Law & Order Special Victims Unit s19e11 Episode Script
Flight Risk
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.
This is what three weeks off with a five-year-old looks like.
- Noah back at school? - Yeah, Lucy took him in.
I'm just ready to head into the office myself.
You could take a few more weeks, you know.
Thank you, but I think if Noah and I spent one more day together, we'd both end up in straightjackets.
[chuckles.]
How's the little guy doing? He's great.
He's stayed up past 10:00 every night this week.
And last night, I let him finish an entire ice cream sundae, while watching cartoons, in my bed.
- And you? - Well As long as I don't close my eyes, I'm good.
After the military, Mike decides he wants to tend bar at this dive, Lucky's.
Yeah, in Hell's Kitchen.
Before it was chic.
After he died Every night for six months, I'd go into Lucky's.
And order one too many vodka sodas.
I could tell you not to beat yourself up over Sheila.
But if there's one thing I hate, it's a hypocrite.
Thanks, chief.
Good morning from the flight deck.
This is your captain speaking.
Welcome to Flight 42, New York to Atlanta.
Sit back and enjoy the view.
Just a little speed bump there, folks.
We're expecting a smooth ride from here on out.
A bunch of liberals just found God.
Tailwind puts us into Atlanta early.
Got us staying at the Continental.
Five-star hotel.
Great.
Holly's talking about getting together for drinks when we land; You should come.
Uh, I head back to New York after this.
Too bad.
Auto pilot is engaged.
I'm going to hit the loo.
[clears throat.]
Watch out for mountain tops.
You look good.
- Oh! - Excuse me.
What's going on? Is everything okay? Probably just avoiding some bad air.
Sir.
It's okay.
Seatbelts, everyone, now.
[plane engine whirring.]
Whoa! [all scream.]
Why the change in course? First officer Sidnana, Captain Carter.
[alarm blaring.]
Tara, what the hell are you doing? I'm not letting you in.
She hit the toggle switch.
We're locked out.
[ominous music.]
Tara? Tara.
- What's going on? - We need to get in there.
Oh, my God, she's going to kill us.
I saw her, she's Arab.
[all screaming.]
John, we have an issue.
Flight 42, we show you've deviated from your flight plan.
Flight 42? Call the FAA.
Again.
[alarm blares.]
[indistinct chatter.]
[all scream.]
[alarm blaring.]
Again! [alarm blaring.]
I have control.
Don't touch me, don't touch me.
Let go of me! Don't touch me! No! Let me go! Don't touch me! No! [cheers and applause.]
Thank God for flight insurance.
Come on, Fin, don't tell me you cancelled your trip.
Look, if I have a choice between fishing and living.
You know, it was bad enough we had to worry about passengers, now co-pilots? I'm with Fin.
Plus this terrorist stuff happens in threes, so until the next two pop off, call me homeboy.
I'm staying home.
We don't even know that she is a terrorist.
Well, the news outlets are reporting she's been to Bangalore twice in the last two months.
Well, I read she was born there, so.
So you must have also read that there's over 40 Salafi mosques in Bangalore.
Where Muslim Indians are known to have become radicalized.
Where'd you get that, Fox News? - Huffington Post.
- You people work around here? - Welcome back, Liv.
- Hey, how you doing? Good.
[phone buzzes.]
Rollins.
- Lieutenant.
- I'm really fine, Amanda.
- Uh - Oh, sorry, what's up? So Sandy Sullivan is on the phone.
She's a union rep from Optimum Air.
The airline that almost just crashed? Yeah.
According to Sullivan, the co-pilot is saying she was raped.
Lieutenant Benson.
[dramatic music.]
I always thought airport jails were an urban myth.
Yeah, you wouldn't believe how much use they get.
I'm sorry you had to schlep all the way out here.
- Waste of time.
- You don't believe her? Eh, terrorists today, you know they read handbooks on what to do if their captured.
My guess, the latest edition added "cry rape.
" You must be Lieutenant Benson.
- I am.
- I'm Sandy Sullivan.
Tara's union rep.
Okay, well you did the right thing by calling us.
- Has Tara been tested - Her tests came back negative.
Any history with mental illness? None.
But pilots and co-pilots tend not to report that sort of thing.
We have agents at her apartment right now.
We've dumped her phone, computer.
Performed a deep search of all her social media accounts.
So far, there's no links to terrorism.
Either she's the best sleeper agent there is Or, she's telling the truth.
They're calling me a terrorist.
You did lock the pilot out of the cockpit and take over the plane.
Not to crash it.
I just needed to land back at JFK, and get the hell out of that plane.
That agent, he wouldn't tell me.
- Tell you what? - The passengers.
Is everyone okay? Did anyone get hurt? I'll never forgive myself if - So far, everyone's fine.
- Tara.
You told your union rep that you had been raped.
So can you tell us about that? Six months ago, we were on our way over from Hong Kong.
The crew was put up at the Hyland Suites.
It was Erin Kay's birthday; She's a flight attendant.
[deep breath.]
We were at the bar celebrating, and I had too much to drink.
Okay, did you tell a friend or family member? I called in sick to work.
I drove to my sister's.
She lives in Sunnyside, and I know, I should have filed for a police report.
Or done a rape kit.
- No, you're - They promised me.
- Who? - Optimum Air.
Optimum Air knew that you were raped? They said if I kept my mouth shut, they'd fast track me to my wings, and I'd never have to fly with him again.
For six months, I didn't.
Until this morning, when they put me back on that plane.
You, your rapist was on the plane? Tara, who raped you? Captain Carter.
The pilot.
The hero.
What a joke.
Excuse me, we need to speak with Logan Carter.
Well, Captain Carter was cleared two hours ago.
- What? - Optimum Air put him on a flight home for some much needed R and R.
- Where's home? - Los Angeles.
- Okay, so what do we got? - Captain Carter's been with Optimum Air for the last 15 years.
He's the chief airman.
He's in charge of training the pilots, making sure that they fly to code.
If they don't, he sends them back for more training.
Flight 42 wasn't Carter's first heroic move.
He's the real deal.
He flew during Shock and Awe.
Okay, so what about sexual harassment? Are there any complaints against Carter? None, guy didn't have so much as a parking ticket.
Does any of Tara's story check out? Yeah, Hyland Suites confirms that the flight crew stayed at their hotel on July 10th.
That's the night Tara claims she was raped.
Right, and her credit card receipts do show that she rented a car in Midtown on the 11th.
She drove to Sunnyside, where her sister Alexis lives.
She's been with Optimum Air for five years.
Never missed a day of work until the rape, after which she was out for a week.
Before that, she and Captain Carter flew together all the time.
After, they never flew together again.
Sounds like somebody who's suffered a trauma.
Fin, Carisi, you talk to the rest of the flight crew.
Rollins, go to Sunnyside, talk to the sister, and I'll talk to Optimum Air.
I started this airline with three planes; Now we fly in 35 states, all over Europe.
It's an interesting marketing strategy if this was the '60s.
We aim to put the fun back in flying.
By objectifying your female employees? I have two young daughters.
And just last year, I let my assistant, Ellen, have the day off so she could attend the women's march.
It was exhilarating.
I let her wear that funny hat for a week.
Next you're going to tell me that you voted for Hillary.
