Find him.
William Lewis! Where is he? Easy, you don't need guns in here.
He's not here.
He's AWOL.
Lewis hasn't been here in two days.
He skipped out on his chores.
- Yeah, where's his room? - Downstairs.
You can't just go running through here! You got a warrant? - Watch it.
- Police! Open up! Hey, open up! Did you hear that? Hey, you! Get your ass off those coats! These coats are mine, I swear.
Yeah, where's Lewis? I don't know! Hey, man, I know you, weirdo.
You and him sharing this room? You mind if we look around? Fine, but I ain't seen him since Sunday morning, I swear.
He took my bike.
Yeah? Anyplace special he'd go? A girlfriend? No, no friends.
Nobody likes him.
- Huh.
- He got a habit? Aside from hurting people? Look, he burned my hand.
I talk to you, I don't know what he'll do.
I thought this was a sober house, huh? Like Lewis will do anything anyone tells him to.
They don't sell these in New York anymore.
Five krazy? Yeah, they do.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
So, the bodega owner, he ID'd Lewis.
He hates him.
Says he comes in there and tries to steal his five krazys, but he hasn't seen him since Sunday.
Okay, captain said this guy did a real number on this woman, so he wants us to stay here if it takes all night.
All right.
I got no problem with that.
What's up with you? How's your shoulder? Eh, it gets worse at night, but I'll be fine.
Heads up.
- Police, don't move! - All right.
Okay, okay! Keep your hands where I can see 'em.
Oh, look who it is.
You're back for more, huh? Get down there.
She can't get enough of me, can you, sweetheart? Yeah, you let me know if that's - too tight for you, all right? - Ooh.
That old lady said I raped her? I told you she was crazy the first time.
Yeah? You saying that she made it up? Mm, I know enough to stay away from her.
All right, so where were you yesterday? Not the halfway house.
No, I'm done with that place.
It's supposed to be all about recovery? All they do is steal taxpayers' money.
There's no services.
There's no security.
It's--the whole thing is a farce.
Yeah? So, where were you? Yeah, thanks for the sympathy.
The sympathy? What you did to her, you're lucky - I didn't kick your teeth in.
- What I did You should be so lucky someone does that to you.
Hey! Shut the hell up, or I'll take you out right here and wipe that stupid smile off your face.
It's okay, Nick.
I want to hear this.
"I should be so lucky.
" How? Tell me.
Oh, sure, sweetheart.
What do you want to hear? Whatever you've got.
You mean, like, how disturbing it would be to make a fine, educated, cultured woman like that disrobe? How humiliating it would be? How she might try to cover herself with her hands? Go on.
You want to hear how I tied her to the bed.
Not too tight, so I could watch her struggle.
No? Not your thing, huh? Oh, what about if I made her go down on her knees And forced myself inside of her? Or or you want to hear about the pyrotechnics? How I put out my cigarettes on her.
Yeah.
Gotcha.
How I branded her private parts with keys - and hot hangers.
- Okay.
You know, I know you're getting off on this, but you know what? I want to know how you got in that apartment.
Eh, that's by the numbers.
"Men are from Mars," right, Detective? He wants the logistics, but you--you want the emotion.
- I do.
- Yeah.
So tell me more.
You want to hear how she was alone with me all night.
A 60-year-old woman.
She did things that she never expected to do That she never imagined were possible.
With her fingers.
With her mouth.
Or do you want to hear how, at the beginning, she said she would do anything? I mean, she begged me for her life.
And by the morning time, she was begging me to take her out of her misery.
Which one do you think I enjoyed more? - Detectives.
- Oh, hey, it's my lawyer.
You guys can't talk to my client.
Yeah, I told them they weren't allowed to do this.
It's just hypothetical.
You know better.
He's invoked.
Good.
'Cause I need a shower.
You should have held the lawyer off.
I was so close.
- He was playing you.
- I had him.
He was getting off on telling me the details.
He wasn't confessing.
Every phrase was couched in a hypothetical.
Well, it doesn't matter.
I mean, don't we have him? Her rape kit just came back.
His DNA is all over her, the bed, - the stove knobs-- - Stove knobs? He branded her.
We also found her cameras and jewelry at a pawn shop.
The owner ID'd Lewis.
Whoever he is, and whatever he has done before, he's going away for life now.
Is the victim up to a Grand Jury? Well, the hospital releases her tonight, but can't we spare her that? I'll take a lineup tomorrow.
Liv, I've put this guy into ViCAP.
I've searched the databases.
You know, I know he has a record, I just can't find it.
Did you try inverting his names, different spellings? Yeah, in all the states he said he lived in.
In the states that he said that he lived in.
Let's try the neighboring states.
Ms.
Parker.
Here, let me--let me help you.
We can wait here in my office.
Can I get you anything? Uh, some tea? I'm fine, but thank you.
I just wanted to say how very sorry I am for what happened.
- Mm.
- Are you holding up? Physically, I'll live.
Emotionally, I, uh-- Well, I was up all night.
You went back to your apartment? It's my home.
He's not taking that away from me.
- Captain, a minute? - Yeah.
If you'll excuse me? What do you mean he can't do the lineup? They were getting him ready for transport when he choked himself with a daisy chain.
They had to tase him before he'd stop.
Where is he now? Suicide watch at Bellevue.
I mean, this guy, he knows every trick.
Well, that's okay.
So does Barba.
People vs.
William Lewis.
On the charge of rape in the first degree, - how does your client plead? - Not guilty.
Billy-- Not guilty, Your Honor.
- People on bail? - Remand, Your Honor.
He raped and tortured a 60-year-old woman - at gunpoint for 18 hours.
- While he's hospitalized, I'd like to request a psychiatric evaluation.
My client is severely depressed, and he attempted suicide - this morning.
