Law & Order Special Victims Unit s22e14 Episode Script

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 all her fault.
She's the one who wanted to send me away.
What happens now? Your son tried to kill his sister.
He shot a cop.
The judge will sentence him to a juvenile facility.
So that he'll get help? In a secure treatment facility.
You mean he's gonna be locked away? Yes, probably until he's 18.
My name is Henry Mesner, and I'm 18 years old.
I've been a patient at Hesland Juvenile Psychiatric since I was ten.
When I came here, I was incapable of empathy.
I was lacking remorse, impulsive, a pathological liar, and had poor anger control.
I know these are diagnostic terms, but they did describe me and my behavior as a child.
I wasn't mad.
It was just an experiment.
How do you mean, Henry? I wanted to see if she'd roll all the way down.
She was on an angle, so she hit the landing and stopped.
I've treated Henry for the past five years.
He has been an exemplary patient, curious and proactive in his own recovery, an active and empathic participant in group.
You don't see it often, but, he broke diagnosis.
When he was admitted, he was on the severe end of the youth psychopathy checklist.
I never liked Snowball.
And what did you do, Henry? I tied her leash to the faucet, then I turned on the tub and held her down.
And Snowball? Took longer than I thought.
In Henry's years of treatment, with the positive reinforcement of our facility, he has learned the tools to control his emotions and behavior, to break out of the cycle of discipline and defiance.
Myself, my wife Holly, Henry's stepmother, and his sister, Ruby, have visited regularly.
We look forward to him coming home, to live with us and his new little brother, Arlo.
I'm sad that Henry's mother, who passed away five years ago, isn't here to see this.
But I know how proud and heartened she would be of Henry now.
My years at Hesland have taught me to understand that other people have feelings.
That they can be hurt.
That my behavior has consequences.
I'm very grateful to the staff, and especially Dr.
Mackie, for encouraging me to believe that I could change.
For having faith in me.
Henry Henry! For seeing me not as a psychopath, but as a lonely and frightened boy.
A boy who just wanted to love, and be loved.
Daddy, don't let them take me away.
I'm sorry.
I love you.
I love you too.
Thank you, Henry, for your thoughtful words about love, about family.
Let's adjourn now while I go through the evidence presented.
I'll render a decision before the holidays.
The vic's name is Libby Blandon, 19.
She's unconscious, burned, lost a lot of blood.
They really did a number on this girl.
Sexually assaulted? Her roommate found her tied up, gagged, naked.
Did the victim tell her anything? I guess I should've asked.
She's completely freaked out.
Okay.
Thanks.
Libby and I were at a dage yesterday, a day rage.
Libby left early at 7:00 or 8:00.
By herself? I think so.
But you didn't come home till the morning? I hooked up with my ex, okay? Oh, my God.
That might've saved my life.
Bag these cigarette butts.
What the hell happened here? We're looking at a psycho.
You okay? Yeah, um, security cams just show groups of kids coming in and out all night long.
Half of them wearing masks.
It's gonna be hard to tease him out.
Had to have left some DNA.
He may not be in CODIS.
With an M.
O.
Like this, if he'd ever been in the system, they'd've never let him out.
Ugh, Mom, this is exactly what I was afraid of.
No, I know, but it was your idea to have Dad move in.
You can't call me every time he spills orange juice.
You okay, baby? Okay, you know what? I'll drive up next weekend, and we can have a family meeting, a sit down, and go over some ground rules, all right? Okay, Mom, I gotta let you go.
It's my boss calling.
Liv.
Okay.
Yeah, yeah, I'll meet you at the hospital Hey, Jesse, time to go! Jesse! Jesse! Jesse! Look what I got! Ah.
Wow, you found that, huh? Maybe we should leave it here for the other kids, okay? A nice man gave it to me.
A what? Oh, okay.
- What, somebody's daddy? - Uh-uh.
No? Okay, who? Can you point out who gave it to you? He's gone now.
Please, please, can I keep it? He told me her name was Snowball.
He knocked on my dorm room door.
He said he was locked out.
Asked if he could use my cell.
I-I let him in.
Take your time.
It's okay.
I figured he lived in the dorm.
He was my age.
He knew my name.