My heart bleeds pink, but I have a business to run.
And let's be honest, sex sells.
What about rape? Is that part of your business model as well? No, God, no, this whole thing is ridiculous.
Logan Carter is a gentleman.
He has a beautiful wife, a beautiful little girl.
If he wasn't on that plane, who knows what would have happened? Do you really think Tara would have crashed that plane? I'm glad we didn't have to find out.
Look, we vetted Tara before we hired her.
If we didn't hire her, I'd have the EEOC on my back.
So hiring female pilots, that's just to what? Fulfill some kind of quota? Only four percent of the pilots who are currently flying are women.
Not everyone has the stamina for the long hours, the constant changes in sleep schedule, nights and weekends away from their families.
Forget starting one.
The job requires extreme focus.
And you don't think women can focus.
They're not flocking to careers in aviation.
You don't believe me? When's the last time that you boarded a plane, and when the pilot came over the loudspeaker, you heard a woman's voice? Has Tara ever said anything or done anything to make you believe that she was a radical Muslim? No, but what other explanation is there? Oh, I can think of a few.
Kevin is our head of HR.
Give Detective Benson anything she needs.
- It's Lieutenant.
- Sorry.
Tara never filed a grievance against Logan Carter.
If anything, she requested to fly with him.
Everyone does.
Logan has the best hours.
He never works a weekend or a holiday.
Well, then why, after July 11th, did she stop flying with him? During preflight checks, Tara forgot to remove the pitot covers, turn on the anti-ice switch.
Logan sent her back for more training.
Once Tara completed the required courses, - Logan gave her another chance.
- Well, if he gave her - another chance - The crew complained.
After that, Tara had an attitude.
And then there was the drinking.
Tara has a drinking problem? She likes to burn the candle at both ends.
On July 10th, the crew had drinks at the bar.
The rule is, eight hours from bottle to throttle.
Tara pushed it.
The next morning, she calls in sick.
Delaying the plane.
The crew was pissed.
They had seniority, we moved her.
Okay, so I'm going to need the names and the numbers of every single crew member that complained.
Terrorist or not, I'm not surprised Tara lost it mid-air.
- And why is that? - Because she seemed to be spiraling for months.
If you felt that way, why would you ever put her on a plane? I recommended that she be grounded.
Take time off.
But the company felt it would be bad for business if it turned out we benched our only female co-pilot.
How's our image look now? It was my last day of vacay, thank God I wasn't on that flight.
What was it, like some kind of breakdown? That's what we're trying to figure out.
Now, on July 10th, you were at the Hyland Suites with Logan Carter and Tara? I turned 30.
God, do I feel old.
It only gets better.
So what was the mood like that night? Did everybody get along? Yeah, I mean, I had one too many Negronis.
I had to turn in early.
What about Tara and the captain, did they turn in early too? Uh, she was ordering drinks when I left.
Did you ever have a problem with Captain Carter? Okay, Logan can be a little rigid.
Tara messed up the pre-flight check.
It was more than just the checklist.
Tara took a photo of the sunset as we were landing into Abu Dhabi.
Cell phones are a huge no-no in the cockpit, but we all do it.
I heard Tara posted hers on Instagram, hashtagged it "Optimum Air.
" You know, Captain Carter had no choice but to write her up.
Well, Tara's telling a different story.
She's saying Captain Carter raped her.
I don't know anything about that.
So he never crossed the line with you? Aren't you looking at this backwards? I mean, the crew on Flight 42, Sabrina, Molly.
They're some of my best friends.
If it weren't for Logan, I'd be planning their memorials with their families.
How's my sister? I've tried calling She's hanging in there.
The Feds interviewed me for four hours.
This is all crazy.
The trips to Bangalore, I was with her.
We went for our grandmother's 99th birthday.
She died three weeks later, we went back for her funeral.
Why isn't anyone reporting that? Because terrorists make better news.
Okay? Listen.
Tara told us that she visited you sometime in July.
She showed up at my doorstep, unannounced.
She said she had some vacation days.
You didn't believe her? My sister's idea of a day off is flying standby from New York to Paris.
Not to see the Eiffel Tower, just to be on a plane.
So when she showed up She went right to my guest room, closed the door, and slept.
For 18 hours.
I checked on her, that's when I saw the bruises on her neck and wrists.
What did she say happened? She was mugged.
You know, working here, I have seen my share of rapes.
Tara had all the signs.
I pled with her to go to the police.
I said I'd go with her.
What did she say happened? She cried.
She stayed a week, and then she was gone.
No good-bye, nothing.
- I get it, she was pissed at me.
- Why? Why was she pissed? I took photos of her bruises while she was sleeping.
Do you still have the photos? Tara's sister took these photos the next day.
They seem to corroborate her story.
The other crew members don't necessarily agree.
They say that Carter reported Tara because of an Instagram post she took eight months ago.
And now, here's strike two.
The bartender at Hyland Suites, he remembers Tara and Carter drinking up a storm, they closed the bar down.
Now he said that it was Tara that pushed Carter to have one last drink.
Strike three.
They're putting Carter's face on a mountain.
He's set to appear on "Seth" and the "Today Show.
" Lieutenant, I believe Tara was raped.
I do.
But even with the terrorism charge getting dropped, we're swimming upstream.
I couldn't agree more.
Lieutenant, a word.
The stories of what these passengers went through is horrific.
This is a federal case; Maybe the Feds should take it.
- This is coming from 1PP? - By way of the DOJ.
They don't need Special Victims inventing a defense for her.
Chief, I believe that she was raped.
And when you measure one woman's tragedy against the lives of those 135 people aboard that plane who are now suffering from PTSD Please don't go there.
The woman had options.
When she saw Carter was flying that plane, she could have turned around.
Chosen not to fly.
Optimum Air knew that Carter raped her, and still, they put her in that cockpit with him.
Fine.
But if you proceed with this case, I suggest you get yourself a big umbrella, because the skies are going to open up and a lot of federal crap is going to come raining down on your head.
My umbrella is plenty big.
Want me to cut him? You know I'll do it.
Let's just get Tara in here.
We need to hammer out the inconsistencies in her story.
Logan is smart.
Calculating.
He doesn't just come out and demand sex.
He'd happen to mention a high end razor he bought his wife.
Then he'd ask me if I preferred bikini wax or Brazilian.
It's weird, sure, but I could shrug it off.
Meanwhile, the bastard's got a pubescent fantasy.
It wasn't just Logan.
All the pilots told dirty jokes.
They'd offer to rub my shoulders on the long haul.
It was a boy's club.
Been there, done that.
- If I object, I'm the prude.
- So you lived with it? Until Logan smacked my ass.
I read him the riot act, and that's when the Instagram photo that was up for months became an issue.
Revenge? If I ever wanted to see the inside of a cockpit again, I had to play ball.
Tara, the bartender at Hyland Suites claims that you and Logan were having drinks, and that it looked like you were having a good time.
Logan apologized for grounding me.
He said he was having problems at home.
I ordered us another drink to show him we were good.
But the defense is going to argue that the sex was then consensual.
Logan walked me to my room.
He kissed on the lips.
I slapped him hard.
When I opened my hotel door, he pushed his way in.
I tried to fight him off, he pulled me by the back of my head.
Threw me on the bed, and he put his hand on my throat.