- It's worth noting he sustained no injuries, and this suicide attempt was judiciously timed to avoid a lineup.
Ms.
Mayer, are you raising a question as to whether your client is competent to stand trial, or are you pleading "not guilty by reason of insanity"? - Possibly both, Your Honor.
- Are you kidding me? He is competent enough to hide his identity, to frame his confession as a hypothetical, he is more than competent enough to stand trial.
That's for this court to decide, not you, Mr.
Barba.
We'll proceed with the psych eval, - and then I'll make my ruling.
- Thank you.
Is there any way that he can get away with this? Are you asking if he can fake incompetency? Oh, sure.
This is his MO.
- Another delaying tactic.
- It's not his first time.
Finally caught up with him.
Lewis Williams.
Okay, I tracked down his birth certificate.
He was born in Harland County, Kentucky.
and raped the mother of his girlfriend when she tried to break them up.
- Charged? Convicted? - Oh, no, he got lucky.
The mother, uh, the vic, was also a junkie, so the DA didn't want to put her on the stand.
- No charges.
- So, he leaves the state.
Yeah, I mean, he wasn't lying about that.
He did move around quite a bit.
You mean he wore out his welcome.
- Then, Alabama? - It gets worse.
He was the suspect in a kidnap/rape/torture of a pair of roommates.
He was charged, but the victims were too traumatized to testify, and his lawyer got him off.
And paperwork completely misspelled his name as L-o-u-i-s Williams, so it didn't hit before.
This guy--if there's a break, he catches it.
- And what about Maryland? - Three years ago.
This time, his name is completely misspelled on the paperwork.
"William Lucas" goes to trial for the murder/rape of his then-girlfriend, who was his former defense attorney from Alabama.
So, she defends him, she sleeps with him, and when she tries to break it off He kills her.
How did "Houdini" get out of that one? Eh, they had him dead to rights-- DNA, witnesses-- his new lawyer gets them to offer a plea of second-degree murder, he turns it down-- So the new attorney does her due diligence.
Uh, she finds another boyfriend of the victim, creates reasonable doubt.
Lewis walks, and the DNA, expunged again.
Well, not this time.
The buck stops here.
Your Honor, as you can see from his record, Lewis Williams, or William Lucas, or whoever he's calling himself today is not crazy, he is crazy like a fox.
Your Honor, my client has never been convicted.
What he has been is maligned, targeted, and falsely accused.
- Five times.
- Mr.
Barba, you do know that prior accusations are inadmissible? Yes, yes, I do, Your Honor, but they speak to his ability to do and say anything to avoid conviction.
It speaks to his innocence.
Then why did he burn his fingertips? Use an alias? He obviously understands the parameters - of the judicial system.
- Your Honor, the state's relentless harassment has taken a toll on my client.
He's had a complete psychotic break.
If he's not competent to stand trial, he will remain incarcerated in Bellevue, on medication, - until he is competent.
- I understand.
Do you also understand that if he is found "not guilty by reason of insanity," he will be sentenced to a criminal psychiatric facility indefinitely.
Your Honor I've been through a very dark time since my arrest and subsequent persecution, but I think there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.
No, Billy-- It's okay.
I have faith in the jury's ability to see the truth.
So be it.
The defendant is ruled competent, and is remanded until trial.
- This gives us a win, right? - For now.
But I'm gonna need to start prepping Ms.
Parker for trial ASAP.
We'll let her know.
You said you talked to her a few hours ago? She seems to be doing okay, considering everything.
Still, she's not answering her phone.
When is the last time you saw her? - Ms.
Parker? - Alice? Oh, she's napping.
Ms.
Parker? She's gone.
I'm ruling straight up myocardial infarction.
In other words, she had a heart attack.
Okay, but, it could be stress-related.
If you want me to speculate, sure, stress could have been a factor.
Could have been? She was raped.
Tortured.
Three days prior.
Detectives Let it go.
Best I can give you is "undetermined.
" If you laid out the timeline in front of a jury-- You want to add a murder charge? It's gonna be hard enough to prove rape.
I used to like you.
Ms.
Parker was our lead witness.
She never made a lineup ID.
I took the disclosure.
She ID'd him.
He wasn't a stranger.
She knew him! We'll argue immediate outcry, excited utterance.
Defense will argue that he was denied the right - to question his accuser.
- He killed her! Yeah, and you are not pleading down rape one.
Not after what he's done, to her, to others.
He's never even been convicted.
If we can put him away from four to seven years, it's a start.
It's a start! Four to seven? What, years? - No.
- Let's hear them out, Billy.
You will plead guilty to third-degree sexual assault - and grand larceny.
- Robbery, right? She--she gave me the camera.
Shut up, Lewis.
Just stop.
Counselor, does she need to be here? No, no, Vanessa.
It's all right.
This goes to trial and we will charge you with multiple counts of first-degree rape.
Sodomy.
False imprisonment.
Homicide.
She had a heart attack.
My client had nothing to do with that.
Yeah, I had nothing to do with her being raped.
No? Your DNA was all over her body, and given her injuries I dare your defense attorney to argue that it was consensual.
She was obsessed with me.
No deal.
My client is not guilty.
Your client raped and tortured a cultured 60-year-old woman.
A jury will get one look at this scumbag.
You're insane if you think that they will let him go.
You see this, Vanessa? You see? I told you.
You're right.
Mr.
Lewis believes that Detective Benson and SVU - have a vendetta against him.
- You're unbelievable.
You've had it for me from the get.
Don't engage, Billy.
You've been doing sex crimes for a very long time, and now you're projecting your anger at others onto an innocent man.
Innocent? Did you see the morgue photos of his last defense attorney? Olivia? The one that he raped and tortured for 19 hours? She was also convinced of her lover's-- of her client's innocence.
