Law & Order: Special Victims Unit S1E1 - English Transcript

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. Sex Crimes? - Olivia Benson. - Elliot Stabler. Frank Bremmer, two-seven. A white male, mid-30s. Multiple stab wounds. $40 left in the cigar box. Hack license made out to Victor Spicer. it was in his pants no ID. Okay, so it's not a robbery, but stabbings aren't necessarily ***. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Is there a specific reason you called us out? Whoever did this sliced off his "cigar" and took it with 'em. Is that specific enough? Works for me. (������ �����̺��� ���� ��) (�ø����� ���� ���� ��) (�� ��ġ ���� ��) (�� ũ���̰� �氨 ��) Sorry I'm late. I just talked to Van Buren over at the two-seven. She wants copies of all our paperwork since they rolled on this. - Where are we? - Autopsy this afternoon. - Yeah? Who's cutting? - Rodgers. Doesn't sound like there's much doubt on the COD. Do you think your conclusional pole vaults are personality- or gender-driven? I don't know. What about "deductively logical"? Oh, really? / Um-hmm. I had what looked like a stabbing once, in Baltimore. Turns out some guy who was getting divorced drank drain cleaner, and when his soon-to-be unmarried widow discovered him dead no alimony she stabbed him - Captain? - What? Desk sergeant just got a call for a Sex Crimes detective at the 96th Street IRT. Why? / Some guy molesting a dead body. Oh, that is just terrific. - Who's up? - Me and Munch. I think a dead molestee can be handled by one detective. Cassidy, you go. Munch, give Stabler and Benson the benefit of your vast puncture wound experience. Sir, if the body's dead, is that considered a sex crime? Just go. You know, investigate, interrogate, write up a DD5. Why don't you follow up with the cab company? The night guy didn't have a home address on the vic. - I'll do the hack bureau. - What about your erstwhile partner? I'd love to, but my presence is required in court this morning. I read about it on the news it's the city councilman? "Wienie wagger. " Part 72 Wednesday, September 15 Detective Stabler you previously testified that when you first approached the defendant in the park, he was feeding the pigeons. Is that correct? That's correct. And the zipper on Mr. Kloster's pants was closed? At that time, yes. So, to your personal knowledge, Mr. Kloster's pants have never been unzipped in public? You got me there, counselor, 'cause he didn't flash me. Then why did you arrest him? Two women had stopped my car and told me the defendant had been exposing himself. So you arrested my client based solely on their uncorroborated accusations? That and the fact that I've known both women for five years, yes. - So you know them well? - Yes. Intimately? Don't be ridiculous. We're neighbors. You're a member of the Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police Department, is that correct? Yes, it is. And this unit is referred to, in the police department, as the "Sex Crimes Unit"? That's correct, yes. Are you obsessed with sex, Detective? - Objection! - Sustained. This is an all-volunteer unit, isn't that correct? / Yes it is. Could you tell the court why you volunteered? I requested the assignment because sexually-based crimes are a major law enforcement problem. So you see yourself as the "Ken Starr" of the NYPD? / Hardly. I think sex should be one of the best parts of life, not the worst. I do see myself as the father of four children, none of whom I'd like to see exposed to Mr. Kloster's shortcomings. "Shortcomings"? Hunh shortcomings? "Shortcomings" my ***, you putzhead! / Order! - Look at that! - "Shortcomings," huh? Take a look! Look at it! - Hey, how did it go? - He's in Bellevue. The jury came back that fast? He waved his flag at 'em before they had a chance. Nobody saluted. Okay. Unfortunately, our homicide isn't gonna close as fast. - We have a little problem. - Okay, shoot. I went to the hack bureau. Our dead guy, Victor Spicer? His license was suspended when he got 11 months for assault. And? He's still in Rikers. You can't trust the computers. They get backed up and don't input the releases. That's why I talked to the watch captain and had him check personally. - Spicer's still there. - Why is this ours? The doer sliced off the vic's unit. I pulled Spicer's sheet prostitution, soliciting, petty theft. He also managed to get two of his clients arrested both married. So he's *** but he's not dead ***, so who's the stiff? According to his hack license, he's Victor Spicer. There's no other ID on the body or in the cab. Police work. The seam's uneven. I would take a ride over to Rikers, and see if Mr. Spicer thinks he has any enemies. Okay. You're welcome. Correctional Facility Wednesday, September 15 - Coing home, maybe? - Cet in there! Ooh, cops. Why? You're looking awfully good there for a dead man, Victor. Meaning? Meaning somebody killed you in your cab last night. Before or after I went dancing? Question who'd want to cut your *** off? Take a number. The victim was using your license. He had a wife, a little kid. Yeah? / Yeah. So? How about a name? We'll have you out clubbing for the weekend. Yeah, I sold the license to a guy right before I went in a hundred bucks. I don't know his name. You're going to have to do better than that if you want us to help you out. Yeah, yeah, it was on Broadway right near the 125th Street EI. That's right, that's right the guy had the kid with him. I don't know four, maybe five. So you walk up to a guy on the street on Broadway in broad daylight, he gives you 100 bucks, you give him your hack license? A foreign gentleman at a coffee shop I frequent set it up, okay? Names. I don't know his name. Oh, the guy the guy the guy on Broadway had groceries. He must have lived around there. Hey, you doing anything Saturday night? Oh, I'd hurt you. Patrol sergeants are distributing the vic pic in the two-three and the two-seven. They'll hit every apartment house within 10 blocks of Sarabeth's. This guy's wife must be going nuts, and Missing Persons won't even take the report for another two days. Bigger question who was supposed to get sliced and diced? Spicer or the mystery man? Spicer's the one who said "Take a number. " BLT, down hash with eyes, burn it. - Could we talk to you for a minute? - I'm kind of busy here. - Hack bureau? - Police. - Oh. What's up? - Have you ever seen this guy? Yeah, but he hasn't been in in months. - Do you remember his name? - Victor. What about this one? Has he been in? Yeah, he's a regular, comes in about midnight. He was here last night. - Cot a name for him? - Now that's weird Victor. Excuse me. Jesus, I said, "corny on pump. " This is rye. Do you know what it's like never hearing English? Did you ever talk to "Victor number two"? Almost every night for the last couple of months. Oh, yeah? What about? Traffic, weather, his kid why? Somebody killed him in his cab last night. This city sucks. Can I have my sandwiches, please? It's pretty easy to become a cab driver. If he had to buy a hack license, then he's probably here illegally. No green card, no hack license/ Wait, wait! Peggy told me Victor was killed? - Which Victor? - Who would care about him? - You know his real name? - Steven. What was his last name? I never asked. I just saw him last night. - What time? - Around midnight, I guess. Yes, he was coming out as I was going in, and a couple of ladies helped him. - Could you identify them? - It was very dark. Did they see you? They must have we were in the light. He was just crazy about his little boy. His wife is pregnant. They just found out. Your dead taxi driver? Cab dispatcher finally called said he got a call last week asking if Victor Spicer was one of their drivers and what time he worked. - Male or female? - He wasn't sure. He said the voice was too high for a guy, and too deep for a woman. - Aren't these fabulous? - Okay, you guys this poor guy is butchered and mutilated and whoever did it thought they were killing that "disco queen" in Rikers. Okay, Olivia let's just say that vic had the misfortune of buying the wrong hack license, and Spicer's the target. Who wanted him dead? - Whoever called the dispatcher. - Wow. Nice. Cood stuff. You should keep that. / Mm-hmm. Great. Uniform just got a hit on your vic, a Steven Panacek. - Thanks, thanks. - It never stops. You know, they have more varieties than that. Apartment 1B, but nobody's home. Thanks a lot. Cood job, guys. Hey, it's the kid in the picture. You got the Victim Services cards? / Yeah. - Mrs. Panacek? - Yes? Hi, I'm Detective Stabler, this is Detective Benson. - What's happened to Steven? - Mrs. Panacek What, was he in an accident? What hospital is he in? Can l? Oh, no. Oh God, no! Oh my God, no! Oh, God! Why? Why Steven? He was here illegally, wasn't he? Mrs. Panacek? What difference does that make now? Don't you want us to find out who did