I couldn't speak.
He forced my legs open and he raped me.
Nothing about that was consensual, nothing.
It's a he said, she said.
Only he's a hero, and she's a crazy lady who took a plane hostage.
Guys like Carter, Tara couldn't have been his first victim.
Well, if there's someone else, Optimum Air is not going to help us find her.
We need something stronger, Liv.
It's called a controlled call.
No, Logan is too smart.
I'll read this, and he'll know.
I'll do it cold.
Okay, okay, but if you start to panic, you have the script to refer to.
[phone dialing.]
Okay, you ready? You guys good? [phone beeps.]
[ominous music.]
[phone line trilling.]
- Hello? - Hi, Logan.
It's me, Tara.
Wow.
I knew you had balls, but I messed up, okay? But what they're saying about me, how can you just stand by and play the hero? After what you did to me? What I did to you? Please, what I did to you was give you what you'd been asking for.
That's not what happened.
I know it, and you know it.
All I know is, nobody cares.
Not after that stunt you pulled.
Sounds like a confession to me.
Carter lands at JFK, 5:30 a.
m.
He's on "The Today Show" tomorrow.
Pick him up.
[cheers and applause.]
Yay! Yes, Carter! Logan Carter, you're under arrest for rape in the first degree.
Put your hands behind your back.
What are you doing? He's a hero.
Please, let the police do their job.
This is all a misunderstanding.
Come tomorrow, I'll have your badge.
Oh, yeah? Well come tomorrow, there's going to be a new T-shirt that hits the stands.
Logan Carter, rapist.
What I did to you? Please.
What I did to you was give you what you'd been asking for.
That's not what happened.
I know it, and you know it.
All I know is nobody cares, not after that stunt you pulled.
That's your probable cause for arresting my client? Handcuffing him in public? A pilot in an airport? Seems like the definition of a flight risk to me.
Captain Carter is a national hero.
And Captain Carter is a sexual predator.
- Are you listening to this? - It's called corroboration.
That, and the photos of Tara's bruises, fill in the blanks in her story.
Story's a good word for it, since she made the whole damn thing up.
Okay, great.
Why don't you give us your version? We had sex.
Just like other people who meet at a bar.
I'm guilty of cheating on my wife, that's all.
Did Optimum Air tell you she filed a complaint about being raped? No, the airline extorted Tara's silence by promising her a promotion.
You've got to know how to fly before you become a pilot.
That's why she never made captain.
- Because she's a woman? - Because she'd risk killing over 100 people because she didn't get what she wanted.
We're done here.
It's a pleasure doing business with you, we'll see you in court, counselor.
I'll be there.
I used to think pilots were sexy.
Silly me.
Let's hope the jury isn't blinded by the uniform.
Captain Carter saved hundreds of lives.
Including the life of Tara Sidnana.
Optimum Air stands behind him.
[indistinct yelling.]
We're confident that the jury is going to find these charges a desperate attempt by Ms.
Sidnana to avoid culpability.
They all hate me.
Because they don't know what happened.
They need to hear the truth.
It doesn't matter what anybody thinks except for the jury.
Listen, you know how to focus.
You focus on your testimony.
Let's go.
[indistinct shouting.]
I went to Kevin Reed at Optimum Air.
He said if I didn't go to the police, they'd promote me.
They offered to buy you off? - Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Tara.
Why didn't you quit? Why didn't you get a job at another airline? I wanted to make captain.
I've been training for it my entire career.
If I quit, no one would have hired me.
And Optimum promised I'd never have to fly with Carter.
- But they broke that promise? - Yes.
You've pled guilty to federal charges.
Yes.
I'll serve two years.
I lost my pilot's license.
I am not here to mitigate my actions.
Thank you.
You claim that you reported the alleged sexual assault to Optimum Air.
Are you aware they have no record of that? They must have destroyed it.
Shredded all the paperwork, huh? - Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Isn't it true that the first time you told someone outside of Optimum that you had been assaulted, was when you were handcuffed in federal custody? - Yes.
- After you had locked the captain out of the cockpit, and tried to crash the plane.
I didn't want to crash the plane.
I was trapped two feet away from the man who raped me.
I just wanted to get out of there.
Tell us, Ms.
Sidnana, why didn't you bolt as soon as you saw Captain Carter sitting in the cockpit? I had to do my job.
If I walked out, it would go on my record.
- And you'd never get promoted.
- It was more than that.
I couldn't risk showing weakness, the weak are not meant to fly.
But you were weak, weren't you? When you intentionally flew off course.
Maybe I was weak.
If I wasn't weak, Logan couldn't have raped me, right? If I wasn't weak, I wouldn't have believed Optimum's lies.
That's what you're thinking.
Maybe I'd just confirmed what they already thought.
Women don't belong in their club.
You were too weak to do your job.
Now you're blaming Captain Carter.
- Objection.
- He was so close.
I could smell the coffee on his breath.
His deodorant.
When he touched me, I was right back in that hotel room the night of the rape.
I had to get out of there.
There's no other reason - I'd turn the plane around.
- No? You sound like you have a lot of rage against Optimum Air.
Objection, Your Honor.
Sustained, jury will disregard.
I honestly don't know whether she hurt us or she helped us.
Well, she has the right to be angry.
I get it.
Jurors don't like difficult women.
Especially female jurors.
I saw a few of them giving Carter the doe eye Excuse me.
Can you turn that up, please? And while our main concern is the safety of our passengers, and to ensure that an incident like this never happens again, I'm compelled to speak out in defense of Optimum Air and our dedicated and heroic female pilots.
All of whom are accorded the same respect and consideration as our male pilots.
Yeah, in other words, "screw you, Tara.
" They have to blame her.
They're looking at millions of dollars in civil payouts.
I don't know what female pilots he's talking about.
Optimum only promoted one woman to captain that we know about.
- Hmm.
- She left the company last year, and she hasn't returned our calls.
Well, Optimum try to buy her off too? Jeanne Howell? NYPD.
I told you, I can't talk about Optimum.
I left on good terms.
Two weeks after you received your promotion? I was done flying commercial.
Okay, I get it.
Flying private is better hours, better grade of passengers.
It all worked out for you, but not for Tara Sidnana.
I feel terrible for her.
I mean, what she did, it's - It's every pilot's nightmare.
- You worked for Optimum for what, ten years? You've logged just as many hours as your male pilots.
So in all that time, you never got promoted? I mean, why do you think that is? Is it because you're a woman? I don't like to play that card.
None of us do.
You know, Optimum Air, all they care about is protecting their bottom line.
If that means turning a blind eye to harassment, discrimination, sexual assault.
It's got to stop.
Tara was raped, Jeanne.
She tried to do her job, she tried to get over it.
And then she found herself in that cockpit, face to face with the man that raped her.
So yes, she lost control.
She's going to do prison time.
Logan Carter may walk.
My question to you is, how are you going to live with yourself, if he gets away with it? How are you going to live with yourself if he does it again? You know, I, uh I've agonized over the thought of that plane going down.
Every day.
Could have been me.
What happened to you, Jeanne? Logan Carter, he raped me too.
Jeanne Howell? Do you know what I did for her? We know what you did to her.
You want to hear about Jeanne Howell? I can keep you here for hours.
Luckily, Mrs.