He had a nice smile.
But you didn't recognize him.
No.
After you let him in, can you tell us what happened? It was fast.
He He covered my mouth, pulled a knife, pushed me on the bed.
He asked, "Should I cut your clothes or burn them off?" So he made you choose.
I didn't answer.
He just smiled.
Then he tied me up, cut my clothes, raped me, burned me with cigarettes, choked me until I'd almost pass out, and then before he left, he asked for my debit card and the code.
And just when he was leaving, he came back and took one of my stuffed animals.
It wasn't a white dog, was it? Actually, yeah.
Like that? Yeah.
Yeah, that's Daisy.
Sorry, Captain, we have to get Libby into surgery.
You'll be fine.
The CT caught an abdominal bleed.
Okay.
What was that about? At the park this morning, Jesse had a white stuffed dog.
She told me a man gave it to her, and its name was Snowball.
Okay, where are the girls now? My mom picked them up this morning.
They're heading up to Rockland County.
He's not going up there.
Alert the county sheriff just in case.
This can't be a coincidence, right? I mean, Henry, the kid that shot Amaro, he drowned a dog named Snowball.
Okay, Henry Mesner, right? He was ten years old.
He has to still be locked up.
- Fin? - I'll make some calls.
He got a hit on Libby's debit card.
How long ago? Okay.
Hey, be careful, all right? Uh, Jesse, Rollins' daughter, may May have been approached by this guy.
He knows who we are.
Why are you messing with Keys again? I didn't do nothing! You used a stolen debit card last night, and the girl whose card it was is now in the hospital.
I didn't hurt no girl.
I'm just trying to survive.
Then tell us how you got the card.
He only let me have 50.
I'll give the money back.
I don't want anything to do with him.
Him who? Something wrong with that guy.
He ain't right.
I don't want him coming after me.
Look, Keys, you gotta tell us what happened, or we're gonna have to take you down to the station.
You don't want people going through your stuff while you're in holding.
Okay.
Okay.
All I did was get the cash for him.
Then he made me go into a hardware store.
Hardware store? For what? A bunch of crazy stuff.
Zip ties, rope, duct tape.
Oh And a hand torch.
Henry Mesner.
That's right, M-E-S-N-E-R.
I get patient confidentiality, but this is an NYPD matter.
Yes, ma'am, I know it's a Saturday, but I'm gonna need your supervisor to call me back.
Okay, how can they not know where he is? Captain.
Detective, this is Libby's mother, Dr.
Blandon.
I'm Captain Benson.
This is Detective Rollins.
Who would do this to my daughter? We're trying to figure that out now.
Well, you should know from what they've told me of her injuries, that we're dealing with a psychopath.
Dr.
Blandon, so you're a Adolescent psychiatrist specializing in violent behavior.
This may be a shot in the dark, but does the name Henry Mesner mean anything to you? I haven't seen Henry in five years.
I treated him when he was first admitted to Hesland Psychiatric.
I was the one who told him that his mother had died.
Why? Did you ever talk to Henry about your daughter? Well, sometimes to get patients to open up, I reveal details about my life.
Oh, my God.
Don't tell me they've released him.
Tom Mesner? SVU! Open the door now! The neighbors say Henry's been living with his family since December.
Did they hear or see anything? Nothing since yesterday.
Let's go, Mass.
Let's do it.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Mesner! NYPD! Stepmother's gone! So is the father.
I'll call the morgue.
I got another body downstairs.
A kid, multiple stab wounds.
He had a little sister.
Her name was Ruby.
- She would've been 13.
- It's a little boy.
He looks maybe five.
He's on a spree, and it started here.
M.
E.
says the bodies are out of rigor.
She puts time of death within 48 hours.
The father Tom, stepmother Holly, half-brother Arlo.
So Henry murders his family on Friday morning, he assaults Libby Friday night, and then on Saturday morning, he heads to Rollins and Jesse.
- This guy is moving fast.
- And he's armed.
CSU just found a gun safe in the bedroom, open, empty.
I'm finding out how many weapons Tom Mesner had registered.
And Henry's room, there wasn't much in it.
If he had a computer or cell phone, he took them with him.
Okay, have TARU check his landlines and the parents' cell.
