Law & Order Special Victims Unit s24e20 Episode Script
Debatable
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.
Pretty quiet back there.
Naomi, everything OK?
Yeah, I'm just getting a head
start on college applications.
That's cool, Ms. Harvard,
but you're debating today.
I know, Coach.
Coaches.
I got this.
I'm dreaming Wikileaks,
Anonymous, FBI versus Fazaga.
Well, just keep the hand gestures down.
When a guy makes a chopping
motion, it's decisive.
- When a woman does it
- BOTH: The judges cross their legs.
[LAUGHTER]
Do I have to be
partnered with Todd again?
You and Todd are our star debaters.
But he constantly makes fun of me.
Same with Sean.
It's just because they like you.
At least you don't ride the
bus with any of them, right?
Hey, your prissy teammate
too good for the school bus?
Have you ever met her mom?
Lives in a van.
This bus probably triggers
her memories of her childhood,
peeing in some empty water bottle.
Not possible.
Little Ms. Fridge
probably pisses ice cubes.
I bet every time she opens
her legs, a light comes on.
Who taught you dad jokes, Sean?
Thought yours ran off
with some chick from work.
Shut up and keep studying, Booker.
All right, hustle, guys.
Everybody off the bus.
Let's go.
OK, Birchfield Prep, listen up.
We're going to go check into the hotel,
then you're going to go
straight to your rooms,
drop off your bags.
We'll meet in the ballroom at 15:00.
Suit jackets, ties.
Look sharp.
We're here to kill.
All right, let's go.
Do not get hit by a car, please.
Activism benefits democracy.
We contend that fear of
hacking causes the government
to lock down information
it never intended
to share with the public
in the first place.
Furthermore,
can governments actually
become more secretive
than they already are?
As Michael Hayden, former
CIA and NSA director said,
"I got an email saying Merry Christmas."
"It carried a top secret
classification marking."
We contend that secrecy
in the government
doesn't lead to security,
only more secrecy.
Democracy cannot thrive in the shadows.
Hacktivists uncover
governmental abuses,
inform the citizenry,
and keep politicians honest.
Hacktivism is a sanitizing light,
shining into the dark corners.
Essential, for the very survival
of our democracy.
Yes, good girl!
Whoo!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
I see the judges have
reached a decision.
The first round goes to
Birchfield Prep.
Yes!
Whoo!
Senior Todd Edmondson
and junior Naomi Hayes,
who may be the best reason
Birchfield went coed two years ago.
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Just a sec.
[KNOCKING CONTINUES]
Just a sec!
Can I help you?
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
- Nice robe.
- It's a kimono.
- Your mom get it at Goodwill?
- Hey.
Don't listen to him.
- You guys are drinking?
- Want to join us?
Resolved
Hangovers leave you stupid and slow.
Kubota et al 2001,
alcohol shrinks brain volume,
or as my Uncle Lew likes to say,
"you drink, you can't think."
What'd I tell you?
Little Ms. Fridge.
Yo, there they are, the power couple
Obi Naomi and the Toddfather,
you two killed it today.
Et tu, Booker?
I'm cutting myself off and
hitting the pillow in an hour.
We have a 7:00 a.m.
wake up tomorrow.
Look
I know I talk trash sometimes,
I don't mean it.
Come on, Nay.
Just one?
Everybody's talking, talking ♪
I don't hear a thing, I just ♪
One of us.
One of us, one of us,
one of us, one of us!
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
Naomi, you OK?
I'm fine.
♪
[GRUNTS]
[PANTING]
[GRUNTS, SHOUTING]
[BLADE SWISHING]
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[SIGHS]
Self care?
Peony and black currant.
Smells nice.
Yeah, you know,
15-minute meditation just to
get it out of my head.
I'm surprised that's all it takes.
[EXHALES] Well, I'm learning
to take my moments when I can.
Speaking of which,
Phoebe got tickets to
some lecture tonight at NYU,
to expand our horizons.
Oh, nice.
Well, you better go,
while it's still quiet.
It's almost too quiet.
Velasco and Churlish, close talking?
- [LAUGHS]
- That pilgrimage to Maine
must have gone well.
He got what he needed.
So you two good?
Yeah.
Anything more you want to tell me?
Nope.
[PHONE BUZZES]
Captain Benson.
Naomi Hayes, 17, straight-A student,
star of the debate team at
Birchfield Prep in Albany,
no record, no discipline issues.
And you're sure she's the one
that set the bus on fire?
She was sitting on the sidewalk
right in front of the hotel,
had the knife used to slash
the seats in her hand.
Wasn't even trying to hide it.
All right, any obvious signs
of sexual assault?
Something happened to the girl tonight.
Her affect, the way
she's holding herself,
and her sweatpants are on inside out.
Got it. OK.
We'll take it from here.
I take it those are the parents?
Team chaperones.
Staying in the same hotel.
- You talk to them yet?
- Saved it for you.
OK, Churlish and Velasco,
you take the chaperones.
Muncy, you're with me.
Naomi?
I'm Captain Benson.
This is Detective Muncy.
Brought you some snacks.
I told the other detective I'm good.
You're on the debate team, right?
All about getting down to the truth.
It's a lot like our job.
You want to tell us why
you set the bus on fire?
I don't know why I did it.
Well, maybe something else
triggered it.
Maybe something
You don't even realize is connected.
Are you paying attention?
I said I don't know why.
Naomi, something happened.
Was anybody else
sharing your hotel room?
I'm the only girl on the team.
- That's got to be rough.
- Yeah.
Guys can be jerks sometimes.
How about all the time?
You know, sometimes trauma, um,
can make us behave
in surprising ways, you know?
Like, make us angry,
make us violent.
Classic cop.
See a result and retrofit symbolism.
A narrative that someone was
hurt, so they lit a match.
- Were you hurt?
- No.
There's no symbolism here.
The sea is the sea.
The old man is the old man,
the boy is the boy.
That's Hemingway.
Yeah.
I've heard of him.
I did see Naomi when
she left the hotel.
She seemed fine.
Were you aware of anything
that might have upset her?
No.
No, she won the debate.
Well, maybe the guys
weren't too happy about that.
To be honest, I'm not sure
why sex crimes is involved.
Wasn't this arson?
The detective who picked her up
thinks she may have been assaulted.
By one of the boys?
What can you tell me about them?
Everybody was pretty pumped,
in a great mood.
I mean, we won the first round
of the East Coast finals today.
Mm.
Well,
when was the last time you saw Naomi?
Uh, last I checked was curfew.
I found them all in Todd's room.
There was some drinking going on, but,
Naomi seemed fine with it.
She was participating.
I was hoping that they'd finally
accepted her as an equal.
You're a very smart girl Naomi,
and from what we understand, you get
really great grades, huh?
But sometimes in life,
situations happen that we
We're just not equipped to deal with.
Sometimes a fire is just a fire.
Yeah, sometimes.
Sometimes it's a way
to try and take control.
