Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

She Paints for Vengeance (2020)

Mariska Hargitay: Captain Olivia Benson

Photos 

Quotes 

• Olivia Benson : So, I'm walking down 10th Avenue with Noah...

  Amanda Rollins : A lot of anger there. Rape in a strip club? Certainly credible.

  Katriona Tamin : It says she went to NYPD in December. I'll check OLCS.

  Odafin Tutuola : Must've been a local precinct.

  Amanda Rollins : Something happened to her.

  Olivia Benson : Yeah.

  Katriona Tamin : There were two rapes reports filed in Manhattan South on that date. One was a DV, and the other one was ours.

  Olivia Benson : But neither is her. This is an outcry. Fin and Kat, check local strip clubs.

  [to Rollins] 

  Olivia Benson : Check out the billboard company. Whoever she is, I wanna find her.

• Olivia Benson : You painted a billboard so someone would pay attention to you. I'm here. I'm paying attention. Talk to me.

  Monica Russo : It's a few weeks before Christmas, place is packed, Markeevious wants just me and him in the VIP room.

  Olivia Benson : Was that the first time?

  Monica Russo : No. Usually it's me and another girl or two. That night, as soon as I shut the door, he starts taking his pants off, and I'm like, "Whoa, slow down, buddy," but...

  Olivia Benson : He's not listening to you.

  Monica Russo : He started putting on a condom, a-and I'm like, "Wrong move, buddy," you know, I'm trying to joke my way out of it.

  Olivia Benson : Right, like you've probably done a million times before.

  Monica Russo : Yeah. But that night, I was scared of him.

  Olivia Benson : Why?

  Monica Russo : He had this... blank look on his face. And he pinned me against the wall. And I tried to fight him, and he threw me on the floor.

  Olivia Benson : Tell me about that.

  Monica Russo : I was alone. I-I... I was trapped. I was... I was yelling, a-and the music was so loud, nobody could hear me, and-and... and he just... he overpowered me. He-He was moving me around like a piece of furniture, any way he wanted. And, uh, you know, I-I struggled, and... at a certain point, I just gave up. And he raped me. I just tried to go back on stage. I was trying to pretend like nothing happened, you know, and Markeevious was still there, and he waved at me, and that's when I told Jared. And Jared said, "Markeevious is a good customer, so I should shut up."

  Olivia Benson : Okay. And that's when you went to the local precinct.

  Monica Russo : They never even returned my calls. So I started to imagine blowing things up.

  Olivia Benson : Blowing things up?

  Monica Russo : With paint. Calling 'em all out.

• Noah Porter Benson : [Benson sees poster drawings of an alleged rape]  Mom, look. There's another one. Is it a movie?

  Olivia Benson : I don't know, but it's certainly not a kids' movie.

  Noah Porter Benson : Whoa! Look up there!

  Olivia Benson : [seeing a billboard]  Run ahead, honey. I'll catch up, okay?

• Monica Russo : I told you, I don't need your help.

  Olivia Benson : Hey, Monica, I get why you're reluctant, but a name has come up. Markeevious Ryan.

  Monica Russo : Took you long enough. Have you talked to him yet?

  Olivia Benson : Not yet, but can I come in?

  [Monica lets her in] 

  Olivia Benson : [seeing her paintings]  Wow.

  Monica Russo : Don't worry, I'm not painting you.

  Olivia Benson : Hey, you're furious. I get it. I'm furious, too, at Markeevious, at your club manager, and at that local cop that you reported to.

  Monica Russo : I can't help you with that.

  Olivia Benson : Well, you can tell me what happened to you, and we could make a case.

• Monica Russo : You don't give up, do you?

  Olivia Benson : Monica, this is Dara Miglani, and she's willing to represent you if you want.

  Dara Miglani : How you holding up, Monica?

  Monica Russo : Can you just get me out of here?

  Olivia Benson : We're talking to the ADA. We're gonna try to get you arraigned as soon as we can.

  Dara Miglani : Once we know the charges, we'll figure out our strategy.

  Monica Russo : Hey, I-I'm not pleading guilty. To anything.

  Dara Miglani : Good for you.

• Olivia Benson : I would've appreciated a call.

  Dara Miglani : Asymmetrical warfare. The element of surprise is key.

  Olivia Benson : You do know that I'm on Monica's side?

  Dara Miglani : You are, but I can be louder. And quicker. And my tactics worked. I've been contacted by two other women Markeevious raped.

  Olivia Benson : Here in New York?

  Dara Miglani : Out of state, but goes to pattern. They'll talk to SVU with me in the room. In fact, they're both on the way here. You can thank me later.