Captain Benson.
Ah, thank God.
Thank God.
All right, we'll meet her out there.
Henry's sister, Ruby, is alive.
She was staying at a friend's house, out in Oyster Bay.
And now we have to tell a 13-year-old girl that her whole family was murdered.
Ruby can still stay with us, right? Yeah, of course, I mean, if that's okay with your mom, but I do need to speak with Ruby alone, - for a few minutes.
- Come on.
We'll be right over there, honey, if you need us.
Do we need to be worried, Detective? He's still out there.
We'll have police presence out front 24/7.
Don't leave the house.
It's just so horrendous.
Holly was a friend.
She once told me how terrified she was of Henry, that he might snap one day.
She tried to tell Tom.
Is that why he had a gun? She said Tom thought if they all showed Henry enough love, he'd be fine.
But Holly insisted on protection.
Arlo too? He was just a little boy.
Henry hated him.
So jealous.
When's the last time you spoke with your older brother? Friday.
I left early.
School.
They were having breakfast.
And do you remember anything about his mood, or if He was upset about something? - He and my dad were fighting.
- About what? My dad was on him to get a job, do something.
What had he been doing? He kept bragging to Ruby about taking driving lessons.
Holly didn't like that.
She preferred when he'd stay in his room days on end.
At least she knew where he was.
Stayed in his room all day doing what? Playing video games.
I could hear him over his headset talking to somebody.
- Do you know who? - No.
He'd been in Hesland for eight years.
The only friends he had were the boys he met up there.
They never should've let Henry out.
Why did they let him out? This is every psychiatrist's worst nightmare.
The five years I've been here, we provided Henry with tools.
When he turned 18, his family petitioned for his release.
He demonstrated he was no longer a threat to society.
- Who made that decision? - The court.
But he passed all the psychological exams; he had an exemplary record; his family testified they'd care for him.
Three psychiatrists, myself included, testified on his behalf.
The judge concluded we had no reason to hold him.
You weren't worried? Again, no.
When I met Henry, whoever he was before I got here was gone.
I believed he had turned his life around.
Let me ask you.
You've heard about the theory that group therapy isn't effective for psychopaths? That they just learn how to mimic mental health? I'm aware of, and obviously looked for that possibility, but what scares me is I've been doing this 30 years, and no one has ever fooled me and an entire staff like this before.
So you're saying Henry spent, what? Eight years here learning how to appear completely sane? Unfortunately, yes.
We think he's on a spree.
And you have no idea where he is? His sister thought he might be in touch with someone here.
He did have one friend.
Henry talked about being angry with his stepmother.
Hate and anger aren't productive emotions.
Connor, do you have any idea where Henry might be? I wish I could help, but no.
Have you talked to him lately? He left me a note when he got out, told me to hang in there, put some money in my commissary.
Can we see that letter? I'm not even sure where it is.
Hmm.
What are you, Connor, - 16? - 17.
Man, I bet you wanna get out of here pretty soon.
You know Henry just cut those chances in half.
That's really unfair.
I'm very different from Henry.
I've broken diagnosis.
- Ask Dr.
Mackie.
- Okay, well, look, Conner, you can talk the talk, but if you don't give up Henry Hey, I'm gonna personally testify that you aided and abetted.
I don't know where he is, honest.
Take a guess.
You might wanna check with Cora.
She and Henry kinda hooked up.
- Cora's a patient here? - My older sister.
She comes up every few weeks to visit.
Cora Jackson, NYPD! Break it in.
We're all clear, Captain.
What the hell? Get on the ground, now! All the way down, hands where we can see them.
- Are you Cora Jackson? - Yeah.
Has Henry Mesner been here? - Yeah, he's my boyfriend.
- He's staying here? - Is this his stuff? - Don't touch that! He doesn't like people going through his things! When is the last time you saw Henry? I don't know.
This morning.
And where is he now? I don't I don't know.
He said he had people to check in on.
- Who? - I don't know! And when did he leave? - I got a laptop, a tablet, clothes.
- Bag everything.
- Come here, get up.
- Don't you need a warrant? Actually, no.
Exigent circumstances.
Listen to me.
Your boyfriend is armed and dangerous.