[SOFT TENSE MUSIC]
♪
After my mom died,
I kept getting in trouble
for stealing shopping carts.
I would race them down the hill
with my little brother.
Did that make you feel better?
Every time.
Nothing I do makes me feel better.
♪
When did you start cutting, Naomi?
I don't remember.
Well, whatever happened
to you in your past,
whatever happened tonight,
it's over now,
and you're safe.
You can tell us what happened.
I was at a party, the room next door.
I had some drinks, then later
I had sex but I didn't want to.
With a boy on your team?
I don't really remember.
It was dark.
I don't want to get anyone in trouble.
- I shouldn't have said anything.
- Naomi.
Naomi, we're just here to help you.
OK?
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Yeah?
- Naomi's mother is here.
- Thank you.
I can't have my mother know about this.
OK. I understand.
That's your choice.
You know, Naomi, in my experience, um,
sometimes keeping secrets
can make things worse.
Can you just talk to her, please?
Sure.
My my my baby girl?
Listen, she's been there we
Oh, my poor baby.
All right, Ms. Hayes,
Naomi's going to get through this,
but we still do have more
questions for her and for you.
Yeah, what about the arson arrest?
Well, the precinct captain has agreed
to release Naomi into your custody.
And they're going to give you
a desk appearance ticket
for a date for youth court.
So we can go home?
First, we need you to go
to the ER and get a rape kit.
And Detective Muncy will take you,
and I will speak with you tomorrow.
Well, this isn't going to be easy.
She admitted to being assaulted,
but she won't give a name.
- Where are the Youngs?
- Went back to the hotel.
They got a dozen boys to chaperone.
All right, do they have any idea
which one of them might have done this?
They acknowledge
the guys can be bullies,
- but not rapists.
- So they're protecting them,
which is to be expected.
Well, the tournament's over
in a few days.
Should we bring them in before
they all go back to Albany?
You know, let's get
some leverage first.
Check the hotel security footage,
wait for the rape kit,
and then we bring in the entire team,
debate or no debate.
So this girl, after she
gets arrested for arson,
she discloses an assault, but
- she won't name her assailant?
- Well, she claims she doesn't remember.
Is this just a ploy for sympathy?
- I got to ask.
- Hey,
she says that she was
assaulted and I believe her.
And her debate team sounds
competitive, brutal.
I mean, maybe she's
afraid of reprisals.
Did you guys get anything
from the hotel security?
Just elevator footage.
Naomi leaving,
no cameras in the hallway.
I did get a room assignment list.
The whole team's on one floor.
Todd Edmondson and Sean Richards
are in the room connected to Naomi.
Do these boys have a record?
- Any discipline problems?
- No.
Straight A's, college bound.
Which we know means nothing.
Well, nothing is what
you're giving me for
evidence right now.
Uh, Naomi's rape kit
just came back positive
for semen and abrasions.
No matches in the system.
OK, pick up all the boys
who partied in that room.
Will do.
My son's no rapist.
He's the star of the debate team.
We have a credible allegation.
Just trying to rule him out.
Naomi's accusing me?
Was she in your room last night?
Yeah.
So were four other guys.
- I assume you're talking to them.
- Yes, we are.
You ask me, she was
afraid to compete today.
Yeah, well, we're not asking you.
Except for a DNA sample.
You want to test Sean's DNA?
I don't know.
I should call my husband.
It'll rule your son out.
Unless there's a reason your DNA
is on Naomi's rape kit, Sean.
No. No.
Ms. Fridge?
I wouldn't go anywhere near her.
But you two were
hanging out last night?
She had one drink.
Then she went back to her room
supposedly to study.
Supposedly?
What does that mean?
It seems like she had
other plans to me.
And I'm not talking about
lighting our bus on fire.
I don't know why Naomi torched our bus.
I don't even know her that well.
But you hung out with her last night.
Yeah, but I didn't rape her.
My son's not involved
in this in any way.
- He's a good kid.
- If he gives us a DNA sample,
we can rule him out as a suspect.
So he can be in the system forever?
Give me one good reason why
any Black man
- should trust the cops.
- I didn't do it, I
Booker, no more.
I'm calling a lawyer.
- That's your right, but
- But what?
What are you gonna say to me
right now, brother?
Dad, hold on.
I didn't do it.
Neither did any of the other guys.
They haze her and make jokes,
but they didn't rape her.
I know who did.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
No.
Has everybody at school seen this?
I'm sorry, Naomi.
Are you gonna are you gonna
tell my mom I lied?
No.
But you are, when you're ready.
She just thinks I'm always perfect.
So the good girl
Mm.
Who can never lie.
Who can never say no.
Naomi, is that what happened
with you and the Youngs?
It's complicated.
Oh, it always is.
So how about you tell me how
All of this started.
I hated riding on the bus.
The guys were so loud.
They would pull my things
out of my backpack
and throw it around,
they would laugh at my tampons.
Teenage boys can be cruel.
And when Helene and Parker said that
I could ride with them,
that made me feel seen.
I get that.
But how
How did it turn sexual?
We had dinners together.
They
They served wine.
[STAMMERS]
They treated me like we were equals.
No one has ever done that to me before.
At first, it was it was just kissing.
Mostly me and Helene.
Parker watched.
It made them both happy,
so that made me happy.
And I was performing at
the debates better than ever.
So, Naomi, what happened?
What happened last night?
I went to their room,
after hanging out with the boys.
Helene and Parker and I usually
would celebrate after a debate win.
Helene could tell that
I had been drinking.
I thought she'd be mad at first.
But she wasn't?
She was happy that
we won the first round.
She said that she
wanted to give Parker
what he'd been waiting for.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
What does that mean?
We made out,
with Parker watching, like normal.
Except this time,
he came up behind me
and he started touching my breasts.
And then Helene pulled me down
and he started unzipping his pants.
Did you consent, Naomi, to any of that?
I tried to explain to them
it wasn't a good idea.
I tried to talk my way out of it.
- But it didn't work?
- No!
So then what happened?
And then he
He raped me.
Helene held me down,
and he raped me.
That had never happened to me before.
I was freaked out.
Is that why you set the bus on fire?
If I had just kept my mouth shut,
and continued to ride
with the boys in the damn bus,
- this never would have happened!
- Honey, this isn't about
the boys, and it's not about you.
Naomi.
Naomi, this is about the Youngs.
And we're going to get your power back.
♪
I know this looks bad.
That's an understatement.
I realize there's no excuse,
for a sexual relationship
with a student.
Relationship?
That's what you call it?
We were her mentors.
Mentoring?
You and your wife were
using her for threesomes.
The lines get blurred
sometimes with these kids,
especially when you spend
the amount of time with them
that Helene and I do.
Unethical, yes, but not criminal.
Naomi is 17.
Everything that we did together
was completely consensual.
Not according to Naomi.
What she described to us
about that night
sounds like sexual assault.
Sounds like rape one to me.
