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"Silence"
SVU, Episode 3.23
Production number: E3103
First aired (US): 17 May 2002
First aired (CAN): 17 May 2002
First aired (AUS): 25 July 2002
  th of 502 produced in SVU  
th of 502 released in SVU
  th of 1271 released in all  
Stabler Cragen Silence
Written By
Patrick Harbinson

Directed By
Steve Shill

When a transsexual is found murdered in a church, suspicion falls on a priest who resigned from a parochial school after rumors of abuse.

Summary[]

A murder takes place in a church. Detectives Benson and Stabler learn that the murderer had been paid off by the church to stop him from reporting how he was sexually abused by a priest as a child. He blames the church for taking away his innocence and accuses a priest from his youth, Father Michael of molesting him.

Plot[]

The murder of an adolescent prostitute in a Catholic church, along with arson, results in the SVU team uncovering evidence of sexual abuse by priests. They also discover evidence of hiding the fact that it occurred. After a false allegation against a suspect briefly interrupts the investigation, Stabler must convince one priest to break the sanctity of Confession to prove that the reach of the abuse scandal goes much higher than the priests themselves.

Cast[]

Main cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Quotes[]

Benson: So he's really clean.
Stabler: And really dirty.

Gus Yoder: Please! Don't touch me. I'll go where you want... but don't touch me.
Tutuola: Looks like we got us a racist.
Munch: I'm a Jew. Is that better or worse?

Munch: Sit down Gus, you're making me nervous.
Gus Yoder: I'm not sitting there. It's disgusting.
Munch: It's a chair.
Gus Yoder: It's filthy! Think of all the scum that has sat there!

Cabot: The murder of a transvestite who caught him trying to burn down a Church? I could try that in my sleep.

Stabler: What about the faithful, Father? Who protects us?


Background information and notes[]

  • The episode title "Silence" was also used for the Law & Order second season episode, "Silence".
  • "Peccavisti" isn't the Latin word for "you have sinned", or even a word in Latin. The correct word is actually "Peccasti". Whether "peccavisti" is even a word in a language is debatable.
  • Eric Stoltz's last name is misspelled in the opening credits as "Stolitz".
  • Actress Charlayne Woodard makes her first appearance as Sister Peg.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3 4

Sister Peg's
Mobile Help Unit
Tuesday, May 7

Columbus Avenue
Youth Center
Wednesday, May 8

Chelsea Soup Kitchen
216 Ninth Avenue
Wednesday, May 8

Douglas Residence
401 West 22nd Street
Wednesday, May 8

5 6 7

Office of Special Victims Unit
Bureau Chief
Elizabeth Donnelly
Thursday, May 9

Rikers Island
Monday, May 13

Chambers of
Judge Linden
Tuesday, May 14

Previous episode:
"Competence"
"Silence"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 3
Next episode:
"Chameleon"
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