Henry? No, he's he's not who you think he is.
He's a gentle soul.
Those demons that used to haunt him, they're gone! Henry was institutionalized for so long.
He needs to breathe with no eyes on him.
Go off the grid.
I get it.
Any idea where he might go? He likes to, be by the water.
He likes to go to the park and watch kids play.
All that was taken away from him.
Uh-huh.
What park? He went to Morningside Park yesterday morning.
How do you know that? When he takes pictures on his phone, they upload to our cloud.
We're gonna need your phone.
Okay, dozens of selfies, pictures of his dad, his stepmom Cora.
Son of a bitch.
He took pictures of Jesse.
Is Libby Blandon in there too? Um.
Let me see.
Uh.
Yeah.
There.
It must've been Friday night.
He was stalking her.
All of them.
Look, his little sister Ruby, at the house where she's staying in Oyster Bay.
We were just out there.
This was taken this morning.
So that must've been before we arrived.
- So where is he now? - Get to the house.
Alert the parents.
I'll call Nassau PD.
Megan Davis still isn't picking up her cell, and the Volvo's gone from the driveway.
Maybe they went somewhere.
We told them not to leave.
You guys are just getting here now? Detective, what's the problem? No one called us from the house.
What took you so long? Someone called in a bomb scare at the mall.
All units.
We put a squad car out front like you guys asked.
- Where's your guy? - I don't know.
- Code eight? - Pop the trunk.
Get him out of here.
We gotta go inside.
Fin! I got a pulse.
Megan, Megan? Mrs.
Davis, can you hear me? Bus is right behind us.
I'll get EMTs in here.
Help, help, help! NYPD.
Who's in there? Help me, help me! Help! Charlotte, it's Detective Tamin.
Let's get you out of here.
My mom, is she okay? She's gonna be fine.
Now, Charlotte, what happened? It was Henry.
He took Ruby.
- Okay.
- Now did he did he say anything about where he might be going? He said he wanted to go on a ride.
A ride? Thanks.
- Okay, come on.
- Okay.
We need to put an alarm out on the Volvo.
Hour head start, he could be anywhere.
So he told Charlotte that he wanted to go On a ride.
I thought that meant a car ride.
Are there any amusement parks nearby? All right, that's their car! Open that trunk.
Let's go.
Clear! This gate's locked, but there's some play here.
They could've slipped through.
Check the haunted house.
Radio if you have eyes.
Go search these rides.
No sign of him.
I may have something at the funhouse.
- Rollins, wait on backup.
- Copy that.
Henry.
Henry, let's just talk, okay? Henry? Ruby? Mom and Dad brought me here once.
It was before you were born.
Henry, just let me go.
Please.
I won't tell anyone, I swear.
You're a little liar, Ruby.
You always were a lying, little tattletale.
Henry, it's Detective Rollins.
Detective, over here.
I can see you.
Henry, drop the gun.
Detective Rollins? Wow.
You're even prettier up close, and your daughters, they look just like you.
And you haven't changed a bit, Henry.
Put the gun down.
It's not like I'm going to hurt her.
I'd like to believe you, but You still got your gun to her head.
And you're still holding yours.
We can put them down together, all walk out of here at the same time.
I'm not really ready to leave.
That's fine.
Let Ruby go.
We can stay.
Did Jesse like her gift? She was so cute.
I asked her for a hug, and she gave me one.
You taught her good manners.
You know what? You got about 60 seconds until a team of ESU comes crashing in here, wanting to take you out.
Flash grenades, stun guns I don't want that to happen.
You don't? So you're not mad about Jesse? You know I wouldn't hurt her.
She wasn't on my list.
Still, a mom has to protect her kids.
Not mine.
- She had me locked up.
- Stop it, Henry.
That wasn't Mom's fault or Dad's.
You're right.
It was all your fault.
You would cry, and the school would call, and Mom would get mad at me.
I wasn't sorry when she was killed in that car crash.
- She deserved it! - Yeah, I guess she got what was coming, Henry.
You got back at everyone who hurt you.
Not yet.
- Not Ruby! - Henry Henry, please don't hurt me.
God, you always were such a crybaby.
It's not Ruby's fault.