No, she's confused.
She's trying to hurt
us for some reason.
This wasn't rape.
My heart breaks for Naomi,
but she's an angry kid
with an abysmal home life.
She's lying to protect herself.
That's your theory.
Her mother just found out
about our relationship.
And Naomi couldn't tell her the truth
That she was having sex
with us willingly.
So she fabricated a rape allegation?
We saved that girl,
from living in a van,
from a mother who has no idea
how smart her daughter is.
Do you even hear yourself?
You had sex with a student.
Sex that was completely consensual.
We saw the video.
You were holding her down.
You've seen how she hurts herself.
Naomi is a bit of a masochist.
But I'm not.
At this point, I would have to be one
to talk to you without a lawyer.
Well, she's right about one thing.
Oh, that she's not a masochist?
She's a manipulative predator.
That video does not prove rape.
But Naomi's testimony will.
I need to be sure,
before this goes to trial,
there's nothing else she's leaving out.
You-you're charging
the Youngs with rape?
But what about your scholarship?
Mom, they hurt me.
They're writing your
recommendation letter to Harvard.
Be that as it may, Ms. Hayes,
the Youngs will be arraigned tomorrow.
- And she has to testify?
- Yes.
They're claiming it was consensual,
so it'll be up to us to refute that.
I can make that argument.
That's what I'm good at.
I also need to know
that there's nothing
else you're leaving out.
There's nothing that
you haven't told me?
I realize now it was a strategic
error to blame the boys.
And just so we're clear,
you're not on that stand
to argue the law.
That's my job, OK?
Are we charging the Youngs
as co-defendants, Mr. Carisi.
That's correct, Your Honor.
I assume, Ms. Samuels,
that your clients
have been made aware of the inherent
- conflict of interest here.
- They have.
And do they knowingly and willingly
waive their right to separate counsel?
That is their decision, Your Honor.
I need to hear it from them.
- I do.
- I do.
On the charges of rape one,
Helene Young and Parker Young,
- how do you plead?
- Not guilty, Your Honor.
- People on bail.
- We request $75,000.
We're talking a class-B
violent felony, Your Honor,
committed by a couple who was
tasked with chaperoning a student.
This is a gross abuse of their power.
An ongoing consensual relationship
that the alleged victim knowingly
and willingly initiated.
$75,000,
borderline generous Mr. Carisi.
Bail is set.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
I'm ready to talk to you when you are,
- Ms. Samuels.
- A deal?
The media has already
painted her as a troubled girl.
Half the potential jurors in the city
have seen TikTok videos
of a bus on fire.
Let me make it easy for you then.
Aggravated sexual abuse II, 10 years.
You'll be maxing out
a C violent felony?
Well, it's better than 25.
Your clients are immoral,
they're unethical,
and they're upper middle class.
Juries already hate authority figures
abusing their power,
especially rich Caucasian ones.
Their race or class
isn't what's on trial here.
Oh, it will be if I make it.
Helene and Parker are two of the most
devoted, caring people I know.
This crime that they have
been unjustly accused of
is unequivocally false.
Is this one of your
character witnesses?
First I'm hearing any of this.
My name is Colin Sharpe,
and I had a sexual relationship
with Helene and Parker
when they were my coaches.
It was always consensual.
It was the best
relationship of my life.
- Why you coming forward now?
- Wow.
I see your star debater
and raise you a star witness.
No deal.
I'll see you in court, counselor.
We won the first round of the debate.
I had a few drinks with
the boys next door.
I left early.
That's when I went to
Parker and Helene's room.
And what happened in their room, Naomi?
Helene started kissing me,
pulled me down on the bed with her.
Parker joined us.
But this wasn't the first time
that you had engaged in sexual
behavior with them, was it?
No.
But, usually Parker just watched.
That night, things escalated.
He took off his pants.
I said no.
I wasn't ready.
But he didn't stop.
That's when he penetrated me.
And where was Helene?
Parker raped me,
but Helene held me down.
I looked into it.
When it comes to criminal culpability,
New York State law doesn't distinguish
between the primary offender
and the accomplice.
Objection.
Your Honor,
the witness isn't a legal expert.
Sustained.
Ms. Hayes,
did you consent
to sex with the Youngs that night?
No, I did not.
Thank you.
Nothing further.
You had a busy night,
didn't you, Ms. Hayes?
A party with boys,
then a trip to my clients' room.
How many more drinks
did you have with them?
I don't see how that is
legally relevant
to the issue of consent?
Just answer the question,
Ms. Hayes.
Yes, I had more drinks with them.
And then they raped me.
According to your story now.
Objection.
Is there a question here?
Sustained.
After you were arrested for arson,
didn't you tell SVU
the boys next door raped you?
I was conflicted.
I liked the Youngs.
So you lied to the police
to protect your rapist?
I confabulated.
Oh, that's just a $10 word
for saying you lied.
Withdrawn.
Ms. Hayes, is it true you only
accused the Youngs of assault,
after a video of you
having sex with them surfaced?
More to the point,
you changed your story
after your mother found out you were
having sex with your debate coaches.
It wasn't sex.
It was rape.
Well, you can debate that point
within yourself all you like,
my point is, you lied.
Excuse me, confabulated.
So, how can the jury trust you now?
Because now I'm telling the truth.
I see, so I guess
we're all just supposed
to take your word for it?
Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
The jury didn't believe me.
Look, juries are hard to read, Naomi.
I was trying too hard to sound smart.
Mr. Carisi is doing everything
he can to protect you.
Why is Colin Sharpe here?
He's a character witness
for the Youngs.
But you know him, Naomi?
Yeah, he was star of the
debate team a few years ago.
Accepted to Harvard.
Middle of freshman year,
he dropped out.
Who drops out of Harvard?
Don't ask me.
I set a bus on fire.
Why don't you get her some fresh air?
What, what do we know
about this Colin Sharpe?
Well, He dropped out to work
for his brother's
moving company, a couple of DUIs,
agg assaults all pled down.
That's a pretty quick
free fall from grace.
OK, and when is he needed on the stand?
We have until tomorrow.
Muncy, loop in Fin,
and Velasco, talk to Harvard.
There's got to be more to this story.
This is a difficult question,
Mrs. Young.
Can you explain
the intimate component
of your relationship?
In retrospect, I am aware,
of how ethically wrong it was, but,
you have to understand.
A young woman that intelligent,
it felt like we were peers.
We-we got close.
We spent a lot of time together.
And Parker and I paid the price.
We've been terminated from our jobs.
But
What the three of us
had together was a loving,
consensual relationship.
But Naomi reported she was raped.
She was obviously angry, suffering.
She was arrested for arson,
grilled by police
who pressed her to explain
why she set the fire.
I guess, we were just her excuse.
Mrs. Young,
you went to the police precinct
after Naomi's arrest, correct?
- Yes.
- And you were told by detectives
that she had claimed assault.
They said she blamed one of the boys.