Excuse me? We'll see you in court.
Lover? Client? Nice freudian slip.
- It wasn't.
- I got that.
It also means she's gonna fight like hell for him.
I arrested the defendant two weeks ago for public lewdness.
Alice Parker was on the witness list, it-- Those charges were dropped, weren't they? When the victims left the country.
- Yes or no, Detective? - Yes, but the defendant knew that Ms.
Parker was going to testify against him.
In retaliation, he raped and tortured her-- Move to strike, Your Honor.
This all speaks to the fact that Alice Parker and the NYPD had a vendetta against my client.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
Both of you, I'm instructing the jury to disregard both detectives' and the defense's statements.
I recovered two Nikon cameras owned by the victim and a diamond bracelet.
The pawn shop owner ID'd the defendant, William Lewis, as the one who brought the items in.
Thank you, Detective.
The pawn shop owner was in possession of stolen property, a punishable offense.
Do you think he took that into consideration when you asked him - to make the ID? - Objection.
Asking the witness to speculate.
Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
The apartment was a scene from hell.
Blood, electrical cords, instruments of torture.
It smelled like burnt flesh.
No further questions.
That is quite a vivid description, Detective.
Police also canvassed the building and the street, correct? - Yes, of course.
- And yet, you couldn't find a single witness who could put my client in that apartment building, let alone in the apartment - Did you? - No, but-- Did you see him on surveillance video? No, but we know he was there.
You mean, you assume he was there.
Thank you, Detective.
Nothing further.
I entered Alice Parker's apartment as she was being treated by first responders, and as soon as she saw me she blurted out, "It was him, Lewis.
He raped me.
That beast.
" Thank you, Detective.
Detective Benson, did Ms.
Parker tell you it had been over four hours since her attacker left? - Yes.
- After her ordeal, is it safe to say she was in a state of shock? Disoriented? Confused, even? She was traumatized, but her memory was perfectly clear.
Did she identify my client in a lineup? She didn't have a chance to because your client faked a suicide attempt.
Objection, Your Honor.
Just answer the questions, Detective.
Detective, are you aware that in addition to suffering from cataracts, which affected her vision, Ms.
Parker also wore bifocal contact lenses? - Yes.
- Do you know if she was wearing her bifocal contact lenses at the time of her attack? No, I don't.
So, a 60-year-old woman, with degenerating vision made a verbal accusation against a man she had a prior history of being obsessed with.
A man she had long been convinced was guilty of something.
A man you are also obsessed with.
- Objection.
- Withdrawn, Your Honor.
Nothing further.
You can step down, Detective.
There were ligature marks on her wrists, burn marks and crude brands on her neck, breasts, and buttocks.
And was there evidence of sexual assault to Ms.
Parker? There was vaginal, oral, and anal trauma consistent with a violent, sustained sexual assault, and the rape kit confirmed presence of semen in and on her body.
And did the OCME lab run DNA on the forensic evidence of the rape kit? Yes, and the odds of the DNA coming from someone other than the suspect are 100 billion to one.
Your witness.
You just testified, Dr.
Warner, that DNA found in Ms.
Parker's rape kit was a match for my client, - correct? - Yes.
Is it fair to say that the police asked the lab to put a rush on all DNA associated with this case? Yes, it was given top priority.
Now, in a normal circumstance, when you have a sample from a suspect and a victim, do you test them at the same time? Absolutely not.
They would be run on separate trays, so there is no possibility of cross-contamination.
By that, you mean the suspect's DNA being accidentally comingled with the DNA from the rape kit.
- In layman's terms, yes.
- And if the technician from the DNA lab were to test them at the same time? That technician would be dismissed.
At this time, I would like to introduce defense exhibits "A" and "B," an independent report on the OCME DNA lab's processing of Ms.
Parker's rape kit and my client's sale.
Your Honor, approach? Counselors.
This is the first I'm hearing of these exhibits.
I've had no opportunity to examine their authenticity.
Yes, I just got them, Your Honor.
I hired an independent investigator to examine the lab's processing of my client's case.
As you can see, under pressure, the lab tech compromised the process by testing my client's DNA sample in the same tray as the forensic sample.
There is a possibility of cross-contamination.
I need to authenticate these documents, I-- Yes, of course.
And, Your Honor, when this report checks out, I'm sure you will agree that it would be impossible to ask a jury to disregard such falsely damning testimony against my client.
You allowed that testimony to come in.
You were deliberately trying to force a mistrial.
I'm defending my client, Mr.
Barba.
Look, don't tell me the DNA is inadmissible.
Worse than that.
The judge, in her infinite wisdom, - declared a mistrial.
- You've got to be kidding me.
And it gets worse.
He's out on bail.
Bail? He doesn't have a pot to piss in.
Vanessa, his legal aid attorney, posted his bond.
This guy is beyond lucky.
Look, we'll make a stronger case on retrial.
If they even let Barba retry it.
There's no DNA.
There's no victim.
Tell you what, who wants to come with me and just shoot - the son of a bitch - Rollins-- Don't worry, Captain.
I'll take her out to get something to drink.
Anybody else, while my wallet is open? Actually, I have plans.
- Gil and Cynthia? - Yeah.
- Good for you.
- Liv? Oh, rain check.
I've barely been home at all this week.
Well, go home.
Stay there, two days.
- Captain, that's-- - Liv, that's an order.
You show up for work, I'll have you arrested.
You all right? Not really.
You want to talk? Not really.
Got it.
See you in a few, huh? Keep your head up.
Hello? Hello-- Welcome home, Detective Benson.
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.
Billy was a train-driving man he went from one side to the other side of town he went to bed with the light on Hey, bri, there's an exhibit of the plein air painters at the Whitney.
