Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)
She Paints for Vengeance (2020)
Peter Scanavino: ADA Dominick 'Sonny' Carisi, Jr.
Photos
Quotes
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Dominick Carisi Jr. : [at a strip club] Why am I here again?
Odafin Tutuola : Well, in case you haven't noticed, uh, since you left, we're short on male detectives.
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Dominick Carisi Jr. : Uh, Your Honor, pursuant to People v. Molineux, the State seeks to include evidence of two prior rapes committed by the defendant, one in 2018, one in 2016.
Judge Namazi : I've read your brief, Mr. Carisi. Neither woman filed a report?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Not at the time, but they have gone on record. The assaults described go to modus operandi. There are consistent details in all three victims' accounts.
Judge Elana Barth : Because they were coached. Your Honor, these women only came forward after they saw Ms. Russo's lawyer on TV. Obviously, they're seeking publicity. Does Ms. Miglani really expect us to believe she didn't coordinate their stories?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Your Honor, the defense can cross on motive. These women have nothing to gain. Initially, they were afraid to make a accusation against a powerful celebrity.
Judge Namazi : As sympathetic as I am to the many reasons a rape victim may not be willing to come forward, these statements are unsubstantiated, and I'm concerned about collusion.
Judge Elana Barth : Thank you, Your Honor. Don't worry, Ms. Miglani. You can always harass my client with a civil suit.
Judge Namazi : That's enough, Ms. Barth. You know better. Mr. Carisi, I'm excluding these witnesses.
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Dominick Carisi Jr. : Hey, how you doin', by the way? I thought you were supposed to take a few weeks.
Amanda Rollins : I was so bored. I'm okay.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Are you sleeping? You're not eating enough.
Amanda Rollins : Well, the good news, I think I'm... I'm thinking about quitting therapy.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : You wanna talk about that?
Amanda Rollins : [dodging] Aren't you late for court?
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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.
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Judge Elana Barth : You consider yourself an artist, don't you, Ms. Russo?
Monica Russo : I am an artist.
Judge Elana Barth : How many shows have you had?
Monica Russo : It's really hard to get shows when you're starting out, especially in New York.
Judge Elana Barth : So, none. And you've never sold any of your artwork, have you?
Monica Russo : No.
Judge Elana Barth : In fact, your biggest success as an artist to date has been that billboard.
Monica Russo : I wanted attention to the...
Judge Elana Barth : Attention? You got it! Was that your plan all along? To accuse a famous man of sexual assault and then get your art all over Instagram.
Monica Russo : I had to! Nobody was listening to me, and he just sits there while I'm up here baring my soul.
Judge Elana Barth : Well, isn't that what you do for a living, Ms. Russo? You bare yourself.
Monica Russo : I'm a performer.
Judge Elana Barth : Oh, are you performing right now? Is this an act? Because I gotta hand it to you, you are creative.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Objection.
Judge Elana Barth : Withdrawn. Nothing further.
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Dominick Carisi Jr. : Now, it was your idea to go into the champagne room that night, wasn't it?
Markeevious Ryan : Yes. But she wanted to.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : How'd you know that?
Markeevious Ryan : Come on. She's a stripper. I mean, I'm a celebrity. They all want a piece of me.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : I get it, I get it. It just... it's actually why I'm kind of surprised that-that you had to pay for sex.
Markeevious Ryan : I didn't have to. Just trying to keep it simple. Avoid the drama. These free-range women, they just...
Dominick Carisi Jr. : You mean the women who-who you don't pay for? Who are free to say no?
Markeevious Ryan : You know how it is. One way or another, you always end up paying for it.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : And these women, they... let's face it, they always want something.
Markeevious Ryan : Yeah, they're all smiles and eyelashes, all "Markeevious this, Markeevious that." They just want to rub up on me. You know, get some of that glow, some of that money.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : So you've had other women come after your money before?
Markeevious Ryan : All the time. Ask my ex-wife. She'll tell you all the lawsuits I've had to fight.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : The lawsuits? For what, raping women?