When they asked you,
when the last time you saw Naomi was,
what did you say?
To refresh your memory,
based off the police notes,
your response was,
"She was in the hallway."
Well, if the police wrote it down,
I'm sure that's what I said.
So I tracked down Colin
Sharpe's old RA at Harvard.
- And?
- On record,
he was officially put
on academic probation.
Didn't go to class,
didn't get the grades.
Yeah, but the RA said
there was more to that.
He was also drinking heavily,
doing drugs.
So he didn't set a bus fire.
He set his life on fire.
[SOFT SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
How's it going?
Excuse me?
Hey, man,
I'm not trying to pick you up.
I saw you in that press
conference about the Youngs.
Nice looking couple.
Whoa, but you really did both of them?
No, man.
Just her.
You really think
I'd sleep with some guy?
Then why are you
protecting both of them?
Helene asked me for help.
I'm doing it for her, not for him.
You must really love her.
[SCOFFS]
So Colin's relationship with the Youngs
isn't quite what he said it was, huh?
He said he was in
a relationship with both,
but the kid is a stone-cold homophobe.
So what are we looking at here?
I can't cross a witness
because of a
conversation at the urinal.
You'll figure it out, you always do,
but right now,
it seems like we're looking at
another rape.
I met Helene and Parker when
I was a junior at Birchfield.
My home life was pretty chaotic.
My parents were getting a divorce.
Uh,
the Youngs let me come over to study.
- We became close.
- How old were you?
On my 17th birthday, uh,
they threw me a birthday party.
We had some wine.
And Helene, she just, uh
She kissed me.
We ended up having sex.
And Parker?
He watched at first.
And then things escalated.
Parker wanted to try an MFM.
You were 17?
All this was, completely consensual
with both Parker and Helene?
I wanted to have sex
with Helene. [CHUCKLES]
I would have been just happy with that.
But again, everything that happened
with both Parker and Helene,
you consented to?
Yeah, I guess.
[SOFT TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Uh, Your Honor,
I need a moment with my witness.
Do you need a recess?
No. No, I just want
to get this over with.
- Your Honor
- Counselor, any more questions?
Uh, not at this time.
Mr. Carisi, your witness.
You doing all right, Colin?
Yeah. Why?
Imagine it can be confusing
when you're in a relationship
with your teachers.
- Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Withdrawn.
What's the real reason you're
testifying here today, Colin?
I don't want them to go to prison.
When was the last time
you saw the Youngs?
Or even heard from them?
After I left the team.
So is it fair to say
that you miss them?
- I guess.
- Yeah, it's natural.
You saw each other every day
for almost two years.
Then you went to Harvard.
Did you ever try to
get in touch with them?
They said that all three
of us had our own lives now,
that I should move on,
that they had too.
You mean, they had moved on,
to Naomi Hayes.
Helene didn't tell me her name, but,
she said that they had a new one.
A new one?
A new what?
Protégé.
Oh.
You mean they had
They had replaced you?
I guess.
And how long after you realized
that you've been replaced,
did you start to flunk out of Harvard?
- I was upset.
- Mm-hmm.
Helene stopped returning my calls, I
I couldn't eat.
I couldn't
I couldn't sleep.
I couldn't focus.
And so you turned to booze.
You started acting aggressively
with people.
Is it fair to say that this
changed your personality?
- I didn't know what to do.
- Because you were angry
at being thrown out like
a piece of trash by the Youngs.
- Objection!
- Withdrawn.
You testified,
that you consented to having sex
with both Helene and Parker, right?
Yeah.
Well, I'm going to ask you again.
Did you really consent to
intercourse with both of them,
or was it just Helene?
Just Helene.
I loved her.
And being penetrated
by Parker was what?
The price of admission?
I didn't want to do
that stuff with him.
I'm not gay.
I didn't even want your hands on me!
I didn't want to do any
of that stuff with you!
But you did it anyway.
And you ruined my life!
- Objection!
- I loved you, Helene.
I'm I'm stupid enough
to love you now.
How could you do this to me?
Your Honor, I I need a recess.
Hm.
Nothing further.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
My clients are ready to talk to you.
Ah, they're willing
to plead guilty to rape?
Attempted rape in the first.
A C felony?
They have to do time.
Less time than if they
were convicted by a jury.
We're not accepting
more than five years.
And the Youngs are willing to allocute
that what they did was
criminal and wrong?
Not for me, for the victims.
Helene and Parker Young,
you've both pled guilty
to attempted rape one?
They have, Your Honor.
Well, before we continue
with sentencing,
I understand Mr. Young
has a statement.
I do.
If the People have no objection.
We do not, Your Honor.
You may proceed, Mr. Young.
I took the job as a debate coach
because, I wanted to guide
students to success.
I blame everything
that happened on the fact
that I'm a skilled debater.
But these students weren't
the only people deceived.
I framed an argument to myself that,
Colin and Naomi wanted me to be
more than just their mentor.
But, I now see that that was a
grievous misuse of
the power of storytelling.
I know I can't take back what I did,
but I will spend the rest of my life
trying to make up,
for the way that those stories
have warped your sense
of control and autonomy.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Naomi, how you doing?
Better now.
Can't believe I let myself
be fooled by the Youngs.
No, you didn't let yourself be fooled.
You
You thought you finally found
someone to take care of you.
You know, I, uh
I understand what it is to, um,
be the parent,
in the household,
when you're growing up.
It's time for you
to take care of you, first.
- Thank you for everything, Mr. Carisi.
- Yeah.
Take care, Naomi.
She will.
I'll make sure of it.
We both have things that
we need to work on, Mom.
Don't give up, your passions
and the things that you love,
because of the Youngs.
You don't let anyone
take that from you.
Life's one big debate,
but I don't want
to live it just to win.
I want to do what's right,
like you, Mr. Carisi.
Future lawyer, huh?
Well, tell you what, in a few years,
you come find me.
Thank you.
Bye.
[SIGHS]
I'm gonna head home too.
Rollins and the girls want
Moo Shu take out tonight.
Tell them I said hi.
If you don't mind, Liv,
I'ma clock out too.
OK. You going to another
lecture with Phoebe?
- Not if you paid me.
- [LAUGHS]
I played some Jedi mind tricks
on that kid Colin.
You feel bad.
Considering how messed up he is from
all the lies he's
been told up till now
So go make it right.
♪
Colin.
You're a cop.
Sorry I lied to you.
You've been lied to enough.
Helene never loved anyone.
Just herself.
Her and her husband,
did tap dance on your mind.
Well, let me tell you something.
Your mind is yours.
It's no one else's.
So what do I do?
You take it back.
What's going on with
that Harvard thing?
Is it fixable?
I'm on academic probation.
OK, so your story isn't over yet.
This heartbreak thing,
you'll get over it.
And if you live your life right,
you're going to get your heart
broken more than once.
Trust me on that.
♪
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.
Pretty quiet back there.
Naomi, everything OK?