What do you say we head uptown and grab some brunch? Sound good? A museum? Talking to me? I'll take that as a no.
So another Sunday watching roller bladers in the park.
I thought we might change it up.
We will.
Next Sunday.
Yo, shearling, your turn.
With the wind Don't call me that.
Something we never Aah, dang! That water is hot.
It don't bother you? Seriously? That's not hot.
Even when there was someone he felt apart, alone alone - This is hot.
- Alone It's mind over matter.
You're crazy, man.
You'll burn your fingers off.
Ooh.
Ooh! Burnt flesh.
You smell that? They're waiting Where you going? We got kitchen cleanup.
Both of us.
We can't leave till it's done.
No! No! Aah! Aah! You can't leave.
Unless you got a problem with that.
No, it's good! He made his way to the liquor store Yo! Fin, what are you doing here? Where's Munch? Good to see you too, Captain.
He sent me in to pinch hit for him.
He says our tickets are right behind first base.
Wait, I got stood up by Munch? - What, is he feeling okay? - Oh, no, he's good.
His date went a little over last night.
It's noon.
Never mind, come on.
I don't want to miss batting practice.
Remember, you have to always be ready, all right? - Keep your eye on the ball.
- Hit it to me, dad.
All right, heads up.
Here we go.
- Oh.
- I got it! I got it! Here you go.
Thanks.
I catched it! I catched it! Uh, you caught it.
Not "catched," "caught.
" Nick, let her be.
For you to come along Good girl, Fran! Good girl! Good girl.
Come here.
- Help! - Stop that man! - Help! - Stop him! - Stop that man! - Help! Frannie, go get him! Hey, police! Stop! Hey! Police! Billy was a train-driving man he got lost Good girl.
Oh, good girl, yeah! - Someplace in the wind - Frannie, come.
- Good girl.
- He got lost is there a problem, officer? Someplace in the wind You can throw him into holding while I sort out these witness statements.
Officer, I didn't flash those girls.
This is such a misunderstanding.
Shut up! Astrid, Tilde, if-- - How long will this take? - We have tickets to Mamma Mia! Girls, you need to tell the police what happened, - so that man can be prosecuted.
- Exactly.
Go ahead, please, and Ms.
Parker, um, you can wait in here, okay? - Wherever you need me, dear.
- Thank you.
Detective We may have a problem.
You burned off your fingerprints? An accident.
Hot griddle.
We can try running them again, but I don't think it's gonna do any good.
And you've got no ID at all? Not on me, sweetheart.
I told you, I left it at the halfway house.
And you've got nobody that can verify who you say you are? I ride alone.
How about we call this disorderly conduct, everybody goes home? So Rollins does know that it's the weekend, right? Now, what did you do, tie Cassidy to a "no parking" sign? He can come in.
Uh, yeah, I think that he's happy.
I left him at a sports bar watching the Mets game.
Matt Harvey working on a perfect game.
Wow, she called you all in? Rollins is out of control.
- Well, she's your partner.
- Oh, it's fine.
Only six innings into a perfect game.
Uh, eight.
Even better.
You called us all in on a Sunday for a lewdness mis-D? But there's more, okay? The perp, William Lewis-- if that's his real name-- he's got no ID, he's unemployed, he says he lives at a halfway house in Brooklyn.
- I've got a call in-- - So he has a record.
Yeah, he should, but I can't find anything, - because I can't run his prints.
- What are you talking about? They're burned off.
Both hands, fresh.
He claims it's a kitchen accident.
So he deliberately burns his fingers, and goes into the park to flash? He was just getting started.
I think he was gonna go and assault those girls.
I think he would have if Frannie hadn't cornered him.
- Frannie? - Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, she knew.
- She chased him down.
- Okay.
But who is that in my office? That's Alice Parker.
She's an eyewitness.
She caught him on her camera.
She says she's seen him there before.
And look, guys, I know we were all supposed to have the day off, but I just want to get the witness statements ASAP.
- You know, I'll take the perp.
- Just slow down.
Slow down, Rollins.
Captain, I've got a feeling about this guy.
I get that.
Benson, Amaro, you go.
I want fresh eyes.
You had a run-in with him.
You and Fin talk to the girls.
And since you've made her comfortable in my office, - I'll talk to the photographer.
- Okay.
I, um, photograph bridges, arches, architectural detail.
In all of that nature, I'm drawn to what's man-made.
Well, you do know that the entire park is man-made.
Yes, Frederick Law Olmstead, the founder of landscape architecture.
So Detective Rollins tells me you've seen this man before? I've watched him.
He is as much a predator as any animal in the park.
I knew something like this would happen.
And what exactly did happen? I heard the girls scream.
He had his privates out.
I snapped a picture.
- He took off.
- Mm-hmm, okay.
Is it possible you misconstrued? Absolutely not.
I heard him.
- He--he said something to them.
- Yes.
And what was it? I'm not comfortable repeating it.
Okay, um Do you think you could write it down? That old lady, she's got some kind of problem with me.
But honestly, I have no idea why.
I mean, I've never spoken two words to her.
Yeah, but you do know her, right? I-I run along the pond.
She's always out with the camera.
Uh, well, maybe I accidentally ran through one of her photos.
Oh, is that what happened today? You ran through a photo with your fly open? You know, there are kids playing in that park.
I explained this to the blonde detective.
This--this is such a misunderstanding.
I was out running.
I got, uh, chafed, and so I had to stop to-- to make a little adjustment.
- An adjustment.
- Have you tried powder? You know, these girls say you approached them, exposed yourself, and made sexually suggestive comments.
Do they even speak English? They're young.
They're from, what, Finland? This is just bad timing.
I mean, really, I-- Hey, what do you say I-- I apologize to them, and we all go home.
No, not just yet.
Now, you said that you went running, yeah? Yeah, sound body, sound mind.