Howell is meticulous.
She's detail oriented, probably what makes her a good pilot.
She kept evidence of the assault.
Some of it ripped.
Photos of the physical trauma and emails between the two of you after the rape.
You were a little loose lipped, Captain.
Contemporary statements to her friends.
- What are you looking for? - The captain pleads guilty to two counts of rape two, ten years.
- Are you crazy? - We could go to trial, on Jeanne Howell's rape.
If you're found guilty, you're looking at 25 years.
[somber music.]
Draw up your paperwork.
We did it.
- Give the guy a kewpie doll.
- Ten years is a long time.
But you're not happy.
Are you? Carter raped two women, he sexually harassed what, who knows how many.
Optimum knew, and they did nothing.
So what are you saying, that putting away one pilot rapist isn't enough? Not in this day and age.
It's the entire culture that needs to change.
All the people who enabled Captain Carter should be in that cell with him.
Yes, they should.
But unfortunately, being sexist, misogynistic pigs isn't a crime.
It should be.
I'm serious.
So what are you going to do? What every prosecutor that doesn't know what to charge does, convene a grand jury.
Against? The whole damn company.
The cockpit can be an intimate space.
Some male pilots took that as an opportunity to discuss personal issues: Their marriages, sex lives, what kind of pornography they liked.
Did these conversations go further? Yes, I was propositioned.
Everything from "How about a drink?" to "Let's see what's underneath that uniform" to graphic questions about what I liked in bed.
- Did you complain to Optimum? - No.
Flying is a male-dominated field.
Truth is, a lot of male pilots don't like flying with women.
So you try to fit in.
Be one of the boys.
And you eventually did get promoted? Yes.
After I was raped by one of their pilots, Logan Carter.
I went to management, and they promised me that I would make captain if I didn't go to the police.
How did that make you feel? My self-esteem and my confidence were destroyed.
I knew that the only reason they promoted me was to keep me quiet.
I felt cheap.
I felt devalued.
You get hit on by the passengers all the time.
Like, you laugh off creepy pickup lines or duck around the guy trying to grab your ass in the aisle.
What about harassment from the crew? When the police first asked me about that, I defended the company.
Okay, but now you want to come forward.
Yes, people should know the truth.
Male pilots are worse than passengers.
A pilot will pretend to hug you so he can look down your bra, or text you "What color panties are you wearing?" - Did you complain to Optimum? - When I did, they said if I had a problem with a particular crew, I would be reassigned.
What ended up happening was I lost flights.
- Hours, pay.
- So when you complained, you basically got your salary docked.
Yes.
I put my game face on, I smiled.
I tried to ignore it, no matter how crude these guys got.
You don't cry.
You don't fight back.
You just take it.
- How's it going? - It's going well.
But getting the indictment is the easy part [phone buzzing.]
and we're not even there yet.
Huh, we may not get there at all.
Optimum Air is filing a motion to quash the grand jury subpoena.
- Hold on, can they do that? - They can try.
They're claiming that the charges are vague and overbroad.
Okay, that's good.
That means they feel the heat.
That means you're getting to them.
Yeah.
Mr.
Barba, hi, I'm Ellen Grey, Mr.
Fleming's assistant.
- You subpoenaed me to testify.
- Ah, yes, of course.
- Please, come in.
- You also asked me for the employee company records.
The more sensitive documents, I keep at home.
Mr.
Fleming asked me to shred them.
But, I There's something I thought you should have.
Thank you so much for coming forward.
And the way that company treats women is despicable.
But I can't stay quiet anymore.
Because what you're doing, it's about damn time.
I saw a lot of women come and go out of Optimum.
Women who made complaints about male employees, seems like there was always a way to shut them up.
Why did you come forward today, Ms.
Gray? I guess at some point, enough is enough.
Can you describe this for the grand jurors? It's a memo Mr.
Fleming drafted five years ago.
It was circulated among the male executives.
I was the only woman who read it.
Because I typed it.
Would you read it for us now? [tense music.]
"It has come to my attention that there is scientific data "supporting the fact that women, "no matter how well trained they are, "may not be mentally or emotionally equipped "to captain an aircraft.
"It is not a natural career choice for females.
"The resulting anxiety can lead them to make poor decisions, "which may have severe consequences, "including endangering lives.
"It is my opinion that women may be better suited for the career of flight attendant than pilot.
" Thank you, Ms.
Gray.
You know what, I don't think you have a clue about anything you heard here today, You know how I know? You just don't look that intelligent.
And you, miss, where the hell did you get that dress? Salvation Army wouldn't even put that on its shelves.
Um, I'm sure you know you're only here because we're forced to let you in.
I forgot to tell you, that because you're not as smart as the other jurors, your vote, it's going to count less than theirs.
You're not really worth anything.
Day after day, you can sense it.
I mean, they don't really They don't really say it to your face, but you know what they're thinking.
You can tell, because the guy in the next office? He's making twice what you make, and he does half the work.
Year after year.
You can tell because that promotion, that you've been waiting for, is gone to your boss's golfing buddy.
You try to complain to anyone who will listen, And one of two things will happen.
You'll get fired, or you get laughed at.
Why? Because they don't really want you here in the first place.
Year after year.
Until you start to believe it yourself.
These may sound like rationalizations to you, ladies and gentleman, but to me, to the women of Optimum Air, that's the sound of a woman's dignity circling the bowl.
And the hand that's flushing the toilet belongs not just to the men who committed these offenses, but to everyone who knew and let them happen.
Can you be demeaned by a culture? I say yes.
Can it humiliate you? You bet it can.
Can it actually rape you? Sadly, the answer is yes.
The law states that if you take another person's property, you are committing a crime.
I stand here before you today to assert that Optimum Air took the dignity, the self-worth, the self-esteem of these women.
And if you don't think that's property, just ask her.
Or her.
Or her.
And after you do, I ask you to return a true bill of indictment, charging Optimum Air and all of its employees with grand larceny.
Thank you.
Congratulations on the indictment.
[laughs.]
The first thing Optimum will do is make a motion to dismiss.
Which they'll win, but I get to appeal.
- And you'll win that? - 60/40, against.
But we got the wheels turning.
If this law's ever going to change, - this is a good start.
- You know, I thought that grand jury proceedings were secret.
They are, but that courthouse leaks like a sieve.
Optimum's stock is down 30%, they'll be declaring bankruptcy by the end of the week.
You're a feminist icon, Rafael.
Hmm.
I do my best.
I think that earns me a nice, thick steak.
I would love nothing more, but Responsibilities? Yeah.
I know.
How's it going, chief? Detective Tutuola.
Can I help you with something? Just wanted to ask you about your intentions regarding, you know, Liv.
Excuse me? You know she's been through hell.
- I know that.
- She'll survive.
She'll get past it, and she's the only one that can do this job.
You know that, right? I do.
Well, the rumors I'm hearing from 1PP, about you interviewing candidates to replace her.
Those are just rumors? Two weeks ago, I wasn't sure she was coming back to the job.
Hell, she wasn't even sure.
I've got a department to run.
- Bosses to answer to.
- Don't we all.
- So we understand each other? - Yeah.
One more thing.
How did you get this memo? I can't tell you that.
And I made a copy.
Just want to make sure we do understand each other.
We do, Detective.