Judge Elana Barth : Objection.
Judge Namazi : Your client opened the door.
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Judge Elana Barth : Did you get a rape kit?
Monica Russo : The officer I reported it to told me there was no point.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Objection, Your Honor. The officer verified that he took her report.
Judge Namazi : Sustained.
Judge Elana Barth : And then he threw that report out when he decided that her complaint was unfounded.
Monica Russo : He wasn't even listening to me!
Judge Elana Barth : You sound angry, Ms. Russo. Are you?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Objection! I-It's badgering.
Judge Namazi : I'll allow the question.
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Amanda Rollins : You okay?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Not really, no. Jury's been out for days.
Amanda Rollins : It's been three hours, Carisi. Did you just throw up?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : No. Yeah. Waiting for the verdict, it's... it's different when it's your case.
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Dominick Carisi Jr. : I know this isn't easy, Ms. Russo.
Monica Russo : No, it isn't.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Having the defense imply that because you took the money, you weren't raped.
Monica Russo : I don't want money. I want justice.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Being called a liar because you're a stripper, does that make you angry?
Monica Russo : It makes me furious.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : And they can say whatever they want about you. Doesn't strike me as fair. Not when the man who raped you is just... is just sitting there.
Judge Elana Barth : Objection. Is there a question here?
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Monica Russo : [after an outburst in court] I know, you told me where the line was, and I crossed it. I screwed up.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : No, you didn't.
Dara Miglani : You're fine.
Judge Elana Barth : Excuse me. What the hell was that? Amateur hour? Keep it up, you're gunning for contempt.
Dara Miglani : Oh, go back to your rapist client.
Amanda Rollins : [Barth storms off] She's pissed. You got to her.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Not me. Monica. My guess is it worked.
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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.
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Judge Elana Barth : Just to be clear, Ms. Russo, and forgive me, I'm still getting the ins and outs of the stripper business, but you were initially paid $800 that night?
Monica Russo : The club gets more than half of that.
Judge Elana Barth : But you accepted my client's $200 tip?
Monica Russo : Okay, I was on autopilot.
Judge Elana Barth : Just answer yes or no.
Monica Russo : Yes.
Judge Elana Barth : So you're saying that my client raped you, and then afterwards, you and the club collected $1,000.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Asked and answered, Your Honor.
Judge Namazi : Ms. Barth, move on.
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Moet : Hey. How you two doing tonight?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : We're good.
Odafin Tutuola : Just admiring the view.
Moet : I don't know about choir boy here, but you, I figured you for more than a tourist.
Odafin Tutuola : I'm really here for my man.
Moet : Oh.
Odafin Tutuola : He's looking for a girl he met a month ago here. A blonde.
Moet : Honey, last week, I was a blonde. You're gonna have to do better than that.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : She's got a tattoo of a bird on her hand. She's a painter.
Moet : Oh, Monica. She quit. Last I heard, she was working at Dungeon.
[seeing Carisi's blank look]
Moet : S&M. Probably not your speed.
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Dominick Carisi Jr. : All right, I'll... I'll talk to my boss. I'll-I'll ask him not to push for jail time.
Dara Miglani : Ask? She has a right to be angry.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : So I've heard.
Dara Miglani : Soon as you arrest Markeevious, she'll calm down.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Maybe. Look, this can't look like I arrested him because she chained herself to his restaurant.
Dara Miglani : Why not?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Listen, we both want Markeevious to go down, right? So I need Monica focused. I need her prepping for her testimony, not making headlines.
Dara Miglani : [her phone buzzes] Here we go.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : What? What?
Dara Miglani : Markeevious has gone on the offensive. He's all over Twitter saying he's the victim, and he's gonna sue Monica for harassment and defamation.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : He's bluffing. Look, the last thing this guy wants is to be deposed. Do me a favor. Make sure your client doesn't overreact.
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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?
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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.