this? / Yes. What nationality was he? He was Czech. - When were you married? - Almost five years ago. Steven never applied for residency. He talked to an immigration lawyer, and he said they would deport him. "With all his strength, he burst into the haunted house. " Talk to Victim Services. They can be very helpful. Thank you. / I'm so sorry. Oh my baby, my baby, yeah. I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you. That's great. Thanks a lot. Yep, bye. That was the M. E. The stab wounds? - It still reads "gay" to me. - You got a fax. Panacek's prints are clean here, right? Yes. So let's do this by the numbers. He's illegal, send a set to Interpol, too. Forensics report. What? They found part of a fingernail in the front seat of the cab with red nail polish on it. Dispatcher said it may have been a woman who called about Spicer. Kind of undercuts your gay theory, huh? Could be a he/she. Didn't two of Spicer's married johns take a bust? / Yeah. Yeah, about six months ago Vice was targeting the piers. I'm sure their wives must have been thrilled. - What are you doing? - Eavesdropping. Good, you're up to speed. What do you say you go interrogate a husband? Anyone in particular? Enjoy yourself. Thursday, September 16 I already paid my fine. Do you have any idea how many problems that arrest caused me? What are you doing here now? When you were arrested, you were with a male *** named Victor Spicer. I know who Spicer is. I don't have anything to do with Spicer. Somebody tried to kill him last night. You think it was me? I wouldn't go near that animal. Calm down. / We just want to ask a few questions about your wife. What is wrong with you people? You leave my wife out of this! - Don't go near her! - Whoa, hey, hey! Are you out of your mind? - You want to be arrested again? - No, no! Then you answer my partner's questions. I got a bad rotator cuff. Tell us where your wife was last night and we'll be out of here. In her wheelchair. She's a paraplegic. Why do you think I was in the back seat of a taxi when I was busted by the damn sex police? Good question if it was a female ***. - You enjoy this, do you? - Yeah. Is this how you get your rocks off? Thanks for your cooperation, Mr. Dupree. Unfortunately, Spicer's a disgusting little piece of street meat, but he has an extraordinarily gifted orifice in the middle of his face. Know anybody who would want to kill him? I'm sure there are a whole host of candidates. Like your wife, maybe? I know you'll find this hard to believe, Detectives, but I really have nothing to hide. My *** predilections may not be known to the readers of "Page Six," but they're certainly known to my friends, and my wife. Just for the record, where was she last night? My wife? / Yes. - You're joking. - No, we're not. My wife's bisexual, but she prefers women. How lucky for her. We have a very civilized relationship. So you won't mind telling us where she was, say 1:00 a. m. This morning? At a restaurant Elaine's with me and four very good friends. Thank you. Her name is Clarissa and you should give her a call. A military plane drops JFK's coffin into 9,000 feet of water three years after the assassination. You don't find that suggestive, perhaps even a tad bit disquieting? No. No? The Justice Department waits 33 years before they impart this tidbit on the American people, and then they say they did it because it wasn't evidence?! What are you, sheep? Will you believe anything? / Nah. You guys going to eat all this? Suppose we say yes? - Suppose I'm just being polite? - That will be a first. It's cool John doesn't eat vegetables. Yeah? The way I heard, that's not the only thing John never gets to eat. Ouch. Speaking of DOJ, you guys see the fax from the Feebs? - Internet ***? - Innocent Images squad. They're requesting anything we come across goes to Baltimore field office. No way. I am never setting foot in the city of Baltimore again, as long as I am on this mortal sphere. Why? You're rich, did your 20, got your pension and you're on the job here. I earned that pension with the sweat of my mind, while surrounded by intellectual insects. Not to mention the fact that I lost a wife after less than one night of connubial bliss to someone who was not only another detective, but a member of my own squad. What's that? Take a look at that fingerprint check on Panacek. I'd say that gives us a whole different kind of motive. See if any of the victims are in the New York