We do.
It's good to see you, as always.
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.
This is what three weeks off with a five-year-old looks like.
- Noah back at school? - Yeah, Lucy took him in.
I'm just ready to head into the office myself.
You could take a few more weeks, you know.
Thank you, but I think if Noah and I spent one more day together, we'd both end up in straightjackets.
[chuckles.]
How's the little guy doing? He's great.
He's stayed up past 10:00 every night this week.
And last night, I let him finish an entire ice cream sundae, while watching cartoons, in my bed.
- And you? - Well As long as I don't close my eyes, I'm good.
After the military, Mike decides he wants to tend bar at this dive, Lucky's.
Yeah, in Hell's Kitchen.
Before it was chic.
After he died Every night for six months, I'd go into Lucky's.
And order one too many vodka sodas.
I could tell you not to beat yourself up over Sheila.
But if there's one thing I hate, it's a hypocrite.
Thanks, chief.
Good morning from the flight deck.
This is your captain speaking.
Welcome to Flight 42, New York to Atlanta.
Sit back and enjoy the view.
Just a little speed bump there, folks.
We're expecting a smooth ride from here on out.
A bunch of liberals just found God.
Tailwind puts us into Atlanta early.
Got us staying at the Continental.
Five-star hotel.
Great.
Holly's talking about getting together for drinks when we land; You should come.
Uh, I head back to New York after this.
Too bad.
Auto pilot is engaged.
I'm going to hit the loo.
[clears throat.]
Watch out for mountain tops.
You look good.
- Oh! - Excuse me.
What's going on? Is everything okay? Probably just avoiding some bad air.
Sir.
It's okay.
Seatbelts, everyone, now.
[plane engine whirring.]
Whoa! [all scream.]
Why the change in course? First officer Sidnana, Captain Carter.
[alarm blaring.]
Tara, what the hell are you doing? I'm not letting you in.
She hit the toggle switch.
We're locked out.
[ominous music.]
Tara? Tara.
- What's going on? - We need to get in there.
Oh, my God, she's going to kill us.
I saw her, she's Arab.
[all screaming.]
John, we have an issue.
Flight 42, we show you've deviated from your flight plan.
Flight 42? Call the FAA.
Again.
[alarm blares.]
[indistinct chatter.]
[all scream.]
[alarm blaring.]
Again! [alarm blaring.]
I have control.
Don't touch me, don't touch me.
Let go of me! Don't touch me! No! Let me go! Don't touch me! No! [cheers and applause.]
Thank God for flight insurance.
Come on, Fin, don't tell me you cancelled your trip.
Look, if I have a choice between fishing and living.
You know, it was bad enough we had to worry about passengers, now co-pilots? I'm with Fin.
Plus this terrorist stuff happens in threes, so until the next two pop off, call me homeboy.
I'm staying home.
We don't even know that she is a terrorist.
Well, the news outlets are reporting she's been to Bangalore twice in the last two months.
Well, I read she was born there, so.
So you must have also read that there's over 40 Salafi mosques in Bangalore.
Where Muslim Indians are known to have become radicalized.
Where'd you get that, Fox News? - Huffington Post.
- You people work around here? - Welcome back, Liv.
- Hey, how you doing? Good.
[phone buzzes.]
Rollins.
- Lieutenant.
- I'm really fine, Amanda.
- Uh - Oh, sorry, what's up? So Sandy Sullivan is on the phone.
She's a union rep from Optimum Air.
The airline that almost just crashed? Yeah.
According to Sullivan, the co-pilot is saying she was raped.
Lieutenant Benson.
[dramatic music.]
I always thought airport jails were an urban myth.
Yeah, you wouldn't believe how much use they get.
I'm sorry you had to schlep all the way out here.
- Waste of time.
- You don't believe her? Eh, terrorists today, you know they read handbooks on what to do if their captured.
My guess, the latest edition added "cry rape.
" You must be Lieutenant Benson.
- I am.
- I'm Sandy Sullivan.
Tara's union rep.
Okay, well you did the right thing by calling us.
- Has Tara been tested - Her tests came back negative.
Any history with mental illness? None.
But pilots and co-pilots tend not to report that sort of thing.
We have agents at her apartment right now.
We've dumped her phone, computer.
Performed a deep search of all her social media accounts.
So far, there's no links to terrorism.
Either she's the best sleeper agent there is Or, she's telling the truth.
They're calling me a terrorist.
You did lock the pilot out of the cockpit and take over the plane.
Not to crash it.
I just needed to land back at JFK, and get the hell out of that plane.
That agent, he wouldn't tell me.
- Tell you what? - The passengers.
Is everyone okay? Did anyone get hurt? I'll never forgive myself if - So far, everyone's fine.
- Tara.
You told your union rep that you had been raped.
So can you tell us about that? Six months ago, we were on our way over from Hong Kong.
The crew was put up at the Hyland Suites.
It was Erin Kay's birthday; She's a flight attendant.
[deep breath.]
We were at the bar celebrating, and I had too much to drink.
Okay, did you tell a friend or family member? I called in sick to work.
I drove to my sister's.
She lives in Sunnyside, and I know, I should have filed for a police report.
Or done a rape kit.
- No, you're - They promised me.
- Who? - Optimum Air.
Optimum Air knew that you were raped? They said if I kept my mouth shut, they'd fast track me to my wings, and I'd never have to fly with him again.
For six months, I didn't.
Until this morning, when they put me back on that plane.
You, your rapist was on the plane? Tara, who raped you? Captain Carter.
The pilot.
The hero.
What a joke.
Excuse me, we need to speak with Logan Carter.
Well, Captain Carter was cleared two hours ago.
- What? - Optimum Air put him on a flight home for some much needed R and R.
- Where's home? - Los Angeles.
- Okay, so what do we got? - Captain Carter's been with Optimum Air for the last 15 years.
He's the chief airman.
He's in charge of training the pilots, making sure that they fly to code.
If they don't, he sends them back for more training.
Flight 42 wasn't Carter's first heroic move.
He's the real deal.
He flew during Shock and Awe.
Okay, so what about sexual harassment? Are there any complaints against Carter? None, guy didn't have so much as a parking ticket.
Does any of Tara's story check out? Yeah, Hyland Suites confirms that the flight crew stayed at their hotel on July 10th.
That's the night Tara claims she was raped.
Right, and her credit card receipts do show that she rented a car in Midtown on the 11th.
She drove to Sunnyside, where her sister Alexis lives.
She's been with Optimum Air for five years.
Never missed a day of work until the rape, after which she was out for a week.
Before that, she and Captain Carter flew together all the time.
After, they never flew together again.
Sounds like somebody who's suffered a trauma.
Fin, Carisi, you talk to the rest of the flight crew.
Rollins, go to Sunnyside, talk to the sister, and I'll talk to Optimum Air.
I started this airline with three planes; Now we fly in 35 states, all over Europe.
It's an interesting marketing strategy if this was the '60s.
We aim to put the fun back in flying.
By objectifying your female employees? I have two young daughters.
And just last year, I let my assistant, Ellen, have the day off so she could attend the women's march.
It was exhilarating.
I let her wear that funny hat for a week.
Next you're going to tell me that you voted for Hillary.
My heart bleeds pink, but I have a business to run.