You always go running in jeans and work boots? I'm between jobs right now.
I don't have a lot of money to spend on running gear.
I don't think I deserve this kind of attitude, Detective.
Guys.
Hey, I got in touch with the halfway house.
It's Brooklyn Beginnings.
Some kind of shady operation they've got going over there.
They faxed me his New York state ID.
William Lewis, DOB 8-23-78.
- How long has he been there? - Three months.
They say he came from an inpatient addiction facility - on Long Island.
- Mm-hmm.
Where was he before that? So you're staying at a halfway house.
Yeah, I'm trying to turn things around.
I had some problems with pills after a work site accident.
Back pain.
It's the worst.
But, uh, my record was clean, so the judge said that if I did rehab and then went to the halfway that, um, the charges would be Uh, come on, what do you call it? - Expunged.
- Yeah.
Listen, I-I feel awful about what these girls think happened.
Do you? Or you're just worried that it's gonna screw up your parole? Well, that's my point.
I mean, why would I risk my recovery just to spook some tourists? And my mother raised me to respect women.
Right.
What about your fingers? Man, they hurt.
KP duty.
It was a hot stove.
Well, the thing is, with your fingers burnt like that, we're having a rough time checking your prints, so Would you mind telling us where you're from? I'm from--from all over.
Texas, Florida, Delaware.
A military family.
But I've been in New York for the last couple of years.
And before the halfway house, you live alone? - With roommates? - With a girlfriend.
But we didn't exactly part on the best terms.
So how exactly did you part? You know something, Detective? I'm not getting a real sense of a benefit of the doubt here.
I'm entitled to an attorney, if I ask for one.
Isn't that right? This guy's a piece of work.
- Good call, Amanda.
- Thanks.
Where's the fire, Rollins? Where were you, on your yacht? Not my yacht.
What are we looking at? William Lewis, unemployed drifter.
We have three witnesses who saw him - expose himself in Central Park.
- Really? And you called me in here for a class "B" misdemeanor because you wanted to use up all your favors in one fell swoop? It's not like that, okay? This guy is hard-core.
- How bad is his record? - We don't know.
We can't run his prints because his fingers are burned, and if you ask me, he did it deliberately.
And if you ask him, what's his story? Everything happens to him.
His fingers were burned in a kitchen accident.
He wasn't flashing, he was chafed.
Yeah, and we've got two victims, two teenaged tourists.
And we know he wasn't just chafed.
Look, we have an elegant witness who heard him verbally attack the girls.
I had her write down everything he said.
"Get down on your knees Open your mouth and take communion.
" I suppose he thinks that's spiritual.
It's probative of lewdness.
Even so, we get him in front of a judge, - he'll get time served.
- Fine.
I just want him to take the plea so we can get his DNA.
He's hiding something.
I want to know what.
People vs.
William Lewis.
Public lewdness, CPL 245.
Mr.
Barba, I'm surprised to see you slumming.
I miss arraignment court, Your Honor.
It keeps me humble.
I doubt that.
Mr.
Lewis, how do you plead? We'd like to make an offer, Your Honor.
If the defendant pleads guilty, the people will agree to time served and two days' community service.
Defense, Ms Ms.
-- Vanessa Mayer, Your Honor.
Ms.
Mayer, ball is in your court.
Yes, I think we can live with that.
Let me confer with my client.
I'm sorry, Your Honor.
My client respectfully declines the DA's offer.
But that's the best he's gonna get, 24 hours served.
We could waive community service.
I'm sorry, I can't plead guilty to something I didn't do.
So you're pleading "not guilty"? Yes.
I'm not guilty.
Very well, the case is set over for trial, pending motions.
We waive motions, Your Honor.
We're ready to proceed to trial.
- People on bail? - Remand, Your Honor.
The defendant has no ties to the community, no job.
He's a flight risk.
Two minutes ago you were willing to let him walk out of here.
I agree.
Defendant is released on his own recognizance.
Case to be set over for trial.
Bailiff, next case.
He won't take time served.
He doesn't want us to find out who he is, - get his DNA into CODIS.
- Or maybe he's just innocent.
Look, we have three reliable witnesses.
Two of whom are tourists.
His attorney may be legal aid, but she's smart.
She knows that if they leave the country, the judge will throw the case out.
We have Alice Parker and her photo.
She came on the scene after the fact, the photo is not definitive.
Look, this case was a dog from the start.
It just got fleas.
You think he's dirty? Keep digging.
Captain Cragen? I'm sorry to bother you, Ms.
Parker, but you didn't answer your phone.
Was it ringing? I didn't-- No, no, no.
It's all right.
It's all right.
I just wanted to make sure you got your camera back.
TARU downloaded the photos.
Oh.
Well, thank you.
Um, this man, from the park It's going to trial.
We're gonna need you to testify.
Oh.
Oh, well If--if you'll excuse me.
Of course.
Um, good night And take care.
You did very well, darling.
Now, take off that robe.
Get back in the bedroom.
When Alice didn't show up at the lecture series for the "Y," I knew something was wrong.
- And you found her? - I have a key.
It was horrible.
She was tied up, naked, bleeding.
It was him, Lewis, the beast! William Lewis? He's the one who did this to you? Yes, I came home last night at 6:00.
He was inside.
He had a gun.
He tied me up, burned me.
He--he did things.
Okay, do you have any idea what time he left? I don't know.
Noon, maybe.
I heard the church bells.
It's Lewis.
He broke into her apartment, raped and tortured her for 18 hours at gunpoint.
- Ms.
Parker, I am so sorry.
- Just get him.
I'll go with her.
I'll get her statement.
Damn.
I got cans of five krazys, what looks like crystal meth, cigarette butts.
Bag everything.