Yeah, I'm just getting a head
start on college applications.
That's cool, Ms. Harvard,
but you're debating today.
I know, Coach.
Coaches.
I got this.
I'm dreaming Wikileaks,
Anonymous, FBI versus Fazaga.
Well, just keep the hand gestures down.
When a guy makes a chopping
motion, it's decisive.
- When a woman does it
- BOTH: The judges cross their legs.
[LAUGHTER]
Do I have to be
partnered with Todd again?
You and Todd are our star debaters.
But he constantly makes fun of me.
Same with Sean.
It's just because they like you.
At least you don't ride the
bus with any of them, right?
Hey, your prissy teammate
too good for the school bus?
Have you ever met her mom?
Lives in a van.
This bus probably triggers
her memories of her childhood,
peeing in some empty water bottle.
Not possible.
Little Ms. Fridge
probably pisses ice cubes.
I bet every time she opens
her legs, a light comes on.
Who taught you dad jokes, Sean?
Thought yours ran off
with some chick from work.
Shut up and keep studying, Booker.
All right, hustle, guys.
Everybody off the bus.
Let's go.
OK, Birchfield Prep, listen up.
We're going to go check into the hotel,
then you're going to go
straight to your rooms,
drop off your bags.
We'll meet in the ballroom at 15:00.
Suit jackets, ties.
Look sharp.
We're here to kill.
All right, let's go.
Do not get hit by a car, please.
Activism benefits democracy.
We contend that fear of
hacking causes the government
to lock down information
it never intended
to share with the public
in the first place.
Furthermore,
can governments actually
become more secretive
than they already are?
As Michael Hayden, former
CIA and NSA director said,
"I got an email saying Merry Christmas."
"It carried a top secret
classification marking."
We contend that secrecy
in the government
doesn't lead to security,
only more secrecy.
Democracy cannot thrive in the shadows.
Hacktivists uncover
governmental abuses,
inform the citizenry,
and keep politicians honest.
Hacktivism is a sanitizing light,
shining into the dark corners.
Essential, for the very survival
of our democracy.
Yes, good girl!
Whoo!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
I see the judges have
reached a decision.
The first round goes to
Birchfield Prep.
Yes!
Whoo!
Senior Todd Edmondson
and junior Naomi Hayes,
who may be the best reason
Birchfield went coed two years ago.
[KNOCK AT DOOR]
Just a sec.
[KNOCKING CONTINUES]
Just a sec!
Can I help you?
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
- Nice robe.
- It's a kimono.
- Your mom get it at Goodwill?
- Hey.
Don't listen to him.
- You guys are drinking?
- Want to join us?
Resolved
Hangovers leave you stupid and slow.
Kubota et al 2001,
alcohol shrinks brain volume,
or as my Uncle Lew likes to say,
"you drink, you can't think."
What'd I tell you?
Little Ms. Fridge.
Yo, there they are, the power couple
Obi Naomi and the Toddfather,
you two killed it today.
Et tu, Booker?
I'm cutting myself off and
hitting the pillow in an hour.
We have a 7:00 a.m.
wake up tomorrow.
Look
I know I talk trash sometimes,
I don't mean it.
Come on, Nay.
Just one?
Everybody's talking, talking ♪
I don't hear a thing, I just ♪
One of us.
One of us, one of us,
one of us, one of us!
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
[ELEVATOR DINGS]
Naomi, you OK?
I'm fine.
♪
[GRUNTS]
[PANTING]
[GRUNTS, SHOUTING]
[BLADE SWISHING]
♪
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
[SIGHS]
Self care?
Peony and black currant.
Smells nice.
Yeah, you know,
15-minute meditation just to
get it out of my head.
I'm surprised that's all it takes.
[EXHALES] Well, I'm learning
to take my moments when I can.
Speaking of which,
Phoebe got tickets to
some lecture tonight at NYU,
to expand our horizons.
Oh, nice.
Well, you better go,
while it's still quiet.
It's almost too quiet.
Velasco and Churlish, close talking?
- [LAUGHS]
- That pilgrimage to Maine
must have gone well.
He got what he needed.
So you two good?
Yeah.
Anything more you want to tell me?
Nope.
[PHONE BUZZES]
Captain Benson.
Naomi Hayes, 17, straight-A student,
star of the debate team at
Birchfield Prep in Albany,
no record, no discipline issues.
And you're sure she's the one
that set the bus on fire?
She was sitting on the sidewalk
right in front of the hotel,
had the knife used to slash
the seats in her hand.
Wasn't even trying to hide it.
All right, any obvious signs
of sexual assault?
Something happened to the girl tonight.
Her affect, the way
she's holding herself,
and her sweatpants are on inside out.
Got it. OK.
We'll take it from here.
I take it those are the parents?
Team chaperones.
Staying in the same hotel.
- You talk to them yet?
- Saved it for you.
OK, Churlish and Velasco,
you take the chaperones.
Muncy, you're with me.
Naomi?
I'm Captain Benson.
This is Detective Muncy.
Brought you some snacks.
I told the other detective I'm good.
You're on the debate team, right?
All about getting down to the truth.
It's a lot like our job.
You want to tell us why
you set the bus on fire?
I don't know why I did it.
Well, maybe something else
triggered it.
Maybe something
You don't even realize is connected.
Are you paying attention?
I said I don't know why.
Naomi, something happened.
Was anybody else
sharing your hotel room?
I'm the only girl on the team.
- That's got to be rough.
- Yeah.
Guys can be jerks sometimes.
How about all the time?
You know, sometimes trauma, um,
can make us behave
in surprising ways, you know?
Like, make us angry,
make us violent.
Classic cop.
See a result and retrofit symbolism.
A narrative that someone was
hurt, so they lit a match.
- Were you hurt?
- No.
There's no symbolism here.
The sea is the sea.
The old man is the old man,
the boy is the boy.
That's Hemingway.
Yeah.
I've heard of him.
I did see Naomi when
she left the hotel.
She seemed fine.
Were you aware of anything
that might have upset her?
No.
No, she won the debate.
Well, maybe the guys
weren't too happy about that.
To be honest, I'm not sure
why sex crimes is involved.
Wasn't this arson?
The detective who picked her up
thinks she may have been assaulted.
By one of the boys?
What can you tell me about them?
Everybody was pretty pumped,
in a great mood.
I mean, we won the first round
of the East Coast finals today.
Mm.
Well,
when was the last time you saw Naomi?
Uh, last I checked was curfew.
I found them all in Todd's room.
There was some drinking going on, but,
Naomi seemed fine with it.
She was participating.
I was hoping that they'd finally
accepted her as an equal.
You're a very smart girl Naomi,
and from what we understand, you get
really great grades, huh?
But sometimes in life,
situations happen that we
We're just not equipped to deal with.
Sometimes a fire is just a fire.
Yeah, sometimes.
Sometimes it's a way
to try and take control.
[SOFT TENSE MUSIC]
♪
After my mom died,
I kept getting in trouble
for stealing shopping carts.
