Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)
Painless (2004)
Richard Belzer: Detective John Munch
Quotes
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Det. John Munch : [to Amy] Can you read my lips?
Doctor Amy Solway : Yes.
Det. John Munch : Why won't you take this kidney?
Doctor Amy Solway : My life, my decision.
Det. John Munch : Yeah, well, it's the wrong decision.
Doctor Amy Solway : Leave me alone.
Det. John Munch : Why, so you can die alone in this dump?
Doctor Amy Solway : Get out.
Det. John Munch : Great way to catch that train, isn't it?
Doctor Amy Solway : I don't want to hurt anymore.
Det. John Munch : Then let them do the transplant.
Doctor Amy Solway : No.
Det. John Munch : It will take away your pain.
Doctor Amy Solway : So I could go to prison?
Det. John Munch : So you can live.
Doctor Amy Solway : Why do you care if I live or die?
Det. John Munch : Because my father killed himself. When I was a kid, I thought it was my fault. The night before he blew his brains out, he punished me for being a wise-ass. I told him I hated his guts. Those were the last words I ever said to him. It haunts me to this day. You're the only person I've ever told.
Doctor Amy Solway : Why me?
Det. John Munch : Because we're the same. I feel guilty. My father was suffering, I couldn't help him. You feel guilty because of what you did to Christina.
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Dr. George Huang : [about Amy Solway] The irony is that her website gives her a reason to live.
Det. John Munch : Playing God with people's lives? She's like Kevorkian.
Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola : Come on, Munch. All the stuff you whine about, don't tell me you haven't once thought about hanging it up.
Det. John Munch : I believe life's worth living.
Elliot Stabler : Amen.
Olivia Benson : I don't know. If I had something like Huntington's Disease and all I had to look forward to was a long, horrible death, I can't say I wouldn't think about suicide.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : [to Olivia] Moredock will try to stack the jury with people like you.
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Det. John Munch : [to Amy] Your website is like "Suicide for Dummies."
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Det. John Munch : [to Novak about Amy] How could they not convict her?
A.D.A. Casey Novak : The jury deadlocked 10-2. I underestimated the power of Moredock's argument.
Det. John Munch : You can't blame yourself because two people wanted to acquit Amy.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : The two holdouts were for conviction. The majority voted to let Amy walk.
Det. John Munch : Well, just let me know when you need me for the retrial.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : There's not going to be a retrial, John.
Det. John Munch : Why the hell not?
A.D.A. Casey Novak : Because the D.A. doesn't want to make Amy Solwey a martyr for assisted suicide.
Det. John Munch : Translation: We lose, so we're letting her off the hook?
A.D.A. Casey Novak : We'll... we'll get her, it's only a matter of time before she does it again.
Det. John Munch : So we let her help someone else die.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : I don't like it either, John, but I don't have a choice.
Det. John Munch : Well, that's great, I just can't wait to tell Christina's sister.
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A.D.A. Casey Novak : [to Amy when she refuses to go on dialysis] When Judge Bradley hears about this stunt, he's gonna blow a gasket.
Barry Moredock : There's a lot I'd do to win a case, Miss Novak, but I'm on your side here.
Det. John Munch : [to Amy] Why are you doing this?
Doctor Amy Solway : I would rather die now than in prison.
Det. John Munch : You mean you'd rather be a martyr, don't you?
Doctor Amy Solway : Stop calling me that!
Det. John Munch : Or do you finally feel some guilt over tricking Christina Nerrit into your bogus suicide pact?
Doctor Amy Solway : I did not trick her. I thought by saying I would die with her, it would make her feel more comfortable, feel better about her decision. Her decision.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : This won't work. I'll get a court order to force the dialysis.
Barry Moredock : You know full well, no judge will ever issue such an order.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : I can still try.
Doctor Amy Solway : You can't force me to eat. I'll just starve.
Det. John Munch : I thought you were all about avoiding pain.
Doctor Amy Solway : When you don't eat, your body releases endorphins as it breaks down its own tissue for fuel. I'm told it's a very pleasant and painless death.
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A.D.A. Casey Novak : [When Munch shows up at Novak's apartment at night] John, what are you doing here?
Det. John Munch : Why the hell didn't you call me?
A.D.A. Casey Novak : There's nothing anyone can do, Amy's made her choice.
Det. John Munch : Which is?
A.D.A. Casey Novak : If we're going to put her in prison, it's a waste of a kidney.
Det. John Munch : Then plead her out to a lesser charge.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : Excuse me?
Det. John Munch : Don't let her do this to herself.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : You're the one who wanted me to jump through hoops to retry her. Why are you so invested in this?
Det. John Munch : Her dying isn't worth it.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : If we cave on Amy, it opens the door for any other perp who wants to force a plea by threatening suicide. I can't jump just because she's got a gun to my head.
Det. John Munch : She's different.
A.D.A. Casey Novak : No, she's not, John. I'm sorry.
Det. John Munch : So am I.