He burned her with cigarettes? They found pans on the stove with keys and hangers.
He branded her.
She went through hell.
Get the mattress.
She's on a lot of meds.
She's tough, Captain.
She survived this.
She'll be okay.
Find him.
William Lewis! Where is he? Easy, you don't need guns in here.
He's not here.
He's AWOL.
Lewis hasn't been here in two days.
He skipped out on his chores.
- Yeah, where's his room? - Downstairs.
You can't just go running through here! You got a warrant? - Watch it.
- Police! Open up! Hey, open up! Did you hear that? Hey, you! Get your ass off those coats! These coats are mine, I swear.
Yeah, where's Lewis? I don't know! Hey, man, I know you, weirdo.
You and him sharing this room? You mind if we look around? Fine, but I ain't seen him since Sunday morning, I swear.
He took my bike.
Yeah? Anyplace special he'd go? A girlfriend? No, no friends.
Nobody likes him.
- Huh.
- He got a habit? Aside from hurting people? Look, he burned my hand.
I talk to you, I don't know what he'll do.
I thought this was a sober house, huh? Like Lewis will do anything anyone tells him to.
They don't sell these in New York anymore.
Five krazy? Yeah, they do.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
So, the bodega owner, he ID'd Lewis.
He hates him.
Says he comes in there and tries to steal his five krazys, but he hasn't seen him since Sunday.
Okay, captain said this guy did a real number on this woman, so he wants us to stay here if it takes all night.
All right.
I got no problem with that.
What's up with you? How's your shoulder? Eh, it gets worse at night, but I'll be fine.
Heads up.
- Police, don't move! - All right.
Okay, okay! Keep your hands where I can see 'em.
Oh, look who it is.
You're back for more, huh? Get down there.
She can't get enough of me, can you, sweetheart? Yeah, you let me know if that's - too tight for you, all right? - Ooh.
That old lady said I raped her? I told you she was crazy the first time.
Yeah? You saying that she made it up? Mm, I know enough to stay away from her.
All right, so where were you yesterday? Not the halfway house.
No, I'm done with that place.
It's supposed to be all about recovery? All they do is steal taxpayers' money.
There's no services.
There's no security.
It's--the whole thing is a farce.
Yeah? So, where were you? Yeah, thanks for the sympathy.
The sympathy? What you did to her, you're lucky - I didn't kick your teeth in.
- What I did You should be so lucky someone does that to you.
Hey! Shut the hell up, or I'll take you out right here and wipe that stupid smile off your face.
It's okay, Nick.
I want to hear this.
"I should be so lucky.
" How? Tell me.
Oh, sure, sweetheart.
What do you want to hear? Whatever you've got.
You mean, like, how disturbing it would be to make a fine, educated, cultured woman like that disrobe? How humiliating it would be? How she might try to cover herself with her hands? Go on.
You want to hear how I tied her to the bed.
Not too tight, so I could watch her struggle.
No? Not your thing, huh? Oh, what about if I made her go down on her knees And forced myself inside of her? Or or you want to hear about the pyrotechnics? How I put out my cigarettes on her.
Yeah.
Gotcha.
How I branded her private parts with keys - and hot hangers.
- Okay.
You know, I know you're getting off on this, but you know what? I want to know how you got in that apartment.
Eh, that's by the numbers.
"Men are from Mars," right, Detective? He wants the logistics, but you--you want the emotion.
- I do.
- Yeah.
So tell me more.
You want to hear how she was alone with me all night.
A 60-year-old woman.
She did things that she never expected to do That she never imagined were possible.
With her fingers.
With her mouth.
Or do you want to hear how, at the beginning, she said she would do anything? I mean, she begged me for her life.
And by the morning time, she was begging me to take her out of her misery.
Which one do you think I enjoyed more? - Detectives.
- Oh, hey, it's my lawyer.
You guys can't talk to my client.
Yeah, I told them they weren't allowed to do this.
It's just hypothetical.
You know better.
He's invoked.
Good.
'Cause I need a shower.
You should have held the lawyer off.
I was so close.
- He was playing you.
- I had him.
He was getting off on telling me the details.
He wasn't confessing.
Every phrase was couched in a hypothetical.
Well, it doesn't matter.
I mean, don't we have him? Her rape kit just came back.
His DNA is all over her, the bed, - the stove knobs-- - Stove knobs? He branded her.
We also found her cameras and jewelry at a pawn shop.
The owner ID'd Lewis.
Whoever he is, and whatever he has done before, he's going away for life now.
Is the victim up to a Grand Jury? Well, the hospital releases her tonight, but can't we spare her that? I'll take a lineup tomorrow.
Liv, I've put this guy into ViCAP.
I've searched the databases.
You know, I know he has a record, I just can't find it.
Did you try inverting his names, different spellings? Yeah, in all the states he said he lived in.
In the states that he said that he lived in.
Let's try the neighboring states.
Ms.
Parker.
Here, let me--let me help you.
We can wait here in my office.
Can I get you anything? Uh, some tea? I'm fine, but thank you.
I just wanted to say how very sorry I am for what happened.
- Mm.
- Are you holding up? Physically, I'll live.
Emotionally, I, uh-- Well, I was up all night.
You went back to your apartment? It's my home.
He's not taking that away from me.
- Captain, a minute? - Yeah.
If you'll excuse me? What do you mean he can't do the lineup? They were getting him ready for transport when he choked himself with a daisy chain.
They had to tase him before he'd stop.
Where is he now? Suicide watch at Bellevue.
I mean, this guy, he knows every trick.
Well, that's okay.
So does Barba.
People vs.
William Lewis.
On the charge of rape in the first degree, - how does your client plead? - Not guilty.
Billy-- Not guilty, Your Honor.
- People on bail? - Remand, Your Honor.