area. - Your partner may not like this. - Why? It's a *** investigation. Yeah, it is. Don't let her forget we don't get to pick the vic. Are we missing some key piece of information here? Shut up, John. It's not going to be a problem. There can't be a problem, if she wants to be in this unit. There you go. "You are admirable, for you remain firm, even when troubled by personal relationships. " Yeah, right. That's great. Steven Panacek wasn't Steven Panacek. Okay, first he wasn't Victor Spicer, now he's not Steven Panacek. - So who the hell was he? - Stefan Tanzic. Am I supposed to recognize the name? He's a Serb he's under indictment for war crimes. What did he do? He commanded an ethnic cleansing unit. - He was a ***? - Indicted, not convicted. How many women? / 67. How many are still alive? We got 15 five here in the New York area. Medical Examiner Thursday, September 16 I called you back because the shape of some of the wounds was bothering me, so I went back and made some additional measurements. Width of entry and depth of penetration varied over different parts of the body. Can't that be accounted for by the fact that he was struggling? Some of them were made by a blade with a serrated edge, some of them were clean. I hate to complicate your lives, but you're looking for more than one killer. - Have you found out something? - Can we come in? Yeah, of course. Mrs. Panacek, is your son at home? No, no, he's at preschool. - You lied to me yesterday. - Excuse me? Your husband wasn't a Czech. He was a Serb. I really don't see what that has to do with He was also under indictment as a war criminal. Look, that was just politics. If you want us to catch your husband's killers, we're going to need all of the information. This goes way beyond just politics, and I can see from your face that you know what he did. You don't know anything. Steven was a wonderful man. He was the greatest father I've ever seen. Let me ask you a question. What was it like sleeping with somebody, who *** dozens of defenseless, terrified women? - My husband is dead! - And you know why! Just get out! Go, get out of my house! No! That's the dumbest move I've ever seen you make. - She wasn't going to be of any help. - Well, no, not now. Not ever she knew what he was. If she drops a dime on you, you're out walking the beat. You verbally harassed the wife of a *** victim. She lied to a police officer. If anything, she's guilty of obstruction. You're on very thin ice right now. How's that? Cragen's already worried about your objectivity on this. - Fine, let him take me off the case. - You don't want to do that. What is that supposed to mean? It means you take yourself off this case, you're taking yourself out of the unit. "We don't get to pick the vic. " His words, not mine. I'm a good cop, Elliot. Yeah, I know. Thank you. Ileana Jashari? Who is that? We're police off Did you know Stefan Tanzic? He is the one who did this to me. I just want you to know, he's dead. Allah Akbar. Remember that Tom Hanks movie where he managed the girls' team? "There's no crying in baseball. " Maybe I should talk to Cragen. Look, lleana Jashari is physically incapable of killing that pig. So, who's next? Marta's my wife. Why do you want to talk to her? Can you tell us where she is? She works at Fellowes & Kinsolving. She's an architect. What's this about? What time will you be expecting her about? It varies. She's working on a project. I'll tell you what, why don't you have her give us a call, - when she gets in? - Daddy, can I stop yet? Okay. - Say "hi. " - Hi! Hi. / Hi. Wow. - Want to go to the park? - In a minute. Is there anything else? Mr. Stevens, How long have you been married? Co change your clothes, okay? A little over a year I'm Nicky's stepfather. My wife's first husband died. Stefan Tanzic's the father of that boy. / Yeah. That doesn't change anything. - I'm on the job, Elliot. - I knew you would be. I got a conference with one of my daughter's teachers. - You want me to drop you? - I'm going to walk this off. Okay, see you. Yeah, I need an address. Friday, September 17 - She's over there. - Thank you. / Mm-hmm. Marta Stevens? / Yes? Detective Olivia Benson, New York City Police Department. - How can I help you? - Just want to talk to you for a minute. - Is there someplace more private? - Yeah. What's this about? I just wanted to ask you a few questions. Would you mind letting me look at your hands, please? Can you flip them