And let's be honest, sex sells.
What about rape? Is that part of your business model as well? No, God, no, this whole thing is ridiculous.
Logan Carter is a gentleman.
He has a beautiful wife, a beautiful little girl.
If he wasn't on that plane, who knows what would have happened? Do you really think Tara would have crashed that plane? I'm glad we didn't have to find out.
Look, we vetted Tara before we hired her.
If we didn't hire her, I'd have the EEOC on my back.
So hiring female pilots, that's just to what? Fulfill some kind of quota? Only four percent of the pilots who are currently flying are women.
Not everyone has the stamina for the long hours, the constant changes in sleep schedule, nights and weekends away from their families.
Forget starting one.
The job requires extreme focus.
And you don't think women can focus.
They're not flocking to careers in aviation.
You don't believe me? When's the last time that you boarded a plane, and when the pilot came over the loudspeaker, you heard a woman's voice? Has Tara ever said anything or done anything to make you believe that she was a radical Muslim? No, but what other explanation is there? Oh, I can think of a few.
Kevin is our head of HR.
Give Detective Benson anything she needs.
- It's Lieutenant.
- Sorry.
Tara never filed a grievance against Logan Carter.
If anything, she requested to fly with him.
Everyone does.
Logan has the best hours.
He never works a weekend or a holiday.
Well, then why, after July 11th, did she stop flying with him? During preflight checks, Tara forgot to remove the pitot covers, turn on the anti-ice switch.
Logan sent her back for more training.
Once Tara completed the required courses, - Logan gave her another chance.
- Well, if he gave her - another chance - The crew complained.
After that, Tara had an attitude.
And then there was the drinking.
Tara has a drinking problem? She likes to burn the candle at both ends.
On July 10th, the crew had drinks at the bar.
The rule is, eight hours from bottle to throttle.
Tara pushed it.
The next morning, she calls in sick.
Delaying the plane.
The crew was pissed.
They had seniority, we moved her.
Okay, so I'm going to need the names and the numbers of every single crew member that complained.
Terrorist or not, I'm not surprised Tara lost it mid-air.
- And why is that? - Because she seemed to be spiraling for months.
If you felt that way, why would you ever put her on a plane? I recommended that she be grounded.
Take time off.
But the company felt it would be bad for business if it turned out we benched our only female co-pilot.
How's our image look now? It was my last day of vacay, thank God I wasn't on that flight.
What was it, like some kind of breakdown? That's what we're trying to figure out.
Now, on July 10th, you were at the Hyland Suites with Logan Carter and Tara? I turned 30.
God, do I feel old.
It only gets better.
So what was the mood like that night? Did everybody get along? Yeah, I mean, I had one too many Negronis.
I had to turn in early.
What about Tara and the captain, did they turn in early too? Uh, she was ordering drinks when I left.
Did you ever have a problem with Captain Carter? Okay, Logan can be a little rigid.
Tara messed up the pre-flight check.
It was more than just the checklist.
Tara took a photo of the sunset as we were landing into Abu Dhabi.
Cell phones are a huge no-no in the cockpit, but we all do it.
I heard Tara posted hers on Instagram, hashtagged it "Optimum Air.
" You know, Captain Carter had no choice but to write her up.
Well, Tara's telling a different story.
She's saying Captain Carter raped her.
I don't know anything about that.
So he never crossed the line with you? Aren't you looking at this backwards? I mean, the crew on Flight 42, Sabrina, Molly.
They're some of my best friends.
If it weren't for Logan, I'd be planning their memorials with their families.
How's my sister? I've tried calling She's hanging in there.
The Feds interviewed me for four hours.
This is all crazy.
The trips to Bangalore, I was with her.
We went for our grandmother's 99th birthday.
She died three weeks later, we went back for her funeral.
Why isn't anyone reporting that? Because terrorists make better news.
Okay? Listen.
Tara told us that she visited you sometime in July.
She showed up at my doorstep, unannounced.
She said she had some vacation days.
You didn't believe her? My sister's idea of a day off is flying standby from New York to Paris.
Not to see the Eiffel Tower, just to be on a plane.
So when she showed up She went right to my guest room, closed the door, and slept.
For 18 hours.
I checked on her, that's when I saw the bruises on her neck and wrists.
What did she say happened? She was mugged.
You know, working here, I have seen my share of rapes.
Tara had all the signs.
I pled with her to go to the police.
I said I'd go with her.
What did she say happened? She cried.
She stayed a week, and then she was gone.
No good-bye, nothing.
- I get it, she was pissed at me.
- Why? Why was she pissed? I took photos of her bruises while she was sleeping.
Do you still have the photos? Tara's sister took these photos the next day.
They seem to corroborate her story.
The other crew members don't necessarily agree.
They say that Carter reported Tara because of an Instagram post she took eight months ago.
And now, here's strike two.
The bartender at Hyland Suites, he remembers Tara and Carter drinking up a storm, they closed the bar down.
Now he said that it was Tara that pushed Carter to have one last drink.
Strike three.
They're putting Carter's face on a mountain.
He's set to appear on "Seth" and the "Today Show.
" Lieutenant, I believe Tara was raped.
I do.
But even with the terrorism charge getting dropped, we're swimming upstream.
I couldn't agree more.
Lieutenant, a word.
The stories of what these passengers went through is horrific.
This is a federal case; Maybe the Feds should take it.
- This is coming from 1PP? - By way of the DOJ.
They don't need Special Victims inventing a defense for her.
Chief, I believe that she was raped.
And when you measure one woman's tragedy against the lives of those 135 people aboard that plane who are now suffering from PTSD Please don't go there.
The woman had options.
When she saw Carter was flying that plane, she could have turned around.
Chosen not to fly.
Optimum Air knew that Carter raped her, and still, they put her in that cockpit with him.
Fine.
But if you proceed with this case, I suggest you get yourself a big umbrella, because the skies are going to open up and a lot of federal crap is going to come raining down on your head.
My umbrella is plenty big.
Want me to cut him? You know I'll do it.
Let's just get Tara in here.
We need to hammer out the inconsistencies in her story.
Logan is smart.
Calculating.
He doesn't just come out and demand sex.
He'd happen to mention a high end razor he bought his wife.
Then he'd ask me if I preferred bikini wax or Brazilian.
It's weird, sure, but I could shrug it off.
Meanwhile, the bastard's got a pubescent fantasy.
It wasn't just Logan.
All the pilots told dirty jokes.
They'd offer to rub my shoulders on the long haul.
It was a boy's club.
Been there, done that.
- If I object, I'm the prude.
- So you lived with it? Until Logan smacked my ass.
I read him the riot act, and that's when the Instagram photo that was up for months became an issue.
Revenge? If I ever wanted to see the inside of a cockpit again, I had to play ball.
Tara, the bartender at Hyland Suites claims that you and Logan were having drinks, and that it looked like you were having a good time.
Logan apologized for grounding me.
He said he was having problems at home.
I ordered us another drink to show him we were good.
But the defense is going to argue that the sex was then consensual.
Logan walked me to my room.
He kissed on the lips.
I slapped him hard.
When I opened my hotel door, he pushed his way in.
I tried to fight him off, he pulled me by the back of my head.
Threw me on the bed, and he put his hand on my throat.
I couldn't speak.