He raped and tortured a 60-year-old woman - at gunpoint for 18 hours.
- While he's hospitalized, I'd like to request a psychiatric evaluation.
My client is severely depressed, and he attempted suicide - this morning.
- It's worth noting he sustained no injuries, and this suicide attempt was judiciously timed to avoid a lineup.
Ms.
Mayer, are you raising a question as to whether your client is competent to stand trial, or are you pleading "not guilty by reason of insanity"? - Possibly both, Your Honor.
- Are you kidding me? He is competent enough to hide his identity, to frame his confession as a hypothetical, he is more than competent enough to stand trial.
That's for this court to decide, not you, Mr.
Barba.
We'll proceed with the psych eval, - and then I'll make my ruling.
- Thank you.
Is there any way that he can get away with this? Are you asking if he can fake incompetency? Oh, sure.
This is his MO.
- Another delaying tactic.
- It's not his first time.
Finally caught up with him.
Lewis Williams.
Okay, I tracked down his birth certificate.
He was born in Harland County, Kentucky.
and raped the mother of his girlfriend when she tried to break them up.
- Charged? Convicted? - Oh, no, he got lucky.
The mother, uh, the vic, was also a junkie, so the DA didn't want to put her on the stand.
- No charges.
- So, he leaves the state.
Yeah, I mean, he wasn't lying about that.
He did move around quite a bit.
You mean he wore out his welcome.
- Then, Alabama? - It gets worse.
He was the suspect in a kidnap/rape/torture of a pair of roommates.
He was charged, but the victims were too traumatized to testify, and his lawyer got him off.
And paperwork completely misspelled his name as L-o-u-i-s Williams, so it didn't hit before.
This guy--if there's a break, he catches it.
- And what about Maryland? - Three years ago.
This time, his name is completely misspelled on the paperwork.
"William Lucas" goes to trial for the murder/rape of his then-girlfriend, who was his former defense attorney from Alabama.
So, she defends him, she sleeps with him, and when she tries to break it off He kills her.
How did "Houdini" get out of that one? Eh, they had him dead to rights-- DNA, witnesses-- his new lawyer gets them to offer a plea of second-degree murder, he turns it down-- So the new attorney does her due diligence.
Uh, she finds another boyfriend of the victim, creates reasonable doubt.
Lewis walks, and the DNA, expunged again.
Well, not this time.
The buck stops here.
Your Honor, as you can see from his record, Lewis Williams, or William Lucas, or whoever he's calling himself today is not crazy, he is crazy like a fox.
Your Honor, my client has never been convicted.
What he has been is maligned, targeted, and falsely accused.
- Five times.
- Mr.
Barba, you do know that prior accusations are inadmissible? Yes, yes, I do, Your Honor, but they speak to his ability to do and say anything to avoid conviction.
It speaks to his innocence.
Then why did he burn his fingertips? Use an alias? He obviously understands the parameters - of the judicial system.
- Your Honor, the state's relentless harassment has taken a toll on my client.
He's had a complete psychotic break.
If he's not competent to stand trial, he will remain incarcerated in Bellevue, on medication, - until he is competent.
- I understand.
Do you also understand that if he is found "not guilty by reason of insanity," he will be sentenced to a criminal psychiatric facility indefinitely.
Your Honor I've been through a very dark time since my arrest and subsequent persecution, but I think there may be some light at the end of the tunnel.
No, Billy-- It's okay.
I have faith in the jury's ability to see the truth.
So be it.
The defendant is ruled competent, and is remanded until trial.
- This gives us a win, right? - For now.
But I'm gonna need to start prepping Ms.
Parker for trial ASAP.
We'll let her know.
You said you talked to her a few hours ago? She seems to be doing okay, considering everything.
Still, she's not answering her phone.
When is the last time you saw her? - Ms.
Parker? - Alice? Oh, she's napping.
Ms.
Parker? She's gone.
I'm ruling straight up myocardial infarction.
In other words, she had a heart attack.
Okay, but, it could be stress-related.
If you want me to speculate, sure, stress could have been a factor.
Could have been? She was raped.
Tortured.
Three days prior.
Detectives Let it go.
Best I can give you is "undetermined.
" If you laid out the timeline in front of a jury-- You want to add a murder charge? It's gonna be hard enough to prove rape.
I used to like you.
Ms.
Parker was our lead witness.
She never made a lineup ID.
I took the disclosure.
She ID'd him.
He wasn't a stranger.
She knew him! We'll argue immediate outcry, excited utterance.
Defense will argue that he was denied the right - to question his accuser.
- He killed her! Yeah, and you are not pleading down rape one.
Not after what he's done, to her, to others.
He's never even been convicted.
If we can put him away from four to seven years, it's a start.
It's a start! Four to seven? What, years? - No.
- Let's hear them out, Billy.
You will plead guilty to third-degree sexual assault - and grand larceny.
- Robbery, right? She--she gave me the camera.
Shut up, Lewis.
Just stop.
Counselor, does she need to be here? No, no, Vanessa.
It's all right.
This goes to trial and we will charge you with multiple counts of first-degree rape.
Sodomy.
False imprisonment.
Homicide.
She had a heart attack.
My client had nothing to do with that.
Yeah, I had nothing to do with her being raped.
No? Your DNA was all over her body, and given her injuries I dare your defense attorney to argue that it was consensual.
She was obsessed with me.
No deal.
My client is not guilty.
Your client raped and tortured a cultured 60-year-old woman.
A jury will get one look at this scumbag.
You're insane if you think that they will let him go.
You see this, Vanessa? You see? I told you.
You're right.
Mr.
Lewis believes that Detective Benson and SVU - have a vendetta against him.
- You're unbelievable.
You've had it for me from the get.
Don't engage, Billy.