over, please? I think you know why I'm here. No, I have no idea. No idea? No. Stefan Tanzic was the father of your son. No, Robert is Nicky's father. And I'm sure a very good one. Where were you Tuesday night? Right here. I have a presentation on Friday, why? How late were you here? Very late like, maybe 1:00. Was there anybody else here with you? No, I was the last to leave. Why are you asking me these questions? Stefan Tanzic was murdered Tuesday night. Oh, I didn't know he was in New York. He was stabbed to death. His genitals were cut off. Yes, so? So, I can see that you're very affected by it. How would you feel if your next door neighbor *** you for three weeks and the government gave him a medal? Stefan Tanzic was your neighbor? We went to grammar school together. When Sarajevo became insane, I went to my cousins in the mountains. Tanzic was an officer in the Serb army. His unit came into the village, took all the men, old men, and all the boys over seven to the school and machine-gunned them. Then they took all the women and children and put them into trucks. Tanzic picked me out. He said I was "too pretty" to stay in the tents. That night he *** me. He *** me every night for 23 days. Sometimes he was too drunk, so he did it with whatever was there a wrench a pistol a broom handle. Every day he would handcuff me to his bed, and every night he would say that maybe when he's tired of me, he would shoot me instead of using me. So, I'm not sorry he's dead. Anything else? No, not at the moment. Thank you. I'm a little concerned that she's still writing her letters backwards a lot of the time. Her sisters never went through that. / No. Excuse me. Stabler. Yeah, you know, now's not a good time. You what? What were you thinking? I thought you could handle this. Did she implicate herself? Did you tell her she was a suspect? I am upset! Fine let's talk about it in the morning, okay? Thank you. Do you think she killed him? There's not a doubt in my mind. And how do you feel about that? When that little boy came in, and I realized that Tanzic was the father, there was a part of me that wished I'd been in the cab with him. I really wish you would consider getting out of that unit. Come on, Mother. Let's not tonight, please. Do you think this is healthy for you? You were ***, for God sakes. Are you telling me you don't understand why she did what she did? I understand it. That does not mean that I condone it. Wait, are you saying that you wouldn't have done exactly the same thing if you'd had the chance? Is that what you would have wanted me to do? / Yes. How old is that little boy? He's five. Is he going to be better off with his mother in prison? Do you think you would have been better off with me in prison the whole time you were growing up? I hate him for what he did to you. So do l and if he hadn't, you would not be here. So you don't think she murdered him? No, I don't think she murdered him. She said she was in her office until around 1:00. That's after he was killed. - And no one else was there? - No one else was there. And no one else was there that is an anti-alibi. Elliot, I saw her hands. There are no broken fingernails. We know there are two killers, so how are we going to find the other one? You mean the other one who also didn't do it? We got three other Tanzic victims to check out, so let's do that. See, being in Europe that's an alibi. Who's next? Anya Rugova, owns a restaurant on the East Side "Sarajevo. " Monday, September 20 Yes? - Anya Rugova? - Yes. Hi, I'm Detective Stabler. This is Detective Benson. Did you know a man named Stefan Tanzic? Years ago, in Yugoslavia. How did you know him? He murdered my husband and four-year-old grandson with a hatchet. Would you mind telling us where you were Tuesday night? Why? Stefan Tanzic was murdered late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. Good. Now, would you mind answering our question? I was right here. We closed around 1:00. - Anything else? - How'd you hurt your hand? Kitchen accident. Do you know a Marta Stevens? Stevens? No. I don't think I know anybody by that name. I must get back to work. You agree she knows Marta Stevens? She's not a very good liar. "I don't think I know her"? Did you check out the bandage on that hand? Fine. It was her left hand. You heard what Rodgers said about the depth of the wounds "tremendous force. " It's hard to stab that hard with your left hand. Unless you're left-handed. You