• Monica Russo : [showing the squad a new mural she painted]  What do you think?

  Odafin Tutuola : What are those keys?

  Monica Russo : Seven. One for each year of his sentence.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : Do I have to have wings?

  Olivia Benson : Yeah, you do.

  Monica Russo : You both do.

• Olivia Benson : I heard you got bloodied today.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : Rollins tell you that? It was more like slaughtered.

  Olivia Benson : Well, you're still here.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : I'm writing my resignation letter. I'm gonna lose this case. Ms. Hadid already knows. She had her spies in the courtroom. I'm done.

  Olivia Benson : Carisi, you're not a quitter. No. No, it was your first day in court. You got knocked down, so you get back up again.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : What if I'm not cut out for this? You know what the worst part is? I didn't protect Monica.

  Olivia Benson : Hold on a second. Listen to me.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : I should've objected more. But, you know, if-if you object too much, then the-the jury that the witness is-is hiding something, so I didn't know what to do, and I just left her alone up there, a target.

  Olivia Benson : And Monica is a lot tougher than you think.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : Every aspect, every moment of her life, open to dissection, while Markeevious Ryan, he's just sitting over there. He's smiling on the sidelines. She said it herself, Liv. It's not fair.

  Olivia Benson : So use that. Figure out a way to get him into the game.

• Odafin Tutuola : So the painter told you to take a hike.

  Olivia Benson : Well, she has trust issues with NYPD. Can you blame her? So as soon as she sees that we're taking her assault seriously, it's gonna go a long way toward a rapport.

  Odafin Tutuola : Uh-huh. Well, it'd be easier to investigate if she'd at least tell you what happened.

  Olivia Benson : All right, but for now, we know when she was assaulted and where. So go find out by who.

  [seeing his look] 

  Olivia Benson : It's a strip club, Fin. You'll be fine.

• Officer Donald Donahue : Look, I know you SVU guys have big hearts, but this wasn't a real rape.

  Olivia Benson : A real rape? Is that because they knew each other or is that because she dances in a strip club? Do me a favor. Have your captain call me.

  [leaving with Fin] 

  Olivia Benson : When are these dinosaurs gonna die out?

  Odafin Tutuola : No time soon. They have no natural predators.

  Olivia Benson : We're looking for a blonde with a bird tattoo on her hand. Somebody at Topaz has to know who she is.

• Officer Donald Donahue : December, stripper? No, I don't think so.

  Odafin Tutuola : Think harder.

  Olivia Benson : Any other offices here named Donnie?

  Officer Donald Donahue : [seeing the poster drawings]  Oh, yeah, that girl. Yeah, it's coming back to me.

  Olivia Benson : So, she was raped and you didn't notify SVU?

  Officer Donald Donahue : It was unfounded. I called the club manager. Turns out she was making the whole thing up. Just looking for a payday.

  Odafin Tutuola : Who, Jared? He's ex-NYPD. Are you looking out for him or her?

  Officer Donald Donahue : Oh, come on. I did my due diligence. The complaint was BS.

  Olivia Benson : We're gonna need to see that report.

  Officer Donald Donahue : Well, when it didn't pan out, I...

  Odafin Tutuola : You tossed it? Do you remember the girl's name?

  Officer Donald Donahue : M something? Uh, Mary? She had dirty blonde hair. A tat of a bird on her hand.

• Monica Russo : Now they send women cops?

  Olivia Benson : We're from Special Victims Unit. Monica, we saw your billboard.

  Amanda Rollins : And we know that the club, the local precinct tried to bury it.

  Monica Russo : Mm-hmm. Yep. That's why I'm here. There are rules. Everyone follows them. There are roles. Everyone knows them. Get out of line, you're never coming back.

  Amanda Rollins : But not at the strip club?

  Monica Russo : No. Dancer decides to give something extra, it's more money for everyone. You tip out the bouncer, manager, even the freaking DJ.

  Olivia Benson : Monica, what happened to you wasn't "giving extra." You didn't choose this.

  Monica Russo : [sarcastic clapping]  You got it.

  Olivia Benson : What we'd like to do is help you.

  Monica Russo : Okay.

  [taking out her phone] 

  Monica Russo : Smile.

  [taking their picture] 

  Monica Russo : You can be my next billboard.

• Dara Miglani : Thanks for the call.

  Olivia Benson : Hi, absolutely. I hear you're representing Getz's victims. You must be busy.

  Dara Miglani : I am. That's a good thing. These guys always get the best defense money can buy. Survivors need advocates.

  Olivia Benson : They do.

  Dara Miglani : How's Monica doing?