She was five years old.
After you shot my partner, Nick? It was me who locked you up, made sure you were put away.
So it was all your fault! Rollins is in there with Henry.
And Ruby.
No shots fired.
Rollins? Rollins, you there? Rollins, if you can hear me, and you're okay, click your radio.
Someone's coming out.
Move, move.
Captain, Ruby's on her way out with Henry's gun.
It's unloaded.
Stand down! Stand down, don't shoot! Help! Don't shoot me! - Come here! - We got her, we got her.
- Ruby, Ruby, are you hurt? - No.
What's going on in there? He didn't want to talk to me anymore.
He wanted to talk with Detective Rollins.
Okay, Ruby, you are safe.
We're gonna get you outta here.
Rollins? Rollins, what's going on in there? Fin, if she doesn't answer me We got State Police coming in and the Nassau police commissioner.
How experienced is your detective? - Very.
- And the kid's unarmed now.
Unless he took her gun.
It's gonna be tough for you to sneak up on somebody in a house of mirrors.
We're gonna try and snake some cameras in there.
Rollins? Henry? There's no reason for anyone to get hurt.
Rollins, what's your status? I need you to answer me.
Captain Just give us a few minutes.
Henry and I are talking.
Are you in trouble? Probably.
We don't have much time.
So What do you want to talk about? I don't know.
Why'd you come here? I had my childhood taken away from me.
I was only ten.
No beaches, no amusement parks.
Just arts and crafts.
Lots of arts and crafts.
You miss the beach? I love the ocean.
You know why? The ocean doesn't give a crap about you, or anything.
It does what it wants, whenever it wants, and you have to go along with it.
What happened here, Henry? We came out with this kid, Oscar.
We were six.
Our moms were friends, hoping we'd be friends too.
But you weren't.
He was all right.
I took his hotdog.
He didn't tell.
He couldn't swim.
We were playing in the waves, didn't realize there was deep water at the end of the flats.
We got sucked under a riptide.
I saw Oscar fighting, gasping, trying to get to shore.
His mom jumped in, lifeguard too.
But Oscar and his mom both drowned.
That must've been really scary.
No.
I just did what the ocean wanted me to do, floated with the tide.
The coastguard found me.
I was a mile away from shore.
My mom was a mess.
But you were okay.
More than okay.
That was the first time I knew I was different.
Everyone was so worried about me, so upset that Oscar and his mom died.
I was just bummed I didn't get to see it.
Rollins, I know that you two are talking, but I need an update now.
ESU stuck pole cams through every HVAC and vent.
It's a house of mirrors.
They're getting frustrated looking at their own reflections.
They're suiting up.
Yeah, that's because this kid left a trail of blood from here to the city.
Give my detective time.
Not your call, Captain.
My guys are going in in five minutes.
Rollins, so you know, Nassau ESU is in control.
- You need to answer that? - Yeah.
Knowing how these things go, ESU is probably about ready to bust in here.
But Do you wanna get shot, or you wanna come with me? I'm unarmed.
They won't shoot me.
I wouldn't count on that.
If we go out together, you know, I can protect you.
Why would you do that? I remember you, as a little boy, in the kitchen, eating strawberries.
Yeah? You flinched when I walked by you to go to the refrigerator.
- But you didn't leave.
- Mm.
I was worried about you, even now.
I don't want you to die.
Copy, Rollins.
They're coming out! Okay, don't shoot! Don't shoot.
He's cuffed.
Nice and slow.
I couldn't help myself.
Just ask her.
I'm not of sound mind.
- You're right.
- Let's go.
What the hell was that? You know a part of me likes to squirrel around in these guys' brains, trying to figure out what's going on in there.
Did you get anything? This spree Is all he's been thinking about for eight years.
Wherever Henry ends up, they need to throw away the key.
Death is closer to life than people think.
All that blood you have pumping right underneath the surface of your skin I could bite your neck right now.
By the time they got in here, it would be too late.
You're right, Henry.
But you, mostly get mad at people who judge you.
I-I'm not judging you.
You're not? Then why are you here? Like I said at the beginning, I'm trying to understand how we got here, what you think happened.
You mean my mental state? Well, according to the State of New York, as of four months ago, I was no longer a danger to myself or others.