I would race them down the hill
with my little brother.
Did that make you feel better?
Every time.
Nothing I do makes me feel better.
♪
When did you start cutting, Naomi?
I don't remember.
Well, whatever happened
to you in your past,
whatever happened tonight,
it's over now,
and you're safe.
You can tell us what happened.
I was at a party, the room next door.
I had some drinks, then later
I had sex but I didn't want to.
With a boy on your team?
I don't really remember.
It was dark.
I don't want to get anyone in trouble.
- I shouldn't have said anything.
- Naomi.
Naomi, we're just here to help you.
OK?
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
Yeah?
- Naomi's mother is here.
- Thank you.
I can't have my mother know about this.
OK. I understand.
That's your choice.
You know, Naomi, in my experience, um,
sometimes keeping secrets
can make things worse.
Can you just talk to her, please?
Sure.
My my my baby girl?
Listen, she's been there we
Oh, my poor baby.
All right, Ms. Hayes,
Naomi's going to get through this,
but we still do have more
questions for her and for you.
Yeah, what about the arson arrest?
Well, the precinct captain has agreed
to release Naomi into your custody.
And they're going to give you
a desk appearance ticket
for a date for youth court.
So we can go home?
First, we need you to go
to the ER and get a rape kit.
And Detective Muncy will take you,
and I will speak with you tomorrow.
Well, this isn't going to be easy.
She admitted to being assaulted,
but she won't give a name.
- Where are the Youngs?
- Went back to the hotel.
They got a dozen boys to chaperone.
All right, do they have any idea
which one of them might have done this?
They acknowledge
the guys can be bullies,
- but not rapists.
- So they're protecting them,
which is to be expected.
Well, the tournament's over
in a few days.
Should we bring them in before
they all go back to Albany?
You know, let's get
some leverage first.
Check the hotel security footage,
wait for the rape kit,
and then we bring in the entire team,
debate or no debate.
So this girl, after she
gets arrested for arson,
she discloses an assault, but
- she won't name her assailant?
- Well, she claims she doesn't remember.
Is this just a ploy for sympathy?
- I got to ask.
- Hey,
she says that she was
assaulted and I believe her.
And her debate team sounds
competitive, brutal.
I mean, maybe she's
afraid of reprisals.
Did you guys get anything
from the hotel security?
Just elevator footage.
Naomi leaving,
no cameras in the hallway.
I did get a room assignment list.
The whole team's on one floor.
Todd Edmondson and Sean Richards
are in the room connected to Naomi.
Do these boys have a record?
- Any discipline problems?
- No.
Straight A's, college bound.
Which we know means nothing.
Well, nothing is what
you're giving me for
evidence right now.
Uh, Naomi's rape kit
just came back positive
for semen and abrasions.
No matches in the system.
OK, pick up all the boys
who partied in that room.
Will do.
My son's no rapist.
He's the star of the debate team.
We have a credible allegation.
Just trying to rule him out.
Naomi's accusing me?
Was she in your room last night?
Yeah.
So were four other guys.
- I assume you're talking to them.
- Yes, we are.
You ask me, she was
afraid to compete today.
Yeah, well, we're not asking you.
Except for a DNA sample.
You want to test Sean's DNA?
I don't know.
I should call my husband.
It'll rule your son out.
Unless there's a reason your DNA
is on Naomi's rape kit, Sean.
No. No.
Ms. Fridge?
I wouldn't go anywhere near her.
But you two were
hanging out last night?
She had one drink.
Then she went back to her room
supposedly to study.
Supposedly?
What does that mean?
It seems like she had
other plans to me.
And I'm not talking about
lighting our bus on fire.
I don't know why Naomi torched our bus.
I don't even know her that well.
But you hung out with her last night.
Yeah, but I didn't rape her.
My son's not involved
in this in any way.
- He's a good kid.
- If he gives us a DNA sample,
we can rule him out as a suspect.
So he can be in the system forever?
Give me one good reason why
any Black man
- should trust the cops.
- I didn't do it, I
Booker, no more.
I'm calling a lawyer.
- That's your right, but
- But what?
What are you gonna say to me
right now, brother?
Dad, hold on.
I didn't do it.
Neither did any of the other guys.
They haze her and make jokes,
but they didn't rape her.
I know who did.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
No.
Has everybody at school seen this?
I'm sorry, Naomi.
Are you gonna are you gonna
tell my mom I lied?
No.
But you are, when you're ready.
She just thinks I'm always perfect.
So the good girl
Mm.
Who can never lie.
Who can never say no.
Naomi, is that what happened
with you and the Youngs?
It's complicated.
Oh, it always is.
So how about you tell me how
All of this started.
I hated riding on the bus.
The guys were so loud.
They would pull my things
out of my backpack
and throw it around,
they would laugh at my tampons.
Teenage boys can be cruel.
And when Helene and Parker said that
I could ride with them,
that made me feel seen.
I get that.
But how
How did it turn sexual?
We had dinners together.
They
They served wine.
[STAMMERS]
They treated me like we were equals.
No one has ever done that to me before.
At first, it was it was just kissing.
Mostly me and Helene.
Parker watched.
It made them both happy,
so that made me happy.
And I was performing at
the debates better than ever.
So, Naomi, what happened?
What happened last night?
I went to their room,
after hanging out with the boys.
Helene and Parker and I usually
would celebrate after a debate win.
Helene could tell that
I had been drinking.
I thought she'd be mad at first.
But she wasn't?
She was happy that
we won the first round.
She said that she
wanted to give Parker
what he'd been waiting for.
[OMINOUS MUSIC]
What does that mean?
We made out,
with Parker watching, like normal.
Except this time,
he came up behind me
and he started touching my breasts.
And then Helene pulled me down
and he started unzipping his pants.
Did you consent, Naomi, to any of that?
I tried to explain to them
it wasn't a good idea.
I tried to talk my way out of it.
- But it didn't work?
- No!
So then what happened?
And then he
He raped me.
Helene held me down,
and he raped me.
That had never happened to me before.
I was freaked out.
Is that why you set the bus on fire?
If I had just kept my mouth shut,
and continued to ride
with the boys in the damn bus,
- this never would have happened!
- Honey, this isn't about
the boys, and it's not about you.
Naomi.
Naomi, this is about the Youngs.
And we're going to get your power back.
♪
I know this looks bad.
That's an understatement.
I realize there's no excuse,
for a sexual relationship
with a student.
Relationship?
That's what you call it?
We were her mentors.
Mentoring?
You and your wife were
using her for threesomes.
The lines get blurred
sometimes with these kids,
especially when you spend
the amount of time with them
that Helene and I do.
Unethical, yes, but not criminal.
Naomi is 17.
Everything that we did together
was completely consensual.
Not according to Naomi.
What she described to us
about that night
sounds like sexual assault.
Sounds like rape one to me.
No, she's confused.