  Olivia Benson : She is angry and unrepentant and, I must warn you, unpredictable.

  Dara Miglani : Defiant. I live for that.

• Dominick Carisi Jr. : So, your complaining witness has withdrawn cooperation again.

  Amanda Rollins : She's frustrated. We all are.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : And the suspect's saying what? That it was consensual? That he paid for it?

  Olivia Benson : That's what they all say. You can contextualize that for the jury.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : Yeah, if I have a credible victim, and she sounds like a wild card. How's she gonna present on the stand?

  Olivia Benson : Well, she doesn't have a lot of faith in the system, but I think I can get her there.

  Amanda Rollins : [showing them her phone]  She's ahead of us. Have a look.

  Monica Russo : Nobody cares. Nobody wanted to listen to me.

  El Niño : You hear that?

  Monica Russo : Yeah.

  El Niño : Markeevious the rapist.

  Monica Russo : Are you listening now? There's a rapist walking around in these streets, in this restaurant. Does anyone care?

• Olivia Benson : So, two prior victims of Markeevious with the same M.O. that Monica described.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : The fruits of Dara's press conference? She's a hustler, I'll give her that.

  Odafin Tutuola : Can they testify?

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : It's a jump ball. Under the Molineux rule, prior bad acts are not admissible to show propensity to commit a crime.

  Olivia Benson : But they are if they show pattern.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : That's right, but we got a bigger problem here. Neither of these women filed a police report.

  Olivia Benson : Monica did file. And until we arrest Markeevious, we're saying that her word isn't good enough.

  Dominick Carisi Jr. : All right, I'll get an arrest warrant. I'll request a Molineux hearing. In the meantime, tell your friend Dara that she's got enough publicity. As of now, and I'm dead serious here, she needs to keep her clients out of the news.

• Odafin Tutuola : What the hell's going on?

  Monica Russo : [on a bullhorn outside a precinct]  My name is Monica Russo. I was raped by Markeevious Ryan at the Topaz Club.

  Odafin Tutuola : Her attorney gave you the heads-up?

  Olivia Benson : Oh, not in so many words. But I brought this upon myself. I wanted somebody who would fight for Monica.

  Monica Russo : I was exercising my right to free speech against a man who raped me, and now he's suing me!

  Dara Miglani : [taking the bullhorn]  While Monica sat in a holding cell, Markeevious greeted customers at his steakhouse. He continues to enjoy his freedom and the perks of his fame while Monica fights to have her voice heard. We are here to ask any other victims of Markeevious to come forward and to contact us, and to demand that the NYPD arrest Markeevious Ryan.

• Monica Russo : Markeevious Ryan is a rapist!

  Olivia Benson : [making her way through the crowd]  Excuse me. Excuse me.

  Monica Russo : [getting handcuffed]  Leave me alone. Let me go! Why don't you arrest the rapist?

  Olivia Benson : Hey, Captain Benson, SVU. Sergeant, Sergeant, this is... this is my case.

  Sergeant Chuck Inslow : Take that up with my captain. She's under arrest.

• Olivia Benson : [Monica is being arrested]  Hey, hey, hey. Take it easy. She's cuffed. Don't be so rough with her.

  Monica Russo : Cowards, all of you!

  Olivia Benson : Monica, Monica, listen to me. Stop talking, okay?

  El Niño : This is harassment. This is police harass...

  [a patrol cop takes his phone] 

  El Niño : No, you can't do that!

  Olivia Benson : Just get in the car. Not a word, all right?

  El Niño : This is police harassment!

  Olivia Benson : Listen to me. I'm gonna get you a lawyer.

• Olivia Benson : He's claiming consensual, which puts him in the room with her.

  Amanda Rollins : His ex said that there were more allegations, but she's refusing to name names.

  Olivia Benson : [surprised to see her]  Monica.

  Monica Russo : What the hell did you say to them?

  Olivia Benson : What are you talking about?

  Monica Russo : The club. They sent me all of my stuff back.

  [dumping the contents out] 

  Monica Russo : It's all ripped, it's all covered in crap. Oh, and they sent me this.

  [showing them a dead rat in a plastic bag] 

  Monica Russo : Yeah.

  Olivia Benson : Wow, Monica, I am... I'm so sorry. Why don't you come into my office so we can talk?

  Monica Russo : Why?

  Amanda Rollins : Markeevious conceded that he had sex with you. He said he tipped you after...

  Monica Russo : After I was raped. Yes, I took it. I was in shock.

  Olivia Benson : We understand that, but let's just go...

  Monica Russo : You know what? You know what? You're all fired.