He forced my legs open and he raped me.
Nothing about that was consensual, nothing.
It's a he said, she said.
Only he's a hero, and she's a crazy lady who took a plane hostage.
Guys like Carter, Tara couldn't have been his first victim.
Well, if there's someone else, Optimum Air is not going to help us find her.
We need something stronger, Liv.
It's called a controlled call.
No, Logan is too smart.
I'll read this, and he'll know.
I'll do it cold.
Okay, okay, but if you start to panic, you have the script to refer to.
[phone dialing.]
Okay, you ready? You guys good? [phone beeps.]
[ominous music.]
[phone line trilling.]
- Hello? - Hi, Logan.
It's me, Tara.
Wow.
I knew you had balls, but I messed up, okay? But what they're saying about me, how can you just stand by and play the hero? After what you did to me? What I did to you? Please, what I did to you was give you what you'd been asking for.
That's not what happened.
I know it, and you know it.
All I know is, nobody cares.
Not after that stunt you pulled.
Sounds like a confession to me.
Carter lands at JFK, 5:30 a.
m.
He's on "The Today Show" tomorrow.
Pick him up.
[cheers and applause.]
Yay! Yes, Carter! Logan Carter, you're under arrest for rape in the first degree.
Put your hands behind your back.
What are you doing? He's a hero.
Please, let the police do their job.
This is all a misunderstanding.
Come tomorrow, I'll have your badge.
Oh, yeah? Well come tomorrow, there's going to be a new T-shirt that hits the stands.
Logan Carter, rapist.
What I did to you? Please.
What I did to you was give you what you'd been asking for.
That's not what happened.
I know it, and you know it.
All I know is nobody cares, not after that stunt you pulled.
That's your probable cause for arresting my client? Handcuffing him in public? A pilot in an airport? Seems like the definition of a flight risk to me.
Captain Carter is a national hero.
And Captain Carter is a sexual predator.
- Are you listening to this? - It's called corroboration.
That, and the photos of Tara's bruises, fill in the blanks in her story.
Story's a good word for it, since she made the whole damn thing up.
Okay, great.
Why don't you give us your version? We had sex.
Just like other people who meet at a bar.
I'm guilty of cheating on my wife, that's all.
Did Optimum Air tell you she filed a complaint about being raped? No, the airline extorted Tara's silence by promising her a promotion.
You've got to know how to fly before you become a pilot.
That's why she never made captain.
- Because she's a woman? - Because she'd risk killing over 100 people because she didn't get what she wanted.
We're done here.
It's a pleasure doing business with you, we'll see you in court, counselor.
I'll be there.
I used to think pilots were sexy.
Silly me.
Let's hope the jury isn't blinded by the uniform.
Captain Carter saved hundreds of lives.
Including the life of Tara Sidnana.
Optimum Air stands behind him.
[indistinct yelling.]
We're confident that the jury is going to find these charges a desperate attempt by Ms.
Sidnana to avoid culpability.
They all hate me.
Because they don't know what happened.
They need to hear the truth.
It doesn't matter what anybody thinks except for the jury.
Listen, you know how to focus.
You focus on your testimony.
Let's go.
[indistinct shouting.]
I went to Kevin Reed at Optimum Air.
He said if I didn't go to the police, they'd promote me.
They offered to buy you off? - Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Tara.
Why didn't you quit? Why didn't you get a job at another airline? I wanted to make captain.
I've been training for it my entire career.
If I quit, no one would have hired me.
And Optimum promised I'd never have to fly with Carter.
- But they broke that promise? - Yes.
You've pled guilty to federal charges.
Yes.
I'll serve two years.
I lost my pilot's license.
I am not here to mitigate my actions.
Thank you.
You claim that you reported the alleged sexual assault to Optimum Air.
Are you aware they have no record of that? They must have destroyed it.
Shredded all the paperwork, huh? - Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Isn't it true that the first time you told someone outside of Optimum that you had been assaulted, was when you were handcuffed in federal custody? - Yes.
- After you had locked the captain out of the cockpit, and tried to crash the plane.
I didn't want to crash the plane.
I was trapped two feet away from the man who raped me.
I just wanted to get out of there.
Tell us, Ms.
Sidnana, why didn't you bolt as soon as you saw Captain Carter sitting in the cockpit? I had to do my job.
If I walked out, it would go on my record.
- And you'd never get promoted.
- It was more than that.
I couldn't risk showing weakness, the weak are not meant to fly.
But you were weak, weren't you? When you intentionally flew off course.
Maybe I was weak.
If I wasn't weak, Logan couldn't have raped me, right? If I wasn't weak, I wouldn't have believed Optimum's lies.
That's what you're thinking.
Maybe I'd just confirmed what they already thought.
Women don't belong in their club.
You were too weak to do your job.
Now you're blaming Captain Carter.
- Objection.
- He was so close.
I could smell the coffee on his breath.
His deodorant.
When he touched me, I was right back in that hotel room the night of the rape.
I had to get out of there.
There's no other reason - I'd turn the plane around.
- No? You sound like you have a lot of rage against Optimum Air.
Objection, Your Honor.
Sustained, jury will disregard.
I honestly don't know whether she hurt us or she helped us.
Well, she has the right to be angry.
I get it.
Jurors don't like difficult women.
Especially female jurors.
I saw a few of them giving Carter the doe eye Excuse me.
Can you turn that up, please? And while our main concern is the safety of our passengers, and to ensure that an incident like this never happens again, I'm compelled to speak out in defense of Optimum Air and our dedicated and heroic female pilots.
All of whom are accorded the same respect and consideration as our male pilots.
Yeah, in other words, "screw you, Tara.
" They have to blame her.
They're looking at millions of dollars in civil payouts.
I don't know what female pilots he's talking about.
Optimum only promoted one woman to captain that we know about.
- Hmm.
- She left the company last year, and she hasn't returned our calls.
Well, Optimum try to buy her off too? Jeanne Howell? NYPD.
I told you, I can't talk about Optimum.
I left on good terms.
Two weeks after you received your promotion? I was done flying commercial.
Okay, I get it.
Flying private is better hours, better grade of passengers.
It all worked out for you, but not for Tara Sidnana.
I feel terrible for her.
I mean, what she did, it's - It's every pilot's nightmare.
- You worked for Optimum for what, ten years? You've logged just as many hours as your male pilots.
So in all that time, you never got promoted? I mean, why do you think that is? Is it because you're a woman? I don't like to play that card.
None of us do.
You know, Optimum Air, all they care about is protecting their bottom line.
If that means turning a blind eye to harassment, discrimination, sexual assault.
It's got to stop.
Tara was raped, Jeanne.
She tried to do her job, she tried to get over it.
And then she found herself in that cockpit, face to face with the man that raped her.
So yes, she lost control.
She's going to do prison time.
Logan Carter may walk.
My question to you is, how are you going to live with yourself, if he gets away with it? How are you going to live with yourself if he does it again? You know, I, uh I've agonized over the thought of that plane going down.
Every day.
Could have been me.
What happened to you, Jeanne? Logan Carter, he raped me too.
Jeanne Howell? Do you know what I did for her? We know what you did to her.
You want to hear about Jeanne Howell? I can keep you here for hours.
Luckily, Mrs.
Howell is meticulous.