She's trying to hurt
us for some reason.
This wasn't rape.
My heart breaks for Naomi,
but she's an angry kid
with an abysmal home life.
She's lying to protect herself.
That's your theory.
Her mother just found out
about our relationship.
And Naomi couldn't tell her the truth
That she was having sex
with us willingly.
So she fabricated a rape allegation?
We saved that girl,
from living in a van,
from a mother who has no idea
how smart her daughter is.
Do you even hear yourself?
You had sex with a student.
Sex that was completely consensual.
We saw the video.
You were holding her down.
You've seen how she hurts herself.
Naomi is a bit of a masochist.
But I'm not.
At this point, I would have to be one
to talk to you without a lawyer.
Well, she's right about one thing.
Oh, that she's not a masochist?
She's a manipulative predator.
That video does not prove rape.
But Naomi's testimony will.
I need to be sure,
before this goes to trial,
there's nothing else she's leaving out.
You-you're charging
the Youngs with rape?
But what about your scholarship?
Mom, they hurt me.
They're writing your
recommendation letter to Harvard.
Be that as it may, Ms. Hayes,
the Youngs will be arraigned tomorrow.
- And she has to testify?
- Yes.
They're claiming it was consensual,
so it'll be up to us to refute that.
I can make that argument.
That's what I'm good at.
I also need to know
that there's nothing
else you're leaving out.
There's nothing that
you haven't told me?
I realize now it was a strategic
error to blame the boys.
And just so we're clear,
you're not on that stand
to argue the law.
That's my job, OK?
Are we charging the Youngs
as co-defendants, Mr. Carisi.
That's correct, Your Honor.
I assume, Ms. Samuels,
that your clients
have been made aware of the inherent
- conflict of interest here.
- They have.
And do they knowingly and willingly
waive their right to separate counsel?
That is their decision, Your Honor.
I need to hear it from them.
- I do.
- I do.
On the charges of rape one,
Helene Young and Parker Young,
- how do you plead?
- Not guilty, Your Honor.
- People on bail.
- We request $75,000.
We're talking a class-B
violent felony, Your Honor,
committed by a couple who was
tasked with chaperoning a student.
This is a gross abuse of their power.
An ongoing consensual relationship
that the alleged victim knowingly
and willingly initiated.
$75,000,
borderline generous Mr. Carisi.
Bail is set.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
I'm ready to talk to you when you are,
- Ms. Samuels.
- A deal?
The media has already
painted her as a troubled girl.
Half the potential jurors in the city
have seen TikTok videos
of a bus on fire.
Let me make it easy for you then.
Aggravated sexual abuse II, 10 years.
You'll be maxing out
a C violent felony?
Well, it's better than 25.
Your clients are immoral,
they're unethical,
and they're upper middle class.
Juries already hate authority figures
abusing their power,
especially rich Caucasian ones.
Their race or class
isn't what's on trial here.
Oh, it will be if I make it.
Helene and Parker are two of the most
devoted, caring people I know.
This crime that they have
been unjustly accused of
is unequivocally false.
Is this one of your
character witnesses?
First I'm hearing any of this.
My name is Colin Sharpe,
and I had a sexual relationship
with Helene and Parker
when they were my coaches.
It was always consensual.
It was the best
relationship of my life.
- Why you coming forward now?
- Wow.
I see your star debater
and raise you a star witness.
No deal.
I'll see you in court, counselor.
We won the first round of the debate.
I had a few drinks with
the boys next door.
I left early.
That's when I went to
Parker and Helene's room.
And what happened in their room, Naomi?
Helene started kissing me,
pulled me down on the bed with her.
Parker joined us.
But this wasn't the first time
that you had engaged in sexual
behavior with them, was it?
No.
But, usually Parker just watched.
That night, things escalated.
He took off his pants.
I said no.
I wasn't ready.
But he didn't stop.
That's when he penetrated me.
And where was Helene?
Parker raped me,
but Helene held me down.
I looked into it.
When it comes to criminal culpability,
New York State law doesn't distinguish
between the primary offender
and the accomplice.
Objection.
Your Honor,
the witness isn't a legal expert.
Sustained.
Ms. Hayes,
did you consent
to sex with the Youngs that night?
No, I did not.
Thank you.
Nothing further.
You had a busy night,
didn't you, Ms. Hayes?
A party with boys,
then a trip to my clients' room.
How many more drinks
did you have with them?
I don't see how that is
legally relevant
to the issue of consent?
Just answer the question,
Ms. Hayes.
Yes, I had more drinks with them.
And then they raped me.
According to your story now.
Objection.
Is there a question here?
Sustained.
After you were arrested for arson,
didn't you tell SVU
the boys next door raped you?
I was conflicted.
I liked the Youngs.
So you lied to the police
to protect your rapist?
I confabulated.
Oh, that's just a $10 word
for saying you lied.
Withdrawn.
Ms. Hayes, is it true you only
accused the Youngs of assault,
after a video of you
having sex with them surfaced?
More to the point,
you changed your story
after your mother found out you were
having sex with your debate coaches.
It wasn't sex.
It was rape.
Well, you can debate that point
within yourself all you like,
my point is, you lied.
Excuse me, confabulated.
So, how can the jury trust you now?
Because now I'm telling the truth.
I see, so I guess
we're all just supposed
to take your word for it?
Withdrawn.
Nothing further.
The jury didn't believe me.
Look, juries are hard to read, Naomi.
I was trying too hard to sound smart.
Mr. Carisi is doing everything
he can to protect you.
Why is Colin Sharpe here?
He's a character witness
for the Youngs.
But you know him, Naomi?
Yeah, he was star of the
debate team a few years ago.
Accepted to Harvard.
Middle of freshman year,
he dropped out.
Who drops out of Harvard?
Don't ask me.
I set a bus on fire.
Why don't you get her some fresh air?
What, what do we know
about this Colin Sharpe?
Well, He dropped out to work
for his brother's
moving company, a couple of DUIs,
agg assaults all pled down.
That's a pretty quick
free fall from grace.
OK, and when is he needed on the stand?
We have until tomorrow.
Muncy, loop in Fin,
and Velasco, talk to Harvard.
There's got to be more to this story.
This is a difficult question,
Mrs. Young.
Can you explain
the intimate component
of your relationship?
In retrospect, I am aware,
of how ethically wrong it was, but,
you have to understand.
A young woman that intelligent,
it felt like we were peers.
We-we got close.
We spent a lot of time together.
And Parker and I paid the price.
We've been terminated from our jobs.
But
What the three of us
had together was a loving,
consensual relationship.
But Naomi reported she was raped.
She was obviously angry, suffering.
She was arrested for arson,
grilled by police
who pressed her to explain
why she set the fire.
I guess, we were just her excuse.
Mrs. Young,
you went to the police precinct
after Naomi's arrest, correct?
- Yes.
- And you were told by detectives
that she had claimed assault.
They said she blamed one of the boys.
