| "Decaying Morality" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ← | SVU, Episode 16.13 | → |
| Production number: 16013 First aired (US): 4 February 2015 First aired (UK): 22 March 2015 First aired (CAN): 4 February 2015 First aired (AUS): 14 May 2015 | ||
 | ||
| Written By Kevin Fox & Brianna Yellen Directed By Michael Pressman | ||
Two families are left to pick up the pieces of their lives when a rape case goes terribly wrong.
Summary[]
Benson and Rollins find a teenaged girl crying in the street, her clothes torn. Jenna Davis says she was raped in a pizzeria bathroom by Jerome Jones. Jones has a criminal record as well as a pending lawsuit against the NYPD, but with little evidence to go on, the SVU releases him until an arrest can be made. With emotions running high, Jenna's father takes the law into his own hands with a decision that will change their lives forever.
Plot[]
While visiting Luke, Fin and Carisi bring their investigation to him. At first, he cannot believe it because of everything Neil has done for them but after the detectives make him see how Neil was likely manipulating the family so they wouldn't suspect him, does he realize. Luke begs the detectives to get him out of jail, so he can stop his brother-in-law but they can't but says he can help them out.
At the precinct, Marcy is distraught by her brother's actions and the fact that she recommended the children of her friends to him, knowing he likely abused them too.
Neil meets Jenna at a restaurant, where he initially denies sexually assaulting her and tells her that his reputation is ruined. However, he says he would pay for her father's defense and take care of her and her mother because they're family but says he wants her to recant her accusations against him. As he is about to leave, Jenna tells him that she was pregnant, but he tells her that he could not have gotten her pregnant because he had a vasectomy. Upon hearing this incriminating statement, Detectives Carisi and Rollins note they got him now. When Neil shows no shame on his actions to Jenna, Tutuola proceeds to arrest him before his colleagues arrive.
While being brought into the precinct, Jenna confirms to her mother that Neil raped her as Marcy comforts her. After Neil is brought in, Marcy angrily tries to attack him for raping Jenna and manipulating Luke while the detectives keep them apart and Neil he continues to deny everything and say Jenna has issues. Marcy angrily condemns him for destroying their family and Benson says it is not the time for this, as she realizes this and comforts her crying daughter. While taking Neil's fingerprints, a disgusted Carisi loses his temper when Neil shows no remorse and nearly breaks Neil's hand for what he did to his niece and other victims.
At his office, Barba meets with Ermil and her mother about the case. He explains that Luke Davis did not mean to kill Jerome and they have him on camera trying to administer CPR. He also reveals that Jenna was actually raped by her uncle; who orchestrated the events. Though distraught to hear this, Ermil insists more extensive legislation be taken to avenge her son, grieving for Jerome in tears. Barba simply says that Jerome's torture-murder is an unspeakable tragedy, but with Luke already in prison and pleading to manslaughter, the best he can offer is his support to honor him and heal his loved ones while everyone repairs as much damage as they can.
Cast[]
Main cast[]
- Mariska Hargitay as Sergeant Olivia Benson
- Danny Pino as Detective Nick Amaro
- Kelli Giddish as Detective Amanda Rollins
- Ice-T as Detective Odafin Tutuola
- Peter Scanavino as Detective Dominick Carisi, Jr.
- Raúl Esparza as A.D.A. Rafael Barba
Recurring cast[]
- Michael Mastro as Judge D. Serani
- Jason Cerbone as Defense Attorney Lorenzo Desappio
- Jacqueline Hendy as Defense Attorney Sofia Crane
Guest cast[]
- Paul Adelstein as Dr. Neil Alexander
- Eva Kaminsky as Marcy Davis
- Jamie McShane as Luke Davis
- Haley Lu Richardson as Jenna Davis
- Kamal Angelo Bolden as Jerome Jones
- Gayatri Bahl as Jiya Alexander
- Catrina Ganey as Ermil Jones
- Patricia Floyd as Louise
- Erik Alex Cruz as Russell
- Samuel Gomez as Leroy
- Fred Tolliver, Jr. as Donald
- Vanessa Bartlett as Carol
- Sarah Elizabeth Grace as Marcie
- Elizabeth Loyacano as Nia
- Celestine Rae as Bridget
- Anya Whelean-Smith as Portia
References[]
Quotes[]
- Benson: A yoga retreat in Costa Rica.
- Rollins: It was the furthest I could get away from New York and Atlanta. It was good.
- Benson: Work through some stuff?
- Rollins: It was therapeutic. We were meditating on the summit of this volcano and the yogi comes over, and taps me on my shoulder. I didn't even tense up.
- Benson: Good for you.
- Rollins: Yeah.
- Benson: And now that you're back, you'll continue with therapy?
- Rollins: Look, I am so sorry for what I put you all through.
- Benson: No, Amanda. I'm sorry for what you put yourself through.
- Barba: Jerome Jones, he still here?
- Tutuola: We're still waiting on the vic's statement.
- Barba: What's taking so long?
- Tutuola: The girl was intoxicated. Her memory's off.
- Amaro: Well, they did find what might be semen on her sweater. We can put a rush on it.
- Barba: On the sweater? If it is his, that's probable cause. If it's not, then he's extraordinarily lucky at DNA tests. He has got ammunition for another false arrest and harassment lawsuit.
- Carisi: One more lawsuit from this guy, we're all working in Staten Island.