saw her sign the bill she signed it with her right hand. You didn't check out that signature like a five-year-old's. That woman is left-handed. It doesn't matter, 'cause we're gonna get a DNA match on that fingernail. That fingernail could have been in the cab for a month. For a month? / Yeah. Theory of the crime you just stop me when you don't agree. One of them gets in the cab my bet is on Rugova she recognizes Tanzic, he doesn't recognize her, she checks the name on the license, finds out when he works, calls Marta Stevens, they wait for him outside the coffee shop, get in his cab. End of story, Olivia. It could be them, but I told you, it was very dark where they crossed the street. That's okay, just take a look at 'em. Take a look at 'em. I could look at these all day, but it wouldn't do any good. I'm sorry. You sure they saw you? Oh, yes, yes that I am quite certain. Thanks a lot. You've been a big help. - We don't have a case. - Oh, yeah we do. - There's no proof. - They don't know that. Elliot? / We're arresting 'em, now. A first-year law student will have them out in 20 minutes. Not if they confess. I'm not / Yes, you are. Would you please stand up, Mrs. Stevens? Wha what's this about? Marta Stevens, you are under arrest for the *** of Stefan Tanzic. We got the younger one in custody. Now send a car to meet us at 71st and 2nd Ave. I want them transported separately. Yes, sir we got a positive ID from the Sikh cab driver at the coffee shop. Watch your head. How can you do this? Please, put your feet in the car. Listen to me. I know what a shock it must have been to see Tanzic in that cab. Don't talk to anybody without talking to your lawyer. No one, say nothing. - Hey, you called for backup? - Yeah. Ah, Miss "Slice-and-dice," is the psychodrama over inside, or what? We also recovered a fingernail from the front seat. We're going to get a DNA match on that. - Am I under arrest? - Yes, you are. You have the right to remain silent. May I call my lawyer? By all means. Knife! / Oh my God! No, no, no! Get back, get back! Drop the knife. - No, no, no! - Somebody get the knife! Put down the knife. Mrs. Rugova, please. / Don't, don't. Oh my God! / No! Call 911! 911 get an ambulance. This is Detective Olivia Benson, Sex Crimes. I need an ambulance now. We're at 72nd and 2nd Avenue. Now! - How bad is it? - She got the femoral artery. Please don't help me. She's bleeding out. Stay with us. As soon as we heard his voice we recognized him. And where were you at this point? I don't know. Somewhere downtown. I heard his voice and looked at Anya. I thought I was going to faint. - What happened then? - I don't really remember. I started to feel hot all over. My head started to spin then Anya suddenly reached through the divider and stabbed him in the head. And then we were both stabbing him. And the car went up on the curb and we were out of the car and we pulled open the front doors and we stabbed him more, and again, and again. I was seeing him taking his clothes off. I was feeling him pushing into me forcing me I think you've got enough, don't you? I've got to run it by Schiff, but I'm willing to take a plea. - Man one? - I'll take man two and smile. Severe emotional distress. I sure as hell don't want to go to trial. All they've got to do is get Tanzic's war crimes indictment in, her friend's suicide and she'll get a walk. How much time? My guess, if they get the right judge, she'll get 18 months in a psychiatric facility. You two all right with that? Yeah. / Yeah. Yeah. Get her transported, I'll have her arraigned, minimal bail she'll be home with her kid in time for dinner. Thanks, Abby. My office, now. It's nice the game with the Sikh non-eyewitness? Very good police work, but it sure as hell ain't man two. We don't know / Shut up! What about the call to the cab company asking when Spicer worked? The dispatcher said he couldn't tell whether it was a man's or woman's voice. Whoever called could've been looking for the real Victor Spicer. / My ***. Let me ask you something, okay? I read the autopsy report. Do you really believe those two ladies were walking around with five and seven-inch knives in their purses every day? I think we did the one thing that's going to allow me to sleep tonight. You just used your "Cet-Out-of-Jail-Free" card on this case, Olivia. There's only one in the pack. She said something to you, didn't she? "I just want to be with my family. " Special Victims Unit.