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Judge Colin McNamara : On the charges of disorderly conduct, making graffiti, resisting arrest, and criminal mischief, how do you plead?
Dara Miglani : Not guilty. My client has no priors, isn't a flight risk. We request ROR.
Judge Colin McNamara : Mr. Carisi?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : The People have no objection.
Judge Colin McNamara : Granted. Do yourself a favor, Ms. Russo. Stay away from paint for a while.
Monica Russo : Yeah, I can't promise that.
Dara Miglani : Your Honor, she will.
Judge Colin McNamara : I hope so. ROR granted. Next case.
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Dominick Carisi Jr. : Ms. Miglani, I've heard a lot about you.
Dara Miglani : Is that code for "I can be a pain in the ass"?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Yeah, pretty much.
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Dara Miglani : There was no collusion.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : These three women were never in the same room together? Get your client ready to testify, because as of now, this is all on her.
Judge Elana Barth : Mr. Carisi, they tell me tomorrow's your first trial. I'd promise you I'd go easy, but that's just not how it works.
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Monica Russo : I had danced for him before, and that night, I was paid to go into the champagne room, but getting raped was never part of the deal.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Can you point out the man who raped you, one... once more, please?
Monica Russo : Mm-hmm.
[pointing at Markeevious]
Monica Russo : That's him. Markeevious Ryan.
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Amanda Rollins : Monica is a fighter, Carisi, but she's getting beat by the system.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : You want me to take the arraignment?
Amanda Rollins : I'm not asking you to put your finger on the scale...
Dominick Carisi Jr. : No, it's not a big deal. Trust me, trust me. Anybody who can get out of an arraignment, they're happy to.
Amanda Rollins : Huh.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Hey, Crosby. Hey, you happen to know who, uh, who caught the Monica Russo case?
John Crosby : [looking through his files] Uh, Russo. Russo. The stripper who chained herself to a steakhouse?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Right.
John Crosby : Lucky me.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Actually, why don't you let me take that off your hands? I'm due in arraignment court this morning anyway. I'll let Hadid know.
John Crosby : Knock yourself out. Here, take the rest of them while you're at it.
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Monica Russo : Yeah, I'm angry.
Judge Elana Barth : Angry enough to defame my client by painting a billboard?
Monica Russo : Yeah, because he raped me!
Judge Elana Barth : So you claim, but isn't what you're really angry about is that you have to dance at a strip club for a living instead of working as an artist?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Objection!
Judge Elana Barth : Withdrawn.
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Dominick Carisi Jr. : What do you think of Markeevious Ryan right now?
Monica Russo : I think he was a bully in the room, and I think he's a coward now. He doesn't have the balls to face me. What's he so afraid of? You said you didn't rape me. Then why aren't you man enough? Get up, and just...
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Approach, Your Honor.
[approaching the bench]
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Your Honor, I, uh, I need a brief recess to confer with Ms. Russo.
Judge Namazi : I don't know what you're gonna discuss, but it better not be about why the defendant isn't taking the stand.
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Markeevious Ryan : I didn't rape these women, but they see me as their golden ticket. The guy who pays the bills.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Oh.
Markeevious Ryan : Smiles for their dumbass selfies.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : So you do all the work, and these women, they just take and they take.
Judge Elana Barth : Objection.
Judge Namazi : Overruled.
Markeevious Ryan : What am I? Am I every bitch's charity?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Right, they take and they take, and what do they give you?
Markeevious Ryan : The only thing they got.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Sex.
Markeevious Ryan : What else do they have that I want?
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Yeah, but what if they don't give you that?
Markeevious Ryan : Doesn't happen. Nobody says no to Markeevious.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Yeah, but what if they do? What if they get the nerve to say no to you?
Markeevious Ryan : That just means they want more money.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : Because you're Markeevious Ryan, and every woman wants a piece!
Markeevious Ryan : You're damn right!
Judge Elana Barth : Objection, Your Honor.
Judge Namazi : Overruled.
Dominick Carisi Jr. : No further questions.