- Amaro: Look, the Prospect Park Three were guilty. The lab just screwed it up. He's guilty of this, too.
- Barba: Make the case airtight and I'll charge. Until then, let him go.
- Amaro: Wait, let him go?
- Barba: He's waiting on a 36-million-dollar judgment he'll likely win. He's not a flight risk. Get him out of here. Politely.
- Carisi: Who wants to call the sergeant?
- Tutuola: [points to Carisi] The new guy.
- Carisi: Still?
- Benson: [after finding out they can't hold Jerome] Cause? Carisi, she ID'ed him. Okay, I'm sorry. I know it's not on you. So, re-interview his co-workers, uh, put a rush on that DNA. I need security footage from the pizza place, from the street. Keep pushing.
- Dr. Neil Alexander: [Dr. Alexander walks up to Benson] Sergeant, excuse me?
- Benson: [getting off the phone] Um, Carisi, let me call you back.
- Dr. Neil Alexander: I just got a call from an associate at 1PP. Tell me this isn't true.
- Benson: I just found out myself. But don't worry, we will make the case.
- Luke Davis: [Luke walks up to Benson and Dr. Alexander] What's going on?
- Dr. Neil Alexander: [to Luke] They're letting the suspect go.
- Luke Davis: What? Why?
- Dr. Neil Alexander: You want to tell him this, or shall I?
- Benson: [to Luke] We don't have enough to charge him.
- Luke Davis: [to Dr. Alexander] What am I missing?
- Dr. Neil Alexander: He's one of the Prospect Park Three.
- Luke Davis: Oh, he's one of them?
- Dr. Neil Alexander: Yeah.
- Luke Davis: So, he's a known thug rapist who got off on a technicality?
- Benson: Look, there's a lot of problems with that case. It wasn't just a lab issue...
- Dr. Neil Alexander: The bottom line is, he's suing NYPD for millions and SVU is treating him with kid gloves.
- Luke Davis: [to Benson] Seriously? So you just cut him loose because of the pending lawsuit?
- Benson: We're not dropping the case. We just have to collect as much evidence as we can before charging him.
- Luke Davis: My daughter was brutalized by this creep. You arrested him. Now he's out on the streets. Who's pulling your strings, Al Sharpton?
- Benson: This isn't about politics. We care about your daughter.
- Luke Davis: [walking away] Not as much as I do.
- [After the victim's father kills SVU's suspect]
- Rollins: The nail gun makes that confession completely coerced.
- Barba: Either way, Luke Davis is looking at felony murder.
- Carisi: You think? You do know the defendant gets a free pass on that if he can show he acted under extreme emotional duress.
- Barba: Do not leak this to the press.
- Benson: We all know that there are more victims out there. Each one of them thinks that they're the only one, nobody will believe them. As soon as that they find out that it happens to others, they'll come forward.
- Carisi: Throw a rock, watch the ripples.
- Barba: I am not hearing any of this.
- Benson: So Jerome Jones dies, your husband does hard time, and your brother the rapist goes free.
- Marcy Davis: Hard time? Luke didn't know. Jenna's his little girl. He just went crazy.
- Barba: I understand. I will talk to his lawyer about a plea, but you need to talk to Jenna.
- Marcy Davis: If she testifies, he'll break her. Neil's too smart. You can't catch him.
- Benson: But your daughter can.
- Carisi: I should of let her get her hands on you. You raped her daughter, ripped her heart out with her husband going to jail for killing someone that should of been you.
- Neil Alexander: You're hurting me, I'm a dentist. I need my hands.
- Carisi: That's all you got to say? That hurts? What hurts more? This or what you did to Jenna?
- Jenna Davis: I think I might be pregnant.
- Dr. Neil Alexander: You're not pregnant, Jenna.
- Jenna Davis: No. I'm 16. I can't have a baby now.
- Dr. Neil Alexander: Keep your voice down. Keep your voice sit down. Okay? You're not pregnant. That's impossible.
- Jenna Davis: I know that I'm pregnant. I wake up sick every morning...
- Dr. Neil Alexander: Stop your whining! I didn't get you pregnant. I couldn't have. I've had a vasectomy. Are we done here?
- Carisi: [watching from the surveillance van] Oh, yeah. You're done now, pal.
- Rollins: Let's go.
| “ | You know what? I've never met a bad man that wasn't afraid of a baby. Works every time. Neil Alexander, you're under arrest. | ” |
–Fin | ||
- Barba: If I take this to trial for felony murder, a jury may let Luke go. If he pleads to manslaughter, he will do time.
- Ermil Jones: How much? He gets a deal and my innocent son is dead? Whose life matters to you?
- Barba: I'm so sorry for your loss. What happened to Jerome was horrible. I wish I could bring him back, but this is where we are.
Background information and notes[]
- Rollins mentions she went on a yoga retreat to get away after the events of the episode "Forgiving Rollins".
- Although not seen, Jimmy MacArthur (from the episode "Criminal Stories") is mentioned when Olivia says she will call him, and he later publishes a story based on Neil Alexander raping his niece.
- This is the first episode of season 16 to have all of the main cast appear in the episode.
Episode scene cards[]
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Arraignment Court |
Office of |
Rikers Island |
Courthouse |
| Previous episode: "Padre Sandunguero" |
"Decaying Morality" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 16 |
Next episode: "Intimidation Game" |