When they asked you,
when the last time you saw Naomi was,
what did you say?
To refresh your memory,
based off the police notes,
your response was,
"She was in the hallway."
Well, if the police wrote it down,
I'm sure that's what I said.
So I tracked down Colin
Sharpe's old RA at Harvard.
- And?
- On record,
he was officially put
on academic probation.
Didn't go to class,
didn't get the grades.
Yeah, but the RA said
there was more to that.
He was also drinking heavily,
doing drugs.
So he didn't set a bus fire.
He set his life on fire.
[SOFT SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]
♪
How's it going?
Excuse me?
Hey, man,
I'm not trying to pick you up.
I saw you in that press
conference about the Youngs.
Nice looking couple.
Whoa, but you really did both of them?
No, man.
Just her.
You really think
I'd sleep with some guy?
Then why are you
protecting both of them?
Helene asked me for help.
I'm doing it for her, not for him.
You must really love her.
[SCOFFS]
So Colin's relationship with the Youngs
isn't quite what he said it was, huh?
He said he was in
a relationship with both,
but the kid is a stone-cold homophobe.
So what are we looking at here?
I can't cross a witness
because of a
conversation at the urinal.
You'll figure it out, you always do,
but right now,
it seems like we're looking at
another rape.
I met Helene and Parker when
I was a junior at Birchfield.
My home life was pretty chaotic.
My parents were getting a divorce.
Uh,
the Youngs let me come over to study.
- We became close.
- How old were you?
On my 17th birthday, uh,
they threw me a birthday party.
We had some wine.
And Helene, she just, uh
She kissed me.
We ended up having sex.
And Parker?
He watched at first.
And then things escalated.
Parker wanted to try an MFM.
You were 17?
All this was, completely consensual
with both Parker and Helene?
I wanted to have sex
with Helene. [CHUCKLES]
I would have been just happy with that.
But again, everything that happened
with both Parker and Helene,
you consented to?
Yeah, I guess.
[SOFT TENSE MUSIC]
♪
Uh, Your Honor,
I need a moment with my witness.
Do you need a recess?
No. No, I just want
to get this over with.
- Your Honor
- Counselor, any more questions?
Uh, not at this time.
Mr. Carisi, your witness.
You doing all right, Colin?
Yeah. Why?
Imagine it can be confusing
when you're in a relationship
with your teachers.
- Objection.
- Withdrawn.
Withdrawn.
What's the real reason you're
testifying here today, Colin?
I don't want them to go to prison.
When was the last time
you saw the Youngs?
Or even heard from them?
After I left the team.
So is it fair to say
that you miss them?
- I guess.
- Yeah, it's natural.
You saw each other every day
for almost two years.
Then you went to Harvard.
Did you ever try to
get in touch with them?
They said that all three
of us had our own lives now,
that I should move on,
that they had too.
You mean, they had moved on,
to Naomi Hayes.
Helene didn't tell me her name, but,
she said that they had a new one.
A new one?
A new what?
Protégé.
Oh.
You mean they had
They had replaced you?
I guess.
And how long after you realized
that you've been replaced,
did you start to flunk out of Harvard?
- I was upset.
- Mm-hmm.
Helene stopped returning my calls, I
I couldn't eat.
I couldn't
I couldn't sleep.
I couldn't focus.
And so you turned to booze.
You started acting aggressively
with people.
Is it fair to say that this
changed your personality?
- I didn't know what to do.
- Because you were angry
at being thrown out like
a piece of trash by the Youngs.
- Objection!
- Withdrawn.
You testified,
that you consented to having sex
with both Helene and Parker, right?
Yeah.
Well, I'm going to ask you again.
Did you really consent to
intercourse with both of them,
or was it just Helene?
Just Helene.
I loved her.
And being penetrated
by Parker was what?
The price of admission?
I didn't want to do
that stuff with him.
I'm not gay.
I didn't even want your hands on me!
I didn't want to do any
of that stuff with you!
But you did it anyway.
And you ruined my life!
- Objection!
- I loved you, Helene.
I'm I'm stupid enough
to love you now.
How could you do this to me?
Your Honor, I I need a recess.
Hm.
Nothing further.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
My clients are ready to talk to you.
Ah, they're willing
to plead guilty to rape?
Attempted rape in the first.
A C felony?
They have to do time.
Less time than if they
were convicted by a jury.
We're not accepting
more than five years.
And the Youngs are willing to allocute
that what they did was
criminal and wrong?
Not for me, for the victims.
Helene and Parker Young,
you've both pled guilty
to attempted rape one?
They have, Your Honor.
Well, before we continue
with sentencing,
I understand Mr. Young
has a statement.
I do.
If the People have no objection.
We do not, Your Honor.
You may proceed, Mr. Young.
I took the job as a debate coach
because, I wanted to guide
students to success.
I blame everything
that happened on the fact
that I'm a skilled debater.
But these students weren't
the only people deceived.
I framed an argument to myself that,
Colin and Naomi wanted me to be
more than just their mentor.
But, I now see that that was a
grievous misuse of
the power of storytelling.
I know I can't take back what I did,
but I will spend the rest of my life
trying to make up,
for the way that those stories
have warped your sense
of control and autonomy.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
♪
Naomi, how you doing?
Better now.
Can't believe I let myself
be fooled by the Youngs.
No, you didn't let yourself be fooled.
You
You thought you finally found
someone to take care of you.
You know, I, uh
I understand what it is to, um,
be the parent,
in the household,
when you're growing up.
It's time for you
to take care of you, first.
- Thank you for everything, Mr. Carisi.
- Yeah.
Take care, Naomi.
She will.
I'll make sure of it.
We both have things that
we need to work on, Mom.
Don't give up, your passions
and the things that you love,
because of the Youngs.
You don't let anyone
take that from you.
Life's one big debate,
but I don't want
to live it just to win.
I want to do what's right,
like you, Mr. Carisi.
Future lawyer, huh?
Well, tell you what, in a few years,
you come find me.
Thank you.
Bye.
[SIGHS]
I'm gonna head home too.
Rollins and the girls want
Moo Shu take out tonight.
Tell them I said hi.
If you don't mind, Liv,
I'ma clock out too.
OK. You going to another
lecture with Phoebe?
- Not if you paid me.
- [LAUGHS]
I played some Jedi mind tricks
on that kid Colin.
You feel bad.
Considering how messed up he is from
all the lies he's
been told up till now
So go make it right.
♪
Colin.
You're a cop.
Sorry I lied to you.
You've been lied to enough.
Helene never loved anyone.
Just herself.
Her and her husband,
did tap dance on your mind.
Well, let me tell you something.
Your mind is yours.
It's no one else's.
So what do I do?
You take it back.
What's going on with
that Harvard thing?
Is it fixable?
I'm on academic probation.
OK, so your story isn't over yet.
This heartbreak thing,
you'll get over it.
And if you live your life right,
you're going to get your heart
broken more than once.
Trust me on that.
♪