Roger Kressler is a high-priced defense attorney who has faced the Special Victims Unit on multiple cases.
History[]
Kressler defended Andrea Kent when she was charged for the murder of Emily Sullivan. Kressler worked together with Lynne Riff, because her client, Paige Summerbee, was charged for the same offense. Summerbee and Kent were convicted for the murder. (SVU: "Mean")
He represents the hit man Liam Connors after he is arrested for the murder of a family and the supposed murder of A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot. When Cabot was revealed to be alive and returns to testify, he tried to have Detectives Stabler and Benson arrested for perjury and false arrest but the judge denied this. (SVU:"Ghost")
Kressler later represented repeat rapist Peter Lophus and attempted to make it seem like Detective Benson had a vendetta against Lophus and was trying to frame him with his DNA, due to arresting him prior. He also brought up the notion that the authorities were hiding Benson because he had subpoenaed her, but she did not answer as she was undercover, which almost had the case thrown out. However in spite of his efforts, Benson made it back in time to testify to the gum and Lophus was found guilty on all charges and imprisoned. (SVU: "Infiltrated")
Kressler accused ADA Sonya Paxton of deliberately playing a computer-created videotape of his client Dalton Rindell committing a murder, which had previously been prohibited in favor of a faceless videotape, in order to force a mistrial. While Paxton denied this, the charges were dismissed due to the misconduct. (SVU: "Hammered")
He is called in when Deputy Commissioner Hank Abraham is arrested for distributing child pornography. Kressler tries to call the situation a misunderstanding, but he is visibly distressed when ADA Rafael Barba and IAB Captain Ed Tucker revealed Abraham was on the site multiple times and had downloaded images on flash drives found in his house. He tries to have Barba hold off on the arraignment and the latter tries to make a deal for his client who declines while being in denial in his guilt. In court, Abraham was sentenced to wear an ankle bracelet and forbidden from computer usage. Afterwards, Kressler and Abraham call Barba in order to make a deal however, it is too late because the feds want to charge Abraham for every obscene picture. Having realized he was finished, Abraham had the pair leave his home. Following a failed suicide attempt, Abraham finally confesses to everything in court and Kressler had the judge make the time to seven years in prison while forcing him to register as a sex offender for 20 years.(“Collateral Damages”)
Kressler represented Logan Carter, an Airline pilot with an impeccable record who was accused of rape. He attempted to make it seem that his accuser Tara Sidnana was trying to con everyone. However, he is taken aback by her defiance to his questions and when she goes into detail about how Carter abused her, but Kressler was still able to put pressure on her. Very soon, SVU brings in a new accuser Jeanne Howell who claims rape by Carter. Kressler was stunned by the detectives and Barba bringing out pictures and the threatening emails between them. He asked Barba what he was offering, Barba stated Carter would do 10 years for rape two or the protesting Carter could go to trial and 25 years but Carter chose the deal.(SVU: "Flight Risk")
Kressler represented Edgar Noone, who was suspected of being the Infinity Rapist and his niece hired him to defend him. Because his DNA was a match to a genealogy search and a stamp, Kressler had the evidence deemed unable to hold up in court, leading to Noone's quick release. However, Noone was later arrested after he confessed to being a rapist and stalking the late ADA Benjamin Stone who was in charge of the investigation.(SVU: "Dear Ben")
Known Clients[]
- Eric Plummer (SVU: "Wrath")
- Roy Barnett (SVU: "Guilt")
- Rebecca Tolliver (SVU: "Competence")
- Bobby Douglas (SVU: "Silence")
- Peter Kurtz & Missy Kurtz (SVU: "Damaged")
- Will Caray (SVU: "Brotherhood")
- Andrea Kent (SVU: "Mean")
- Dr. Stanley Norton (SVU: "Birthright")
- Mike Tucker (SVU: "Outcry")
- Liam Connors (SVU: "Ghost")
- Emma Boyd & Zoe Dunlop (SVU: "Alien")
- Linus McKellen (SVU: "Manipulated")
- Peter Lophus (SVU: "Infiltrated")
- Sean Kelley (SVU: "Confession")
- Dalton Rindell (SVU: "Hammered")
- Bryce Kelton (SVU: "Witness")
- Hunter Mazelon (SVU: "Delinquent")
- Tre Davis (SVU: "Spiraling Down")
- Richard Purcell (SVU: "Legitimate Rape")
- Hank Abraham (SVU: "Collateral Damages")
- Logan Carter (SVU: "Flight Risk")
- Edgar Noone (SVU: "Dear Ben")
Appearances[]
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (14 seasons, 22 episodes):
- Season 3: "Wrath" • "Guilt" • "Competence" • "Silence"
- Season 4: "Damaged"
- Season 5: "Brotherhood" • "Mean"
- Season 6: "Birthright" • "Outcry" • "Ghost"
- Season 7: "Alien" • "Manipulated"
- Season 8: "Infiltrated"
- Season 10: "Confession"
- Season 11: "Hammered" • "Witness"
- Season 12: "Delinquent"
- Season 13: "Spiraling Down”
- Season 14: “Legitimate Rape"
- Season 17: "Collateral Damages"
- Season 19: "Flight Risk"
- Season 20: "Dear Ben"