Law and Order
Register
Advertisement
"Valentine's Day"
SVU, Episode 13.18
Production number: 13018
First aired (US): 18 April 2012
First aired (UK): 8 July 2012
First aired (CAN): 18 April 2012
First aired (AUS): 7 June 2012
  th of 502 produced in SVU  
th of 502 released in SVU
  th of 1271 released in all  
Svu1318
Written By
Julie Martin & Warren Leight

Directed By
Peter Leto

A rape investigation is set into motion after a husband sees his wife being attacked while video chatting.

Summary[]

While video chatting with his wife on the way home from an international business trip, a Wall Street executive watches an intruder assault and abduct her. The kidnappers demand ransom, and Detectives Benson, Amaro, Rollins, and Tutuola are on the scene when the missing housewife arrives to pick up the money. She frantically tells the detectives about her ordeal, but Benson grows suspicious of her story. The SVU squad and Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak dig deeper to find out who the real victim is in this increasingly complicated case.

Plot[]

Businessman Boyd Hartwell video chats with his wife, Christine, before boarding on a plane home from Hong Kong. Boyd sees Christine being attacked by a masked man with a gun. Before Boyd lands, the detectives are already investigating Christine's kidnapping & rape, but Boyd tells them that Christine's kidnappers demanded $250,000 and if the police are involved, Christine will be killed.

When the ransom is picked up, the detectives discover that Christine has been sent to get the money. At first, Christine claims that three black men kidnapped & raped her, but the evidence doesn't match her testimony and she keeps changing her story. Eventually, the detectives discover that she has been having an affair with her delivery guy and planned her kidnapping & rape. 

Christine is charged with obstruction, coercion, and filing a false police report, but one of the jurors in the trial becomes sympathetic towards her after they share a cigarette in the stairwell of the courthouse together. The juror's refusal to vote guilty leads to a mistrial.

Meanwhile, Nick's wife, Maria is home on leave and by the end of the episode, he believes that she is having an affair.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Recurring cast[]

Guest cast[]

References[]

Episode references

Quotes[]

Rollins: I don't know about the SEC, but it ain't a good idea to lie to NYPD.

Amaro: He thinks there's nothing wrong with the marriage that a blue box and thigh-highs can't fix.

Benson: We can't let her get away with it. Every time a woman makes a false accusation, it makes it that much harder for real victims.

Novak: I'll do my best but there's not a chance the bosses will let this go to retrial.


Background information and Notes[]

  • This episode marks the final appearance of A.D.A. Casey Novak.
  • Scenes set at Hong Kong Airport were filmed at New York Kennedy's Terminal 4.
  • A juror would never be allowed to exit out the main entrance of the courtroom, they are always escorted off the premises by a bailiff through a back hallway in order to prevent them from coming into contact with the defendant or a witness so that there is no chance of jury bribery, contamination or tampering.

Episode scene cards[]

1 2 3

New Markets Hedge Fund
58 Wall Street
Tuesday, February 14

Chelsea Waterside Park
West 23rd Street
& 11th Avenue
Wednesday, February 15

Rise Up Health Food
402 West 23rd Street
Wednesday, February 15

4 5 6

Superior Court
Part 21
Wednesday, February 29

Superior Court
Part 21
Thursday, March 1

Superior Court
Part 21
Thursday, March 1

Previous episode:
"Justice Denied"
"Valentine's Day"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Season 13
Next episode:
"Street Revenge"
Seasons 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425
Advertisement