You've been doing sex crimes for a very long time, and now you're projecting your anger at others onto an innocent man.
Innocent? Did you see the morgue photos of his last defense attorney? Olivia? The one that he raped and tortured for 19 hours? She was also convinced of her lover's-- of her client's innocence.
Excuse me? We'll see you in court.
Lover? Client? Nice freudian slip.
- It wasn't.
- I got that.
It also means she's gonna fight like hell for him.
I arrested the defendant two weeks ago for public lewdness.
Alice Parker was on the witness list, it-- Those charges were dropped, weren't they? When the victims left the country.
- Yes or no, Detective? - Yes, but the defendant knew that Ms.
Parker was going to testify against him.
In retaliation, he raped and tortured her-- Move to strike, Your Honor.
This all speaks to the fact that Alice Parker and the NYPD had a vendetta against my client.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
Both of you, I'm instructing the jury to disregard both detectives' and the defense's statements.
I recovered two Nikon cameras owned by the victim and a diamond bracelet.
The pawn shop owner ID'd the defendant, William Lewis, as the one who brought the items in.
Thank you, Detective.
The pawn shop owner was in possession of stolen property, a punishable offense.
Do you think he took that into consideration when you asked him - to make the ID? - Objection.
Asking the witness to speculate.
Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
The apartment was a scene from hell.
Blood, electrical cords, instruments of torture.
It smelled like burnt flesh.
No further questions.
That is quite a vivid description, Detective.
Police also canvassed the building and the street, correct? - Yes, of course.
- And yet, you couldn't find a single witness who could put my client in that apartment building, let alone in the apartment - Did you? - No, but-- Did you see him on surveillance video? No, but we know he was there.
You mean, you assume he was there.
Thank you, Detective.
Nothing further.
I entered Alice Parker's apartment as she was being treated by first responders, and as soon as she saw me she blurted out, "It was him, Lewis.
He raped me.
That beast.
" Thank you, Detective.
Detective Benson, did Ms.
Parker tell you it had been over four hours since her attacker left? - Yes.
- After her ordeal, is it safe to say she was in a state of shock? Disoriented? Confused, even? She was traumatized, but her memory was perfectly clear.
Did she identify my client in a lineup? She didn't have a chance to because your client faked a suicide attempt.
Objection, Your Honor.
Just answer the questions, Detective.
Detective, are you aware that in addition to suffering from cataracts, which affected her vision, Ms.
Parker also wore bifocal contact lenses? - Yes.
- Do you know if she was wearing her bifocal contact lenses at the time of her attack? No, I don't.
So, a 60-year-old woman, with degenerating vision made a verbal accusation against a man she had a prior history of being obsessed with.
A man she had long been convinced was guilty of something.
A man you are also obsessed with.
- Objection.
- Withdrawn, Your Honor.
Nothing further.
You can step down, Detective.
There were ligature marks on her wrists, burn marks and crude brands on her neck, breasts, and buttocks.
And was there evidence of sexual assault to Ms.
Parker? There was vaginal, oral, and anal trauma consistent with a violent, sustained sexual assault, and the rape kit confirmed presence of semen in and on her body.
And did the OCME lab run DNA on the forensic evidence of the rape kit? Yes, and the odds of the DNA coming from someone other than the suspect are 100 billion to one.
Your witness.
You just testified, Dr.
Warner, that DNA found in Ms.
Parker's rape kit was a match for my client, - correct? - Yes.
Is it fair to say that the police asked the lab to put a rush on all DNA associated with this case? Yes, it was given top priority.
Now, in a normal circumstance, when you have a sample from a suspect and a victim, do you test them at the same time? Absolutely not.
They would be run on separate trays, so there is no possibility of cross-contamination.
By that, you mean the suspect's DNA being accidentally comingled with the DNA from the rape kit.
- In layman's terms, yes.
- And if the technician from the DNA lab were to test them at the same time? That technician would be dismissed.
At this time, I would like to introduce defense exhibits "A" and "B," an independent report on the OCME DNA lab's processing of Ms.
Parker's rape kit and my client's sale.
Your Honor, approach? Counselors.
This is the first I'm hearing of these exhibits.
I've had no opportunity to examine their authenticity.
Yes, I just got them, Your Honor.
I hired an independent investigator to examine the lab's processing of my client's case.
As you can see, under pressure, the lab tech compromised the process by testing my client's DNA sample in the same tray as the forensic sample.
There is a possibility of cross-contamination.
I need to authenticate these documents, I-- Yes, of course.
And, Your Honor, when this report checks out, I'm sure you will agree that it would be impossible to ask a jury to disregard such falsely damning testimony against my client.
You allowed that testimony to come in.
You were deliberately trying to force a mistrial.
I'm defending my client, Mr.
Barba.
Look, don't tell me the DNA is inadmissible.
Worse than that.
The judge, in her infinite wisdom, - declared a mistrial.
- You've got to be kidding me.
And it gets worse.
He's out on bail.
Bail? He doesn't have a pot to piss in.
Vanessa, his legal aid attorney, posted his bond.
This guy is beyond lucky.
Look, we'll make a stronger case on retrial.
If they even let Barba retry it.
There's no DNA.
There's no victim.
Tell you what, who wants to come with me and just shoot - the son of a bitch - Rollins-- Don't worry, Captain.
I'll take her out to get something to drink.
Anybody else, while my wallet is open? Actually, I have plans.
- Gil and Cynthia? - Yeah.
- Good for you.
- Liv? Oh, rain check.
I've barely been home at all this week.
Well, go home.
Stay there, two days.
- Captain, that's-- - Liv, that's an order.
You show up for work, I'll have you arrested.
You all right? Not really.
You want to talk? Not really.
Got it.
See you in a few, huh? Keep your head up.
Hello? Hello-- Welcome home, Detective Benson.