She's detail oriented, probably what makes her a good pilot.
She kept evidence of the assault.
Some of it ripped.
Photos of the physical trauma and emails between the two of you after the rape.
You were a little loose lipped, Captain.
Contemporary statements to her friends.
- What are you looking for? - The captain pleads guilty to two counts of rape two, ten years.
- Are you crazy? - We could go to trial, on Jeanne Howell's rape.
If you're found guilty, you're looking at 25 years.
[somber music.]
Draw up your paperwork.
We did it.
- Give the guy a kewpie doll.
- Ten years is a long time.
But you're not happy.
Are you? Carter raped two women, he sexually harassed what, who knows how many.
Optimum knew, and they did nothing.
So what are you saying, that putting away one pilot rapist isn't enough? Not in this day and age.
It's the entire culture that needs to change.
All the people who enabled Captain Carter should be in that cell with him.
Yes, they should.
But unfortunately, being sexist, misogynistic pigs isn't a crime.
It should be.
I'm serious.
So what are you going to do? What every prosecutor that doesn't know what to charge does, convene a grand jury.
Against? The whole damn company.
The cockpit can be an intimate space.
Some male pilots took that as an opportunity to discuss personal issues: Their marriages, sex lives, what kind of pornography they liked.
Did these conversations go further? Yes, I was propositioned.
Everything from "How about a drink?" to "Let's see what's underneath that uniform" to graphic questions about what I liked in bed.
- Did you complain to Optimum? - No.
Flying is a male-dominated field.
Truth is, a lot of male pilots don't like flying with women.
So you try to fit in.
Be one of the boys.
And you eventually did get promoted? Yes.
After I was raped by one of their pilots, Logan Carter.
I went to management, and they promised me that I would make captain if I didn't go to the police.
How did that make you feel? My self-esteem and my confidence were destroyed.
I knew that the only reason they promoted me was to keep me quiet.
I felt cheap.
I felt devalued.
You get hit on by the passengers all the time.
Like, you laugh off creepy pickup lines or duck around the guy trying to grab your ass in the aisle.
What about harassment from the crew? When the police first asked me about that, I defended the company.
Okay, but now you want to come forward.
Yes, people should know the truth.
Male pilots are worse than passengers.
A pilot will pretend to hug you so he can look down your bra, or text you "What color panties are you wearing?" - Did you complain to Optimum? - When I did, they said if I had a problem with a particular crew, I would be reassigned.
What ended up happening was I lost flights.
- Hours, pay.
- So when you complained, you basically got your salary docked.
Yes.
I put my game face on, I smiled.
I tried to ignore it, no matter how crude these guys got.
You don't cry.
You don't fight back.
You just take it.
- How's it going? - It's going well.
But getting the indictment is the easy part [phone buzzing.]
and we're not even there yet.
Huh, we may not get there at all.
Optimum Air is filing a motion to quash the grand jury subpoena.
- Hold on, can they do that? - They can try.
They're claiming that the charges are vague and overbroad.
Okay, that's good.
That means they feel the heat.
That means you're getting to them.
Yeah.
Mr.
Barba, hi, I'm Ellen Grey, Mr.
Fleming's assistant.
- You subpoenaed me to testify.
- Ah, yes, of course.
- Please, come in.
- You also asked me for the employee company records.
The more sensitive documents, I keep at home.
Mr.
Fleming asked me to shred them.
But, I There's something I thought you should have.
Thank you so much for coming forward.
And the way that company treats women is despicable.
But I can't stay quiet anymore.
Because what you're doing, it's about damn time.
I saw a lot of women come and go out of Optimum.
Women who made complaints about male employees, seems like there was always a way to shut them up.
Why did you come forward today, Ms.
Gray? I guess at some point, enough is enough.
Can you describe this for the grand jurors? It's a memo Mr.
Fleming drafted five years ago.
It was circulated among the male executives.
I was the only woman who read it.
Because I typed it.
Would you read it for us now? [tense music.]
"It has come to my attention that there is scientific data "supporting the fact that women, "no matter how well trained they are, "may not be mentally or emotionally equipped "to captain an aircraft.
"It is not a natural career choice for females.
"The resulting anxiety can lead them to make poor decisions, "which may have severe consequences, "including endangering lives.
"It is my opinion that women may be better suited for the career of flight attendant than pilot.
" Thank you, Ms.
Gray.
You know what, I don't think you have a clue about anything you heard here today, You know how I know? You just don't look that intelligent.
And you, miss, where the hell did you get that dress? Salvation Army wouldn't even put that on its shelves.
Um, I'm sure you know you're only here because we're forced to let you in.
I forgot to tell you, that because you're not as smart as the other jurors, your vote, it's going to count less than theirs.
You're not really worth anything.
Day after day, you can sense it.
I mean, they don't really They don't really say it to your face, but you know what they're thinking.
You can tell, because the guy in the next office? He's making twice what you make, and he does half the work.
Year after year.
You can tell because that promotion, that you've been waiting for, is gone to your boss's golfing buddy.
You try to complain to anyone who will listen, And one of two things will happen.
You'll get fired, or you get laughed at.
Why? Because they don't really want you here in the first place.
Year after year.
Until you start to believe it yourself.
These may sound like rationalizations to you, ladies and gentleman, but to me, to the women of Optimum Air, that's the sound of a woman's dignity circling the bowl.
And the hand that's flushing the toilet belongs not just to the men who committed these offenses, but to everyone who knew and let them happen.
Can you be demeaned by a culture? I say yes.
Can it humiliate you? You bet it can.
Can it actually rape you? Sadly, the answer is yes.
The law states that if you take another person's property, you are committing a crime.
I stand here before you today to assert that Optimum Air took the dignity, the self-worth, the self-esteem of these women.
And if you don't think that's property, just ask her.
Or her.
Or her.
And after you do, I ask you to return a true bill of indictment, charging Optimum Air and all of its employees with grand larceny.
Thank you.
Congratulations on the indictment.
[laughs.]
The first thing Optimum will do is make a motion to dismiss.
Which they'll win, but I get to appeal.
- And you'll win that? - 60/40, against.
But we got the wheels turning.
If this law's ever going to change, - this is a good start.
- You know, I thought that grand jury proceedings were secret.
They are, but that courthouse leaks like a sieve.
Optimum's stock is down 30%, they'll be declaring bankruptcy by the end of the week.
You're a feminist icon, Rafael.
Hmm.
I do my best.
I think that earns me a nice, thick steak.
I would love nothing more, but Responsibilities? Yeah.
I know.
How's it going, chief? Detective Tutuola.
Can I help you with something? Just wanted to ask you about your intentions regarding, you know, Liv.
Excuse me? You know she's been through hell.
- I know that.
- She'll survive.
She'll get past it, and she's the only one that can do this job.
You know that, right? I do.
Well, the rumors I'm hearing from 1PP, about you interviewing candidates to replace her.
Those are just rumors? Two weeks ago, I wasn't sure she was coming back to the job.
Hell, she wasn't even sure.
I've got a department to run.
- Bosses to answer to.
- Don't we all.
- So we understand each other? - Yeah.
One more thing.
How did you get this memo? I can't tell you that.
And I made a copy.
Just want to make sure we do understand each other.
We do, Detective.
We do.
It's good to see you, as always.