Now do you think they made the right decision? My opinion, whoever let this kid out, should have their license revoked.
Hindsight's 20/20, Doctor, but is he competent to stand trial? That's a complicated question.
- Ethically, morally - But legally.
He knows where he is.
He knows what he's done.
He's capable of participating in his own defense.
I'm aware of the legal parameters, but I also know Henry was two standard deviations outside the normal range for callous, unemotional behavior when he was ten.
A psychopath's brain is different, probably from birth.
The defense may argue that his personality disorder affects his sanity.
Well, right, not guilty by reason of insanity.
That's their prerogative when this goes to trial.
You ask me, even that's a stretch.
He knew what he was doing was wrong, and he didn't care.
- It's all on him.
- Is it? Henry's been institutionalized half his life.
Then he gets returned to the family that he thinks imprisoned him there, I mean - Sending him home - Is like pouring gasoline and then Lighting a match.
And I'm sure his defense will bring that up as well.
- They'll put the State on trial.
- Please, no.
No! No, he gets to go on a spring break, settle up a bunch of scores, and then go back to group therapy with his friends at Camp Hesland? I understand, Detective.
You and society want to see Henry punished, but locking up someone who's mentally ill I've been to prisons where there's one psychologist responsible for over 500 men.
I mean, we're no better off - than the dark ages.
- Doc.
We can go down this road, but, for today, I just need your assertion that Henry's competent to stand trial.
He is, but that question is exactly the problem.
I need some fresh air.
I'll go with her.
How are you doing, Olivia? It's been a tough year.
It has been, and But I'm lucky, you know? My Noah is okay; my squad is healthy.
And things with you and Detective Stabler? Your message.
You said he reappeared Out of nowhere.
And that's, uh That's been a lot to process.
I could understand why you'd want an appointment, and I really look forward to it.
Yeah.
Me too.
The intersection of the law and psychiatry is inherently complex.
Where law is objective, looking at guilt or innocence, psychiatry is subjective, Your Honor Dr.
Lindstrom, no disrespect, it is your opinion that Henry Mesner is competent to stand trial? - It is, Your Honor.
- You may step down.
Having heard testimony from all relevant parties, and reviewed the psychiatric reports submitted by the defense and the prosecution, it is the ruling of this court that the defendant, Henry Mesner, is capable of participating in his own defense and competent to stand trial.
Thank you, Your Honor.
The People move to set a trial date.
For the record, we will be changing our plea to not guilty by reason of insanity.
Four months ago, my client was deemed no longer a danger to himself or others, and this was tragically untrue.
Is it the State's intention to convince a jury that, given the events of the last week, they stand by that decision? Counselor, not today.
Save it for the jury.
You're being very rude to my lawyer.
- That's enough, Mr.
Mesner.
- Let her finish.
- Sit down, Mr.
Mesner.
- Henry, get back.
- No one listens to me.
- Henry, stop.
- I said that no one listens to me! - Order! Stop Bailiffs, secure the defendant now! Get him out of here! I want my daddy! - Get him out of here now.
- I said I want my daddy! Help! Help please! - Call an ambulance! - I want my daddy! I'm okay.
I'll be back with your discharge paperwork, and prescriptions.
The doctor says you're a lucky man, Mr.
Carisi.
By which she means I got small ears.
Hey.
- You doing okay? - I'll live.
I don't know how, but he just missed puncturing my eardrum.
Jesus.
So what happens to Henry now? The judge remanded him.
He'll be medicated until he's deemed competent.
So he just keeps getting what he wants.
Go back to a mental facility.
I mean, he only stabbed you in the ear to prove to the judge that he's crazy.
Either way, he's still gonna stand trial, you know, whether or not he meets the legal definition of insanity.
He killed his stepmother His own father.
He killed his 5-year-old brother.
If he's not crazy Then no one is.
How are you, Henry? They got you pretty drugged up, huh? Now you can pretend you can't hear me, but I know you can, and I've got something I wanna tell you.
When I told you that I didn't want you to die I lied.
If you ever get out of here If you go after Counselor Carisi, or anyone in my family again, it will be your last day on Earth.
I'll kill you myself.